The 25 Most Obvious Nepo Babies Still Claiming They “Grinded”

Talk about nepotism in Hollywood has exploded recently, with people on social media constantly pointing out how family connections help young actors get ahead. Some celebrity children admit they had an advantage, but others get upset when the topic comes up. A few stars even claim their path to success was just as challenging as anyone else’s, even though they come from famous families. They often talk about working long hours and facing rejection, while minimizing the opportunities their family name gave them.

Brooklyn Beckham

I’ve been following Brooklyn Beckham’s journey, and it’s clear he’s really trying to make a name for himself, exploring things like soccer, photography, and now cooking. He’s always emphasized how important it is to him to be known for his own work, not just as David and Victoria Beckham’s son. I know some people criticize his projects, saying he’s had a financial advantage due to his family’s connections – like the budget for his book and cooking show. But honestly, I admire his determination; he seems genuinely committed to proving he can succeed through hard work and dedication, and I really hope he does!

Lily-Rose Depp

Lily-Rose Depp recently explained that building a career in acting and modeling is similar to becoming a doctor – having famous parents can open some doors, but success ultimately depends on dedication and effort. This comparison sparked criticism online, with many pointing out the clear differences between the objective requirements of medical training and the more subjective nature of being cast in films or for modeling work. Depp believes people are far more focused on her family background than those who actually hire her for roles.

Kendall Jenner

Kendall Jenner faced criticism after suggesting she had to prove herself more than other models to gain acceptance from top fashion designers. She explained that she deliberately left her famous last name off her modeling portfolios to overcome the negative perception associated with reality television. Several people within the fashion industry pointed out that she bypassed the usual early-career modeling jobs and went straight to walking in major fashion shows. Jenner maintains that her success wasn’t easy and that she faced challenging auditions and doubts along the way.

Gwyneth Paltrow

Gwyneth Paltrow has pointed out that it’s tougher for celebrity children to earn respect, as people assume they haven’t achieved success on their own merits. She feels these ‘nepo babies,’ while facing extra scrutiny, still have an initial advantage thanks to their family connections. Despite this, she maintains that her long career in Hollywood is due to her hard work and talent alone.

Ben Platt

Ben Platt received backlash when he played the same role in the ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ movie as he did on Broadway. Because his father produced the film, some people thought he was too old to play a high school student. Platt responded to accusations of nepotism by explaining that he originated the role and had proven his talent through his stage work. He emphasized that he was cast because of his deep understanding of the character, not because of his father’s position.

Lily Collins

Lily Collins often talks about the many times she was turned down when she first started acting. While she was determined to succeed based on her own merits, not because of her father, musician Phil Collins, she acknowledges that being a Collins likely opened some doors early in her career, giving her access to people in the industry. She spent a lot of time waiting for auditions and hearing ‘no’ before finally getting roles.

Maude Apatow

Maude Apatow has spoken about how upsetting she finds the term “nepo baby” – a label given to those who benefit from family connections in the entertainment industry. While acknowledging her privileged start, particularly through working on projects with her father, Judd Apatow, she insists she works hard and tries to ignore the negativity. Apatow hopes that a long and successful career will ultimately demonstrate her talent and prove she’s earned her place in the industry.

Kaia Gerber

Kaia Gerber, like her mother Cindy Crawford, began modeling at a young age. While she recognizes she has advantages due to her family connections, she believes that talent is still the most important factor in the modeling world. She argues that casting directors won’t hire someone just because of their parents if they don’t have the necessary skills. However, her quick rise to fame, including appearing on the cover of Vogue, suggests that her family background likely helped her career.

Hailey Bieber

Hailey Bieber responded to online discussions about her privileged background by wearing a t-shirt playfully acknowledging she’s a “Nepo Baby” – someone who benefits from family connections. As part of the well-known Baldwin acting family and wife of Justin Bieber, she’s often the subject of this type of commentary. She’s expressed frustration with the suggestion that her achievements aren’t deserved, emphasizing that her success in business and modeling is due to her own hard work.

Emma Roberts

Emma Roberts recently spoke about the challenges of being an actress in Hollywood, explaining that people tend to focus on her successes while overlooking the many roles she didn’t get. She believes being related to famous actors like Julia and Eric Roberts can actually make things harder, as people may have expectations or biases. However, some have noted that she’s had access to auditions that many other aspiring actors only dream of.

Kate Hudson

Kate Hudson responded to the recent discussions about nepotism by saying that a passion for acting runs in her family, much like any other family business. She pointed out that just as some people come from families of doctors or business owners, she comes from a family with a history in Hollywood. Hudson believes that hard work and success are what truly matter, and the ‘nepotism’ label unfairly minimizes the skills and abilities of those who have grown up around the entertainment industry.

Zoë Kravitz

Zoë Kravitz has spoken about feeling insecure in Hollywood because of her famous parents, Lenny Kravitz and Lisa Bonet. She’s determined to be recognized for her own talent and hard work, not just as their daughter. Kravitz feels the term ‘nepotism’ doesn’t fully reflect her dedication and effort, and she emphasizes that she landed roles in films like ‘The Batman’ through successful auditions.

