Nepo baby

Last updated

Nepo baby, short for nepotism baby, is a term referring to someone whose career is similar or related to the career in which a parent succeeded. The implication is that because the parent already had connections to one or more specific industries, the child was able to use those connections to build a career in them. [1] [2] It is usually used pejoratively to indicate a celebrity or politician whose fame and success are unearned or undeserved. [3] [4]

Contents

Origin

The term "nepo baby" became popular after being used in a Twitter post referring to actress Maude Apatow, daughter of Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann. Maude Apatow at SXSW Red Carpet premiere of BLOCKERS (26876897268) (cropped) (cropped2).jpg
The term "nepo baby" became popular after being used in a Twitter post referring to actress Maude Apatow, daughter of Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann.

The term "nepotism baby" was first popularized in the early 2010s, after years of being used, and was first shortened to "nepo baby" in 2020. [5] According to Nate Jones of Vulture , "One of the earliest instances of nepotism baby being shortened to 'nepo baby' appears in a 2020 post from the blog Pop Culture Died in 2009, which describes Olivia Jade as our era's answer to Bling Ring icon Alexis Haines." [3]

The shortened term became popular in 2022 on Twitter when a user tweeted about Maude Apatow, daughter of director Judd Apatow and actress Leslie Mann, starring in the television series Euphoria . [6] [4] This led to the term "nepo baby" trending on TikTok, as users pointed out numerous celebrity nepotism babies. [3] The term gained further popularity after New York magazine published a list of nepo babies, and called 2022 "the Year of the Nepo Baby". [7] [8] [9] They explored which celebrities were nepotism babies and assessed their opportunities in life. [8] Other publications that have covered the topic include The New York Times, [10] Vox , [11] Forbes , [12] and CNN. [1]

Some celebrities have commented on their status as nepotism babies, such as Zoë Kravitz, [13] Kaia Gerber, Lily-Rose Depp, [14] Hasan Piker, Lara Cosima Henckel von Donnersmarck, Gwyneth Paltrow, [15] Jamie Lee Curtis, [16] [17] Jack Quaid, [18] [19] Ben Platt, [20] IC Mendoza, [21] and Gracie Abrams.

In 2023, Hailey Bieber of the Baldwin family embraced the term, wearing a shirt reading "nepo baby". [22] Hopper Penn has reportedly said that he rejects being labeled as such. [23] Allison Williams, who worked with Lena Dunham on HBO's Girls , stated in regards to Dunham and others being labelled by many as "nepo babies": "It doesn't feel like a loss to admit it. If you trust your own skill, I think it becomes very simple to acknowledge." [24] Rachael Maddux of BuzzFeed , however, disputed that Dunham could be classified as a "nepo baby". [25]

The term also applies for people associated with politics. In the Philippines, children of politicians who are perceived to flaunt their wealth are frowned upon and is affront to the social contract which expects them to live responsibly and modestly. [26] [27] The 2025 Nepalese Gen Z protests were partly motivated by negative reception to "nepo kids" or children of influential politicians in Nepal living lavish lifestyles allegedly funded by public funds. [28]

Analysis and criticism

The designation of some celebrities, such as Lena Dunham, as well as the criteria for being deemed a "nepo baby", has seen debate. Lena Dunham TFF 2012 Shankbone 3.JPG
The designation of some celebrities, such as Lena Dunham, as well as the criteria for being deemed a "nepo baby", has seen debate.

In a Vox article on the subject, Columbia University professor Shai Davidai considered the discourse around nepotism babies to be rooted in the way they deconstruct the American faith in equality, even in Hollywood. He explained that the concept of nepotism babies who use family wealth and connections to achieve success "deprive us of that feel-good 'American dream' story". [11] [ failed verification ]

Users of the term often claim that nepotism babies, as well as those who came from wealth in general, are over-represented in media, when compared to those of working-class or otherwise "normal" backgrounds. For example, in a December 2022 humor piece about "nepo babies" by The New Yorker , actor Adam Driver, who came from humble origins, was noted as a "self-made talent...in a sea of Lily-Rose Depps, be an Adam Driver". [30] In another Vulture article, Kevin Lincoln noted that Driver had been discovered through luck, as well as his own merits. [31] Such examples are deemed proof by proponents that a meritocracy does not exist, and hard work alone is not enough to be successful. [32]

