What do celebrities like North West, Gracie Abrams, and Maya Hawke all have in common? It might be as obvious as you think, but they’ve all been labeled in the media as nepo babies.
Oxford Dictionary reports that by definition a nepo baby is a child of a famous or successful parent, whose own success is believed to be due to their family connections. But there’s one question that continuously rises to the surface: Are certain celebrities famous because of talent or simply their family tree?
As expected, the industry overflowing with “nepotism” is entertainment. The main issue with nepotism is how a tendency of actors, musicians, or directors will “use their influence and status to have their children cemented inside these industries,” as stated by The Bullhorn News. This has become a growing concern that deliberately creating opportunities for “nepo babies” sends a negative message to those who are tirelessly working up the ladder to fame.
At the 30th anniversary concert for “The Lion King,” held in May 2024, North West, daughter of Kayne West and Kim Kardashian, performed the well-known song “I Just Can’t Wait to be King.” West sported a yellow zip-up hoodie and a fuzzy headpiece inspired by the main character, Simba.
Social media was quick to display criticism towards West’s performance and attire, stating that she landed the role due to her parents’ celebrity status. According to an article by Forbes, some comments weren’t directed at her, but at the entertainment industry itself.
Individuals like TikTok creator, Laci Kole stated West had likely “taken the place of another talented performer,” thus creating a “lost opportunity for an unknown actor to shine.” On some platforms like Instagram and TikTok, users began posting videos of auditions sent in by other children, who were “more talented” than West.
“We should blame the industry because they probably chose North West because she’s their daughter,” expressed Lana Marsh, ‘25. “The show most likely did that so the show would gain more fame and become more popular.”
Forbes shared a different light when TikTok creator, Nick Holiday, shared his thoughts on the matter. Holiday argued saying the audience had “paid to watch the performance,” and went on to compare North West to fellow nepo baby, Miley Cyrus, explaining that “Cyrus would not have received the same amount of criticism due to her immense talent.”
While some disagree with his perspective, Holiday does touch on a frequent occurrence. Negative commentary towards nepo babies tends to arise when they fail to meet expectations with the opportunities they receive.
The industry has seen this in the past with actors like Jaden Smith, son of Will and Jada Smith. After landing a role in “After Earth,” he received heavy criticism for his “poor acting performance,” even causing him to “win” multiple Golden Raspberry awards for the film, including “Worst Actor.” In an article by the Ranker, it was explained that even with this setback, he continued to make an onscreen appearance and with it, received negative commentary for his “bland acting.” But the nepo baby conversation spreads into other sections of the entertainment industry.
For a while, there was controversy around growing artist, Gracie Abrams. Some critics have pointed fingers at her parents: J.J. Abrams, a director known for his work on projects like Star Trek and the recent Star Wars films, and her mother, Katie McGrath, a well-known actress who has appeared in movies such as “Merlin” and “Jurassic World.” The main focus lands on the familiarity of the last name and how her parents’ are the main cause of Gracie Abrams’ jump to success.
Others have stated that this is unlikely, seeing as Gracie Abrams has fallen into the musical side of entertainment rather than film. Critics have commented on Abrams musical style as an indie pop artist and her “unique singing style” and “breathy voice.”
“You can’t give her Dad all the credit for it. It isn’t fair to say that because he’s in film, not music,” explains Paige Matulevich, ‘27. “If she got her fame from anywhere, it would be her opening for Taylor Swift at the Eras Tour and her popularity on TikTok.”
Actresses like Maya Hawke take a different approach to the criticism she receives from her nepo baby commentary. She’s the daughter of two famous actors, Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman. Unlike other celebrities, Hawke fully embraces being called a nepo baby.
After receiving immense criticism for her role as Flower Child in “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” she has reported to Variety that she has been “wildly made fun of” for a clip of her saying on the red carpet that she auditioned for. She goes on to say that she didn’t intend to imply that she didn’t get the role through “nepotistic reasons” and states “I think I totally did.”
She is famously known for her role as Robin Buckley in Stranger Things, who made her debut in the third season of the TV show. Maya Hawke has said in the past that there are plenty of people who don’t have the life she does and deserve the same life and success.
The concept of nepotism really comes down to opinion. Some individuals might view actresses like Maya Hawke or Lily Rose Depp, the daughter of well-known actors Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis, as talent while others might say it’s only their parents who got them the role. The same can be applied for performers like Willow Smith and Gracie Abrams.
Ultimately, the central question for the audience is: talent or nepotism?
