Earlier this week, actress and model Lily-Rose Depp, (eldest child of actor Johnny Depp and French singer Vanessa Paradis), came under fire after an Elle interview. In this interview, she claimed that her parents’ careers have had little influence over her own and that “nothing is going to get you the part except for being right for the part”, which still has the internet, and fellow models, debating the validity of Depp’s comments.
But firstly, what actually is a “nepo baby”?
A “Nepo Baby” is basically just internet slang for someone who benefits from nepotism and has famous and/or influential family members who help them get their career started and off the ground quicker than most people. Celebs like ZoĂ« Kravitz, Brooklyn Beckham, and Dakota Johnson would all fall under this category. Does it mean they’re not talented? Not necessarily, but using their family’s wealth and influence is extremely unfair when people who have trained and honed their talent(s) for years get overlooked.
Why does the internet dislike them?
The internet doesn’t necessarily dislike them. Take actress, Anya Taylor-Joy, for example: her father’s wealth allowed her to drop out of school at 16 to pursue acting and modeling. She then captivated the internet with her talent in Netflix’s ‘The Queen’s Gambit‘, solidifying her position as one of the best young actresses in Hollywood within the last few years.
The dislike comes when people like Depp refuse to acknowledge their privilege, both on a financial and racial level, and simply put it down to being talented. I’m not here to dispute that, but what I am saying is most 5’3 women wouldn’t walk for Chanel when the requirement is usually 5’9+ (unless, of course, their parents’ names help them to bypass those issues).
Fellow models, Anok Yai, Adonis Bosso, and Aweng Chuol have come out with their own perspectives and stories within the last few days, commenting on the hardships they faced as black models with no connections. Multiple models, including supermodel Naomi Campbell, showed their support for Italian model Vittoria Ceretti after she posted her opinions on her Instagram.
“I have many Nepo Baby friends whom I respect … I know it’s not your fault, but please, appreciate and know the place you came from”.
Vittoria Ceretti, via Instagram Stories
For me, the issue is the lack of self-awareness. ZoĂ« Kravitz echoed Depp’s sentiment in a GQ interview: “It’s completely normal for people to be in the family business,” Kravitz says, “it’s literally where last names came from. You were a blacksmith if your family was, like, the black family.” But what they don’t seem to understand is that being in the “family business” is aided by having your parents in the said business. Using Kravitz’s example, it would be harder to become a blacksmith if you did not have the access to your father’s knowledge and business — the exact same goes for the entertainment industry.
Pointing out that someone benefits from nepotism and familial connections isn’t an insult; I’m sure anyone who aspires to be a parent would allow their children to capitalise on their success. So why are they so afraid of acknowledging their privilege? If anything, I think people would respect them more for doing so.