“Nepo babies” have been a thing in Hollywood since the beginning. Family connections and a parent in the industry = a career in modeling or acting. But in the current era of Hollywood, nepotism has definitely become a next-level issue. Most of the work goes to nepo babies, and the younger generations of nepo babies (the under-30s) are as clueless and tone-deaf about their privilege as can be. So, New York Magazine put “Nepo Babies” on their new cover and people are in their feelings about it.
To be fair, I think some of the younger nepo babies are talented and interesting. I like Maya Hawke (daughter of Ethan and Uma) and I don’t think John David Washington (Denzel and Pauletta’s son) belongs on this list. But Zoe Kravitz? Lily-Rose Depp? Jaden Smith? Dakota Johnson? Kaia Gerber? Burn them!! Or make them go to acting school and actually struggle for a year or two. From Vulture:
In 2022, the internet uncovered a vast conspiracy: Hollywood was run on an invisible network of family ties — and everybody was in on it! Everyone is someone’s kid, but it was as if everybody were somebody’s kid. Euphoria, the buzziest show on television, was created by the son of a major director and co-starred the daughter of another. Actress Maya Hawke was not only born to two famous parents but looked like them, too. Half of Brooklyn’s indie artists had dads with IMDb pages. Even Succession’s Cousin Greg turned out to be the son of one of the guys who designed the Rolling Stones’ lips logo. Aghast, content creators got to work. An unwieldy phrase — “the child of a celebrity” — was reduced to a catchy buzzword: nepo baby. TikTokers produced multipart series about nepo babies who resembled their famous parents, exposés on people you didn’t know were nepo babies (everyone knew), and PSAs urging celebrity parents to roast their nepo babies “to keep them humble.”
Vulture also has tons of articles about various nepo babies (who you might not have known are second-generation or third-generation). It’s all pretty exhaustive. I’m glad they’re pointing out that my nemesis Laura Dern is a nepo baby. I’ll admit that Angelina Jolie is a nepo baby too, even though she dropped “Voight” from her stage name and then her legal name. A lot of people suggested that someone should do a “Nepo Baby, but in journalism” piece. I never think about that, but it’s true.
Vulture also f–ked up by posting a photo of Malcolm Washington and labeling him John David Washington (they’re brothers).
Hire black folks, Vulture! 1st photo wasn’t even John David Washington. pic.twitter.com/srhsj5nKi8
— Luiza Levine (@luizalevine) December 19, 2022
Timothée Chalamet catching Nepo Baby strays for being the NEPHEW of the director of LEPRECHAUN 2 is so unserious hsjdhsjsjsjs pic.twitter.com/XFB1Nwg3XW
— Zoë Rose Bryant (@ZoeRoseBryant) December 19, 2022
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Instar, covers courtesy of New York Magazine, Porter and Elle.
-New York, NY – 20211129 – The 2021 Gotham Awards, Presented by The Gotham Film & Media Institute, Monday, November 29, 2021 at Cipriani Wall Street -PICTURED: Dakota Johnson -PHOTO by: JOHN NACION/startraksphoto.com This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact Startraks Photo for licensing fee and rights information at sales@startraksphoto.com or call +1 212 414 9464 This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. Startraks Photo reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded 
Maya Hawke walks the red carpet ahead of the movie “Mainstream” at the 77th Venice Film Festival on September 05, 2020 in Venice, Italy,Image: 563181900, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Maria Laura Antonelli / AGF Foto / Avalon 
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA – NOVEMBER 06: Actress Dakota Johnson wearing a Gucci outfit arrives at the 10th Annual LACMA Art + Film Gala 2021 held at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art on November 6, 2021 in Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 642002371, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Dakota Johnson, Credit line: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Avalon
Zoe Kravitz attends the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones celebrating the 94th annual Academy Awards at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 27, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California,Image: 673573822, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Zoe Kravitz, Credit line: – / JPI Studios / Avalon 
Laura Dern attends the Los Angeles premiere of Universal Pictures’ “Jurassic World Dominion” on June 06, 2022 in Hollywood, California,Image: 697595342, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Laura Dern, Credit line: – / JPI Studios / Avalon 
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