A recent explosion of debate has swept the internet recently. Are nepotism babies in Hollywood genuinely talented performers? Or are they children of prominent celebrities robbing others of opportunities and Hollywood of new, break-out performers?  

So what and who exactly are these nepotism babies that the internet has been so obsessed with lately? A nepotism baby is any child who has received an advantage in a field or occupation of work by their parent’s or relative’s experience and assistance in that same field. It doesn’t solely apply to Hollywood, the fashion industry, or the music industry. But the current backlash of nepotism in the entertainment industry has come from recent observations that a majority of young celebrities have received some parental assistance in their climb to fame. 

With the help of a recent New York Magazine cover story on the topic, the buzzword ‘nepo baby’ has infiltrated social media. In almost every tv show or film, there is most likely a nepo baby in the cast. 

Maya Hawke, for example, who is best known for her role as Robin in Stranger Things, is the daughter of Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke. Jack Quaid, who plays Hugie Cambell in The Boys, received some aid in his career from his mom, who is none other than the Meg Ryan. The list of nepo babies goes on: Zoë Kravitz, Jaden Smith, Billie Lourd, Lilly Collins, Zoey Deutch, Maude Apatow, Dakota Johnson, and Lily-Rose Depp. 

In a TikTok posted by @mizft, the content creator AJ Krakovsky dragged Lily-Rose Depp for her interview with Elle Magazine. In the interview, Lily-Rose Depp commented “Maybe you get your foot in the door, but you still just have your foot in the door. There’s a lot of work that comes after that.” AJ Krakovsky responded to this interview in a TikTok by saying “I am begging Lily-Rose Depp and all nepo babies to just shut up and stop being delusional about nepotism playing a role in their careers.”

Another celebrity’s input on the controversy came from singer-songwriter, actress, (and nepo baby), Lilly Allen. She tweeted “The nepo babies y’all should be worrying about are the ones working for legal firms, the ones working for banks, and the ones working in politics, If we’re talking about real-world consequences and robbing people of opportunity, BUT that’s none of my business.” 

On the other hand, Hailey Beiber, (daughter of Stephen Baldwin and graphic designer Kennya Deodato Baldwin), was recently paparazzied wearing a white tee shirt with the words ‘Nepo Baby’ printed on the front. If nothing else comes from all the discourse, at least it has sparked a sense of self-awareness in some of the nepo babies themselves.