Many dream of a life in the limelight, envisioning a journey of rising from humble beginnings to becoming global superstars, celebrated for earning such success. However, a generation of people predestined for Hollywood stardom has emerged, primarily due to their parents’ careers.
These “nepo babies,” born from successful names within Hollywood, tend to quickly receive opportunities an aspiring actor or model can only dream of. This raises an important question, do these nepo babies earn their success through talent, or are they simply propelled by familial connections?
While nepotism isn’t a new phenomenon by any means, it has become more and more prominent as the children of household names grow up to follow their parents’ career paths in Hollywood, particularly, in film and fashion.
Many actors and models have faced scrutiny regarding their nepo baby status, fueled by media pieces like Nate Jones’s New York article, “The Nepo Baby Boom.” The criticism they encounter is largely based on the public’s perception that hardworking and deserving individuals are frequently surpassed by nepo babies, despite having equivalent or more talent in comparison.
While this is a valid critique, several nepo babies, including Lily-Rose Depp, Maya Hawke, Emma Roberts and Dakota Johnson, have responded defensively. They argue that this term undermines their efforts and that their achievements are entirely separate from those of their family.
Although they possess acting skills, they often overlook the numerous advantages their connections provide—benefits that aspiring talents from less privileged backgrounds do not have.
Nepotism is not exclusive to the film industry; seeing success within modeling has become increasingly difficult due to the prevalence of nepotism.
Models with lackluster walks, such as Sunday Rose Kidman Urban who has recently opened for a Miu Miu fashion show, and Lila Moss who has sported the runway with her mother Kate Moss in various shows, newly, the 2024 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, exemplify this trend.
The character of models in the 90s and early 2000s has since faded. Today, it seems that as long as you have connections, you can land magazine covers and walk for name brands, even while appearing expressionless and stiff.
While it is undeniable that nepo babies can be exceptionally talented, such as Sofia Coppola and Devon Aoki, do they truly deserve better opportunities than those who have built their careers from the ground up with equal skill?
Hollywood must confront the issue of favoring individuals born into fame, which often grants them underserved advantages. By addressing this, much-needed diversity and uniqueness would be reintroduced back into mainstream media, allowing genuine talent—those who have worked tirelessly to achieve their dreams—to shine.
