Just a small glance at the title probably made you think of a person or two who falls under this category. In case you didn’t already know, a nepotism (nepo) baby, by definition, is a child of a well-known figure of a famous industry, able to use the momentum of their parents to leverage their own career in the same or similar field. Names like Drew Barrymore, Angelina Jolie, and Maya Hawke are all people that fall under this category. While some argue that the success gained by nepotism babies is warranted, others argue against this.
In this article, we discuss the following question:
Is the success of nepotism babies deserved?
| Yes, success gained by nepotism babies is deserved | No, success by nepotism babies is not deserved |
| 1. Different Career Paths Compared to Parents Many nepo babies have taken a different career path in comparison to their parents. Lily Collins, for example, who has starred in shows such as Netflix’s Emily in Paris is the daughter of Phil Collins, who is a singer. Gracie Abrams, known for many of her popular songs such as “Close to You” or “That’s so True” is the daughter of J.J. Abrams, who is a director. Collins and Abrams have a different route from their parents, meaning the success and platform they have gained can be credited more to their own work, rather than their parent’s success. | 1. Easier Access to Resources and Money The majority of nepo babies are born with countless resources at their disposal. This means, contrary to their peers, many don’t have to put much, if any, effort into gaining success. For example, Annie Moon from the newly debuted kpop group, AllDay Project, is the daughter of Moon Sung-wook, the CEO of Shinsegae Live Shopping and Signite. With this connection, it is alleged that Annie requested her father to buy her a daesang, a prestigious music award, only five months after their debut into the kpop industry. With four official songs released and countless criticism from netizens, many claim that it is the only logical conclusion as to how this group won. Others who have worked to make it big through effort have been continuously overshadowed by money bribes and parental fame. |
| 2.Success is Not Automatic It’s not uncommon for children to mirror a desire to be like the adult figures in their life. For example, if a child’s parents are both teachers, it’s very possible that child would want to grow up to be a teacher as well. However, a child cannot just be handed a teaching degree, as they still need to go through the education and process in order to become a teacher. Thus, if a child is born to an actor or singer, it is not unlikely they would aspire to be like their parents, yet it still takes a large amount of work and sacrifice to get to that point. Miley Cyrus, for example, is the daughter of Billy Ray Cyrus. Cyrus is a well- known name, through her hits, “Party in the USA,” “Flowers”, and countless others. She has also starred in popular shows such as Hannah Montana that gave her the platform she had. While she was likely inspired by her father, Miley made a name for herself through her own work. Contrary to this, Billie Lourd, who is the daughter of, Carrie Fisher, known for her role as Princess Leia in Star Wars, was only given a smaller role in the Star Wars films, despite having auditioned for a larger part, showing despite her mother’s legacy, Lourd was not granted an automatic pass to a lead role in this film. | 2. Less Expectations and More Pardons The public often grants pardons or provides excuses for those who carry a famous last name. People often hold nepo babies to lower expectations compared to regular individuals making it easier for them to become famous. Lily-Rose Depp, daughter of Johnny Depp, was given a spot in the Chanel catwalk while standing at five feet three inches, a miniscule height compared to the other six-foot models on the same catwalk. The basic standard of height was completely disregarded for Lily-Rose solely because of her heritage, while countless other shorter women are turned away from their modeling dreams every year. Nepo babies are also continuously pardoned for bad behavior just to save the reputations of their famous parents. Charlie Sheen, son of award-winning actor Martin Sheen, has been labeled as honest and realistic as he talks about his substance use and controversial opinions. Unlike the societal norm that those who use substances are looked down upon, Charlie was praised for it and some even applauded him for staying away from certain substances. On the same note, Jaden Smith, son of Will Smith, appeared on Ellen in 2013 and publicly boasted about his access to countless “free” amenities while claiming that those who go to public schools are “so angsty.” Instead of calling him snobby or self-absorbed, the public quickly overlooked his comments and pretended the issue never happened. |
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