All The Celebs Who’ve Reacted To The ‘Nepo Baby’ Controversy

By ETCanada.com Staff. 28 Dec 2022 10:40 PM

New York Magazine‘s latest cover story on “nepo babies” in Hollywood has caused an uproar on social media after the star-studded issue highlighted a number of celebrities whose careers- often in showbiz or an adjacent field like fashion or media- were carved out by their already famous and successful parents or relatives, giving them an advantage.

Every one of these celebs are referred to as a “nepo baby” (nepo = nepotism). Some have major fanbases, have lead popular streaming series and have even won awards while others have fronted fashion campaigns or starred on Broadway.

Some celebs, including those whose names were mentioned in the issue, have since reacted publicly to the controversial story.

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Kate Hudson
Photo: Jerome Dominé/ABACAPRESS.COM/CP Images
The 43-year-old actress is the daughter of Oscar winner Goldie Hawn and actor/musician Bill Hudson, though she was raised by her mother and her partner Kurt Russell.

Reacting to the attention her famous lineage has drawn, she said her entire family is full of “storytellers”.

"The nepotism thing, I mean ... I don't really care. I look at my kids and we're a storytelling family. It's definitely in our blood," she explained to The Independent. "People can call it whatever they want, but it's not going to change it."

"I actually think there are other industries where it's [more common]. Maybe modeling? I see it in business way more than I see it in Hollywood. Sometimes I've been in business meetings where I'm like, 'Wait, whose child is this?' Like, this person knows nothing!" she continued.

"I don't care where you come from or what your relationship to the business is — if you work hard and you kill it, it doesn't matter.”
Eve Hewson
Photo: Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
The Irish actress and daughter of U2 frontman Bono (real name Paul David Hewson) joked on Twitter that she was “actually pretty devastated I’m not featured in the nepo baby article like haven’t they seen my hit show 'Bad Sisters'.”

Shortly after, Hewson learned that she actually was included in the magazine's story after joking that her goal for 2023 is to "be successful enough to get recognized as a nepo baby."
Jamie Lee Curtis
Photo: Jerod Harris/Getty Images for Vulture
The "Halloween" star, who is the daughter of actors Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis, took to Instagram to share her thoughts.

"The current conversation about nepo babies is just designed to try to diminish and denigrate and hurt," Curtis captioned her post. "For the record I have navigated 44 years with the advantages my associated and reflected fame brought me, I don't pretend there aren't any, that try to tell me that I have no value on my own. It's curious how we immediately make assumptions and snide remarks that someone related to someone else who is famous in their field for their art, would somehow have no talent whatsoever. I have come to learn that is simply not true."

The actress went on to note how she's "shown up for all different kinds of work" and how she's always "tried to bring integrity and professionalism and love and community and art to my work."

"I am not alone. There are many of us. Dedicated to our craft. Proud of our lineage. Strong in our belief in our right to exist," she concluded in part before reminding others to "be kind."
O'Shea Jackson Jr.
Photo: Rich Polk/Getty Images for IMDb
The “Straight Outta Compton” star chimed in on Twitter, sharing his reaction to being named in the magazine's story. In his thread, Jackson acknowledged the benefits given to him by being the son of rapper and movie star Ice Cube.

“My dad told me in a perfect world, I would play him in straight outta compton,” he wrote, adding, “I accepted the challenge. And auditioned for two years before getting the role. After that it was up to me, he couldn’t hold my hand through my career.”

Jackson went on to talk about the importance of the “work ethic” he had while pursuing his acting career, noting that he left his father’s talent agency to get his own team.

“But non of that. NONE. OF. THAT. Happens that way without the love of my father,” he added. “The work he put in to get us to a place of opportunity. And for me to ignore that or not accept and use as a guide would be foolish and disrespectful.”

Along with encouraging everyone to work hard and take advantage of opportunities, Jackson said, “I wish everyone in this world to be able to present opportunities for their children to success. No matter how big or small. It’s something all parents work for.”
Lottie Moss
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The 24-year-old model, whose half-sister is supermodel Kate Moss, expressed on Twitter that she's “so sick of people blaming nepotism for why they aren't rich and famous or successful," adding that "its not fair that people who come from famous families are getting a leg up because of that."

"But guess what? Life isn't fair," she continued. "If you put your mind to something you can accomplish anything! So instead of being negative about other peoples success go and try and create your own!"

In a separate tweet, Moss acknowledged that she's "privileged being related to a huge model," noting that she's "grateful" for the opportunities she's had but concluded by writing, "sh**ing on others because of it makes NO sense."
Lily Allen
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The English singer-songwriter, who is the daughter of producer Alison Owen and actor Keith Allen, 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."

In a follow-up thread, Allen wrote in part: "I do feel that nepo babies are being somewhat scapegoated here though, there is a wider, societal conversation to be had about wealth inequality, about lack of programs and funding, and I guess that was the point I was trying to make."

All The Celebs Who’ve Reacted To The ‘Nepo Baby’ Controversy

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