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]
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]
In 2023, Hailey Bieber of the Baldwin family embraced the term, wearing a shirt reading "nepo baby".[21]Hopper Penn has reportedly said that he rejects being labeled as such.[22]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."[23] Rachael Maddux of BuzzFeed, however, disputed that Dunham could be classified as a "nepo baby".[24]
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.
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".[26] In another Vulture article, Kevin Lincoln noted that Driver had been discovered through luck, as well as his own merits.[27] Such examples are deemed proof by proponents that a meritocracy does not exist, and hard work alone is not enough to be successful.[28]
Although nepotism in sports is arguably limited by the more objective, meritocratic environment created by competition,[29][30] athletes whose parents were also well-known athletes or otherwise well-connected in sports have been described as "nepo babies."[30][31][32] Examples include Bronny James, whose critics have suggested that the influence of his father, Lebron James, has played a significant role in his opportunities.[33]
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.[24][34]
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.[35] 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."[36]
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.[37]
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."[38]
Related terms
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".[25]
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