The real issue of nepotism

By Ashley Peng, 2026

Published 12/19/2023

A healthy dose of nepotism is a cure we all wish a bit of in our lives. Across various fields or in varying interests, it is generally accepted that having the right connections, mainly family ones, can help get your foot in the door or aid you in climbing the ladder of success. Despite its existence almost everywhere, a lens has been placed on nepotism within the public eye, most notably within Hollywood and adjacent industries. Hollywood and its red carpets are now just a family reunion of the children of actors or the children of directors or the children of models or the children of singers (although talent may vary). 

Over the past few months, or even years, myself and many others of a generally non-nepotistic status have felt a parasocial rage at celebrities born into fame and fortune. Now, had we had the luck of being born into such influential families, it is without a doubt that we would have taken similar opportunities for ourselves, but it seems that there still is an issue to be taken with the starlets of the internet. An important point of note is that opinion undoubtedly differs as to how these lovingly titled “nepo babies” may act, but there is little dispute as to the general fact of controversy surrounding their mere existence. In my own eyes, I see little issue in just being a nepo baby. You can’t help the circumstances of your birth and you certainly should not be blamed for them. I find that the real issue of today’s nepo babies to be the acknowledgment of whether one has had certain advantages given to them or not. Celebrities such as Maya Hawke, daughter of Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman, have gained support for, in fact, being talented, but also having recognized her nepotistic status. Many others, if not most others, within Maya’s industry have not made statements of such acceptance, instead using their Instagrams to grow defensive, making dramatic proclamations about having to work very hard, or work even harder than the average person because of their family connection (which I will very lovingly scoff at). Some have issued no statements but have walked around wearing shirts that boldly proclaim their status, see above or Google “Hailey Bieber nepo baby shirt.” 

Now another important point would be that receiving the title of nepo baby does not mean that you have not worked hard or made sacrifices or anything of the sort. The moniker does not erase your efforts and is not an attempt, or at least should not, be an attempt to claim that you are lazy or undeserving. This sort of assumption has only come into existence hand-in-hand with the nepo babies who are untalented and undeserving, which there unfortunately seems to be a healthy number of. At the end of the day, the sun shines, the moon rises, and nepo babies continue to come to fame. Whether gifted or not, it is in my own humble opinion that it would only be a credit to one’s own character to make amends with the privileges they have been given, in whatever form it may arrive in.