The phenomenon of Nepotism in Hollywood was analyzed under the magnifying glass in media such as New York Times y Vulturewhere they did a kind of study about new talents and “son of”heirs of famous musicians and artists, who enjoy the privilege of carrying a surname that opened doors for them.
It seems a new generation has discovered that their favorite celebrities, no matter how talented, benefit from a system that is not strictly meritocratic. And that’s what the term they coined as Nepo Babies.
What and who are the Nepo Babies of Hollywood
Social networks have been invaded by the new term “nepotism baby”which includes names like Maude Apatow, Zoë Kravitz, Dakota Johnson, Lily Collins (respectively, prodigal daughters of Jude Apatow, Lenny Kravitz y Lisa Bonet, Melanie Griffith y Don Johnson y Phil Collins) and many other figures who seem to have benefited from the cradle when it comes to making their careers in the industry in which their parents shine.
In fact, there is also speculation about the future of the next generation of Nepo Babiesincluding the son of Rihanna y A$ap Rocky, North West (the heiress of Kim Kardashian y Kanye West) And till Khaithe firstborn of Gigi Hadid y Zayn Malick.
According to the NYT analysis, a Nepo Babie clearly enjoys many more opportunities “because of his contacts and surnames”. The point they focus on is that they don’t need to “start at the bottom” like other mortals and have more keys without even having to prove their talent.
It should be noted that for many of them it is also a burden: they must fight to show that they deserve those opportunities that seem to come. In the aforementioned medium, the model Victoria Ceretti pointed to that the problem with the Nepo Babies is that they can take away opportunities from other colleagues who could deserve it better.
Nepo Babies or “sons of”: talent or privileges?
Who are the babies of nepotism that take over the film industry? In addition to those mentioned above, celebrities such as Kate Hudson (daughter of Goldie Hawn) until Margaret Qualley (heiress of Andie McDowell) y Maya Hawke (successor of Uma Thurman y Ethan Hawke).
The same thing happens in fashion: they stand out Gigi Hadid (successor to former model Yolanda Hadid and the millionaire Mohamed Hadid), Kaia Gerber (daughter of Cindy Crawford) and Kendall Jenner (heiress of Kris Jenner y Caitlyn Jenner).
Why Nepo Babies cause controversy
As NYT points out, the difference for the Nepo Babies is that they usually receive more benefits even if they are not the best, at the same time that they are treated with excessive privileges. Sometimes the resemblance to their parents and the influence of their last names make them instant stars.
As pointed Vultureopportunities immediately include possibilities such as presenting awards at Golden Globes and obtain roles in important fictions (as happened to Kaia Gerber with his role in American Horror Storythe iconic series of Ryan Murphy).
Of course, several of the Nepo Babies are also noted for their talents. Among them, they distinguish figures such as Riley Keough, Josh Brolin, Alexander Skarsgard y Sophia Coppola. Likewise, they question: “all of them they would be where they are now and would have received the same opportunities if they were not heirs to famous families?”.
