In the midst of constant discourse surrounding nepotism, the children of celebrities have not taken one unanimous side when it comes to responding to claims about their advantages.  A “nepo baby” is defined as a celebrity with a parent who is also famous, especially one whose industry connections are perceived as essential to their success, according to harpersbazaar.com.  Nepotism provides an advantage for a celebrity’s child because the parent has connections that will provide more opportunities for success compared to those with non-celebrity parents.  Additionally, they already have an audience of fans interested in their work.  These connections provide nepo babies with a head start as they first begin to book jobs.  This advantage gives them the upper hand over emerging talent without a name, even if they are less talented, according to ellecanada.com. 

Many nepo babies take after their parents and must deal with constant comparison.  For example, Ms. Sofia Coppola was inspired by her father, Mr. Francis Ford Coppola, to become a director, according to harpersbazaar.com.  While both are incredibly famous and highly regarded in their field, there is a constant debate about who is the better director.  On the other hand, some nepo babies far surpass their parents in fame.  Mr. Ben Stiller is a well-known actor and comedian, yet most people do not know that his parents, Mr. Jerry Stiller and Ms. Anne Meara, were also famous comedians, according to people.com. 

Celebrities with famous parents all handle nepotism-based criticism differently.  Some choose to embrace nepotism, while others argue that they must work harder because of it.  Ms. Lily-Rose Depp, daughter of actor Mr. Johnny Depp and singer and model Ms. Vanessa Paradis, respects both of her parents as incredible artists.  However, she says she wants to find a place for herself in the industry, separated from her parents, according to people.com.  Ms. Depp does not like being called a nepo baby because she claims that although it gave a head start in the industry, she still must work to truly make a name for herself.  She believes that reducing entertainers to nepo babies ignores their talent.  Moreover, she believes the term to be misogynistic, as females are more likely face comments about not deserving their fame if they have famous parents, according to ellecanada.com.  Ms. Depp expressed her feelings about gaining attention by starring in Nosferatu, which premiered in December 2024. 

“Getting to a place where I felt confident enough within myself to be like, ‘I can do this and I am here for a reason,’ I definitely have struggled with that,” Ms. Depp said, according to people.com.  “Humility is incredibly important, especially in this business.  In a way, I always want to feel like I’m just starting out and like I still have so much to learn — which is how I do feel.”

Similarly, Ms. Dakota Johnson, daughter of actress Ms. Melanie Griffith and actor and singer-songwriter Mr. Don Johnson, thinks nepo baby discourse is silly.  She even made fun of the discussion surrounding nepotism in a 2024 Saturday Night Live skit.  Ms. Johnson credits her parents for her decision to become an actress.  She felt it was the only right career choice for her because she was surrounded by actors growing up, according to wmagazine.com.

Actress Ms. Maya Hawke has a different view on the impact of nepotism on her career.  Ms. Hawke is the daughter of actress Ms. Uma Thurman, and actor Mr. Ethan Hawke, both well-known and highly regarded in the film industry.  Unlike many other nepo babies, Ms. Hawke has decided to not only recognize, but embrace nepotism.  She recognizes that the opportunities and experiences she has gained are because of her parents, and she credits them as her teachers.

When Ms. Hawke was cast in Mr. Quentin Tarantino’s 2019 film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, she was ridiculed for saying in an interview that she auditioned for her role.  However, she is not ashamed to admit that she got the role due to her mother’s influence, as Ms. Thurman has a long-standing professional history with director Mr. Tarantino, according to variety.com.  Ms. Hawke shared how she feels about whether or not she deserves her accomplishments.

“’Deserves’ is a complicated word,” Ms. Hawke said, according to thetimes.com.  “There are so many people who deserve to have this kind of life who don’t, but I think I’m comfortable with not deserving it and doing it anyway.  And I know that my not doing it wouldn’t help anyone.  I saw two paths when I was first starting, and one of them was: change your name, get a nose job and go to open casting roles.  It’s OK to be made fun of when you’re in rarefied air.  It’s a lucky place to be.  My relationships with my parents are really honest and positive, and that supersedes anything anyone can say about it.”

Ultimately, no matter how nepo babies view their success, their connections and name provide them with an advantage over new talent seeking a big break.  Not only do they have connections in their parents’ industry, but they also already have a name for themselves that audiences are eager to see.  While it is true that many nepo babies are able to prove their talent and distinguish themselves from their parents, it is extremely important to recognize that celebrities with famous parents have significant upper hand in entertainment industries compared to those without.

Featured Image by Eleanor Kelleher ’28