Although nepotism in sports is arguably limited by the more objective, meritocratic environment created by competition, [33] [34] athletes whose parents were also well-known athletes or otherwise well-connected in sports have been described as "nepo babies." [34] [35] [36] Examples include Bronny James, whose critics have suggested that the influence of his father, Lebron James, has played a significant role in his opportunities. [37]

Some publications, including BuzzFeed and the feminist publication Jezebel , have criticized the terms "nepo baby" and "industry baby" as too loosely applying social privilege, or special advantages conferred on certain groups at the expense of other groups, to certain public figures. [25] [38]

In November 2022, Lily-Rose Depp, the daughter of actors Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis, criticized the terms "nepo baby" and "industry baby" as sexist and misogynistic. [39] Arwa Mahdawi of The Guardian disputed Depp's claim, stating, "I haven't done detailed data analysis of gender-based applications of the term, but I can think of plenty of men who have been called a 'nepo baby', Brooklyn Beckham and Jaden Smith being two very high-profile examples." [40]

In 2023, magicians Penn & Teller said that they believed the term was "another way for the Internet to be resentful". Penn Jillette said he disliked that the term was being applied to his son, Moxie. [41]

Following her Golden Globe win in January 2025, actress Fernanda Torres, the daughter of Fernando Torres and Fernanda Montenegro, criticized the negative perception surrounding nepotism babies, stating: "I really hate this idea because this is ancient, that people learn in their environment. The dining table of my house was the place where my parents were rehearsing. It doesn't mean when you are a nepo baby that your life is solved. On the contrary, you have to invent yourself. You have other issues." She further described the debate as "the wrong fight", arguing that "inequality is not based on the chances that a nepo baby can have. You can kill all the nepo babies in the world, and you won't solve the inequality problem." [42]

The New York magazine issue also used the term "industry baby" (also known as "industry plant") to refer to a number of other celebrities. [7] The publication defined an "industry baby" as "a celebrity who had a parent or relation that may not have been extremely wealthy or famous, but had achieved some success in the industry, often behind the scenes, which provided their children with connections and opportunities". Vulture defined the term as a celebrity who "didn't inherit a famous name, but did inherit connections and knowledge of the business". [29]