Maya Hawke

Maya Hawke recognizes she had a fortunate start in her career, but feels a lot of pressure to prove herself because of her famous parents, Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman. While she admits her parents helped her early on by connecting her with an agent, she’s determined to succeed based on her own talent and hard work, as demonstrated by her quick rise to fame with ‘Stranger Things’. She wants to be known for her abilities, not just her family name.

Dakota Johnson

Dakota Johnson is frustrated by the constant discussion of nepotism. While acknowledging her famous parents, Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson, she believes Hollywood is challenging for all actors, no matter their connections. She’s noted that early in her career, she had to work hard to be seen as a serious dramatic actress and continues to compete for roles like everyone else in the industry.

Scott Eastwood

Scott Eastwood has talked about the jobs he held – like bartending and valet parking – before becoming an actor. He says his father, Clint Eastwood, didn’t give him any handouts or help him get roles, making him work hard for everything he achieved. Despite this, Scott has acted in several films with his father, which gave him valuable experience. He emphasizes his working-class background to show he’s not a spoiled Hollywood insider.

Jack Quaid

Jack Quaid initially tried to distance himself from his famous parents, Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan, even considering a name change. While he’s now come to terms with being known as the son of celebrities, he consistently highlights his dedication and effort. He points to his rejection from drama school as proof he didn’t get a free pass, and believes his success in ‘The Boys’ showcases his talent as an actor on its own merits.

Willow Smith

Willow Smith feels she constantly has to prove herself as a musician, separate from her famous parents, Will and Jada Pinkett Smith. She believes being a celebrity’s child actually makes things harder, creating extra pressure to succeed. She credits her growth as an artist to her own hard work and dedication, not to any advantages from her family’s connections in the industry.

Jaden Smith

I’ve always been fascinated by Jaden Smith and his drive to make a real difference in the world, not just through his art, but through everything he does. Seeing him start his career alongside his dad, Will Smith, was incredible, and he’s always been so open about the challenges of growing up with so much attention. What really impresses me is how he always credits his success in both fashion and music to his own unique ideas and just sheer hard work – it’s truly inspiring!

Lottie Moss

Lottie Moss recently voiced her annoyance at constantly being compared to her famous sister, Kate Moss. She explained on social media that she’s had enough of people assuming her modeling success is only due to her family connection. Lottie pointed out that everyone benefits from some kind of advantage and encouraged people to concentrate on their own journeys. However, her comments sparked criticism, with some people highlighting that her height is typically considered a disadvantage for models.

Ireland Baldwin

As a lifelong movie fan, I’ve always been fascinated by celebrity kids, and Ireland Baldwin’s story really resonates. She’s spoken openly about how tough it’s been growing up with Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger as parents – it’s like living in their shadow. She’s built her own career as a model and DJ, and she’s really had to work for everything she’s achieved. It bothers her when people assume she’s just lived a privileged life without any effort. In fact, she’s said the modeling world was surprisingly brutal, even because of who her parents are.

Sofia Richie

Sofia Richie credits her success in modeling and design to her own hard work and ambition, not her famous father, Lionel Richie. She’s discussed how difficult it was to break into the fashion industry as a celebrity’s daughter, feeling she constantly had to prove herself to designers and overcome being seen as an outsider. Sofia believes her current popularity and fresh image are a direct result of the choices she’s made.

Louisa Jacobson

I’m really impressed with Louisa Jacobson! Not only is she incredibly talented – I’m loving her work on ‘The Gilded Age’ – but she’s also Meryl Streep’s daughter! It’s fascinating to me that she chooses to use a different last name; she clearly wants to be recognized for her abilities, and not just because of who her mother is. And honestly, it’s a huge accomplishment for anyone, let alone a newcomer, to be leading a major HBO series. It really speaks to her talent!

John David Washington

John David Washington deliberately kept his relationship with his father, Denzel Washington, a secret for a long time. He wanted to avoid getting opportunities simply because of his family name. Before becoming an actor, he even tried to become a professional football player, hoping to build a career based purely on his own talent and hard work. He made a point of auditioning for roles without mentioning his father, wanting to earn parts on his own merits. While he initially succeeded in keeping his background private, he now recognizes that people in the industry are aware of his family connection.

Destry Allyn Spielberg

Destry Allyn Spielberg responded to conversations about her family connections by admitting she benefits from her privilege, but also emphasizing her dedication to her craft. She explained that while she’s the daughter of Steven Spielberg, she works hard to learn filmmaking and writing, and that having a famous parent doesn’t negate her own skills and ambition. She later removed her comments after receiving backlash for seemingly misunderstanding the core issue of the discussion.

Bella Hadid

Bella Hadid has opened up about the intense pressure she felt growing up in the shadow of her sister, Gigi, and meeting her mother Yolanda’s expectations. She says she felt she wasn’t as conventionally attractive as Gigi and worked incredibly hard to develop her personality and become a successful model. Hadid frequently talks about the negative impact the fashion industry has had on her well-being, and credits her success as a supermodel to constant travel and her dedication to never taking time off, even when she wasn’t feeling well.

Please share your thoughts on which celebrity claims surprised you the most in the comments.

2025-12-01 09:21