Emma Roberts enters the nepo baby debate

Last Updated on July 2, 2024

A couple years ago, the term “nepo baby” took the internet by storm, with many latching onto the buzzword as a way to bash celebrities who have apparently benefited from their famous parents. Not surprisingly, it didn’t take long for things to turn ugly, with Jamie Lee Curtis – daughter of Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis – calling for peace. This lasted about as long as it took to read her quote. The nepo baby debate is still a hot one, but now Emma Roberts – daughter of Eric and niece to Julia – has a take that might open some more eyes…or piss more people off.

Appearing on Table for Two with Bruce Bozzi (via THR), Emma Roberts said that most nepo baby attacks are geared towards women in the industry despite there also being prominent males who could fall under the label. “I always joke I’m like, ‘Why is no one calling out George Clooney for being a nepo baby?’ [His aunt] Rosemary Clooney was an icon. Young girls, I feel like, get it harder with the nepo baby thing. I don’t really see people calling out you know, sons of famous actors. Not that they should be called that. I don’t think anyone should be called out wanting to follow their dreams.” Lily-Rose Depp (daughter of Johnny) has also previously called out the damage that the term can do.

While there are still a lot of men that we could say fall under the label – Clooney, Robert Downey Jr., Colin Hanks, Scott Eastwood, etc. – it does seem that more females could be deemed “nepo babies”, however derogatory the intent of the term is. I’m not sure there’s a particular reason for that but regardless of gender, one has to consider if there’s really anything wrong with embracing the leg up. Heck, Maya Hawke recognized that she only got her role in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood because of her mother Uma Thurman’s relationship with Quentin Tarantino.

Emma Roberts would go on to say that there are hidden challenges in being a so-called “nepo baby”. “People like to say, ‘Oh, you know, you have a leg up because you’re a family in the industry.’ But then the other side to that is, you know, you have to prove yourself more. Also, if people don’t have good experience being…with other people in your family, then you’ll never get a chance.”

Why do you think more females are called “nepo baby” than men? Is there a bias or are there just more women that meet the criteria? Give us your thoughts below.