Examples of industry babies cited include Billie Eilish, Meghan Markle, Laura Dern, Lena Dunham, Chris Pine, and Daisy Edgar-Jones. [29]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Andrew, Scottie (December 22, 2022). "Why everyone's talking about 'nepo babies'". CNN . Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  2. Kambhampaty, Anna P.; Issawi, Danya (May 2, 2022). "What Is a 'Nepotism Baby'?". The New York Times . Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 Jones, Nate (December 19, 2022). "How a Nepo Baby Is Born". Vulture. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  4. 1 2 Gorman, Alyx (December 22, 2022). "Nepo babies: what are they and why is Gen Z only just discovering them?". the Guardian. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  5. Eiseman, Jakob. "'Nepo Baby': Meaning and Origin". YourDictionary. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  6. Franks, Josephine (December 30, 2022). "What is a 'nepo baby', and what do celebrities have to say about being labelled one?". Sky News . Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  7. 1 2 Mantha, Priyanka (December 19, 2022). "On the Cover of New York Magazine: Extremely Overanalyzing Hollywood's Nepo-Baby Boom". New York Magazine. Vox Media. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  8. 1 2 "The Year of the Nepo Baby". Vulture . Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  9. Lowe, Lindsay (December 23, 2022). "What are 'nepo babies' and why is the internet talking about them?". Today . Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  10. Kambhampaty, Anna P.; Issawi, Danya (May 2, 2022). "What Is a 'Nepotism Baby'?". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  11. 1 2 Abad-Santos, Alex (August 31, 2022). "One weird trick nepotism babies have for success". Vox. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  12. Placido, Dani Di. "The 'Nepo Baby' Debate, Explained". Forbes. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  13. Dubey, Shivani (November 21, 2022). "Batman's Zoë Kravitz Defends Being 'Nepo Baby'". ELLE. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  14. Truffaut-Wong, Olivia (November 16, 2022). "Lily-Rose Depp Objects to Being Called a 'Nepo Baby'". The Cut. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  15. "Gwyneth Paltrow Says Nepotism Babies Have to Work "Twice as Hard" Once Foot Is in the Door". E! Online. July 27, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  16. Murphy, Chris (February 27, 2023). "Jamie Lee Curtis Loves Being a Nepo Baby". Vanity Fair. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  17. Nordyke, Kimberly (December 23, 2022). "Jamie Lee Curtis Says "Nepo Baby" Debate Is "Designed to Try to Diminish and Denigrate and Hurt"". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  18. "Jack Quaid agrees that he's a nepo baby and 'immensely privileged'". EW.com. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  19. Shanfeld, Ethan (July 12, 2024). "Jack Quaid Agrees With 'Nepo Baby' Label: 'I Am an Immensely Privileged Person … I Don't Think It Undermines My Talent'". Variety. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  20. Schocket, Ryan. "Ben Platt Is Facing Backlash Over His Latest Comments About The 'Dear Evan Hansen' Film". BuzzFeed. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
  21. "IC Mendoza is 'proud to be a nepo baby!' Here's why". GMA News. September 1, 2025. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  22. "Hailey Bieber Wades Into The Nepo Baby Discourse". British Vogue. January 7, 2023. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  23. Alter, Ethan (February 23, 2023). "Hopper Penn on acting opposite mom Robin Wright in 'Devil's Peak' and why he rejects the 'nepo baby' label: 'I don't give a s***, because I'm not one'". Yahoo!. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  24. Sanchez, Gabrielle. "Allison Williams recalls nepo baby discourse—and how it was different—when she was on 'Girls'". AV Club. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  25. 1 2 Maddux, Rachael (October 4, 2012). "Stop Blaming Lena Dunham's Success On "Nepotism"". BuzzFeed. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  26. "Flood of anger: why Filipinos turn to social media to expose 'nepo babies'". South China Morning Post. September 1, 2025. Archived from the original on September 1, 2025. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  27. Peña, Kurt Dela (September 10, 2025). "Narcissistic disorder: The psychology behind nepo babies". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  28. de Guzman, Chad (September 9, 2025). "What to Know About Nepal's Deadly 'Gen Z' Protests". Time. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
  29. 1 2 3 Jones, Nate (December 19, 2022). "An All But Definitive Guide to the Hollywood Nepo-Verse". Vulture. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  30. Arimoto, Jenny; Park, Brian (December 8, 2022). "Nepotism Babies You Probably Don't Know About". The New Yorker. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  31. Lincoln, Kevin (December 28, 2016). "How Did Adam Driver Become a Movie Star?". Vulture. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  32. "What are 'nepo babies' and why is the internet talking about them?". TODAY.com. December 23, 2022. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  33. Kelly, Keegan (March 27, 2023). "Bill Maher Mistakenly Believes That There Are No Nepo Babies in Pro Sports". Cracked.com . Retrieved July 3, 2025.
  34. 1 2 Quah, Nicholas (December 19, 2022). "Can There Be Nepotism in Sports? Just Look at the NBA". Vulture . Retrieved July 3, 2025.
  35. Futterman, Matthew (January 26, 2023). "In Tennis, the 'Nepo Babies' Are Everywhere". The New York Times . Retrieved July 3, 2025.
  36. Reed, Keith (2025). "Shedeur Sanders is a nepo baby. That's his blessing and his curse". MSN . Retrieved July 3, 2025.
  37. Granderson, LZ (July 9, 2024). "Granderson: Bronny James is seeing the downsides of being a nepo baby". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved July 3, 2025.
  38. Ashcraft, Kady Ruth. "Having a Creative Parent Is a Privilege, But It Isn't Nepotism". Jezebel. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  39. Bergeson, Samantha (November 16, 2022). "Lily-Rose Depp Slams 'Nepo Baby' Label: People Want to Define Me 'By the Men in My Life'". IndieWire. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  40. Mahdawi, Arwa (November 26, 2022). "Lots of things in life are sexist – but the phrase 'nepo baby' isn't one of them". The Guardian. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  41. Campbell, Tina (June 8, 2023). "Penn and Teller star slams 'nepo baby' label as way for 'internet to be resentful'". Evening Standard. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
  42. Lattanzio, Ryan (January 11, 2025). "Fernanda Torres on Her Surprise Golden Globe Win, 'I'm Still Here,' and the Nepo Baby Debate: It's 'the Wrong Fight'". IndieWire. Retrieved January 12, 2025.