I’ve always felt like I was born to be a star, but devastatingly, none of my relatives are stars, so I’m just a normal civilian. I will never not be deeply disappointed about that. With the exceptions of Olivia Rodrigo, Zendaya, Selena Gomez, Taylor Swift, and maybe three or five other people, basically everyone in the entertainment industry got to where they are with the help or name of a famous relative (or multiple famous relatives). Thank goodness for the few and far between celebs like Kylie Jenner who are truly “self-made”! Since famous folks who benefited from nepotism do not like to address the advantages they had, it’s easy to forget about their Hollywood connections. That’s why I’m here to remind you of all the sneaky nepo baby stars out there. Remember: It’s not your fault that you’re not famous. It’s your parents’ fault. Resent them. Here are all the celebrities you forgot (or didn’t know) are actually nepo babies!
Margaret Qualley
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You’ve seen her in Poor Things and The Maid, and you’ve been completely traumatized by her if you’ve seen The Substance. Pro tip for those looking to become A-list actors: Have Andie MacDowell as your mom. (Margaret’s also married to Jack Antonoff, Taylor’s producer and BFF.)
Timothée Chalamet
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Yup, Timmy C is a low-key nepo bebé! His uncle, Rodman Flender, is an actor and director who notably directed episodes of The Office and the comedy horror film Leprechaun 2. TBH, I think Timmy still would’ve made it considering he’s one of the most charming and talented actors of our generation.
George Clooney
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Emma Roberts (a nepo baby) would like you to remember that even George is a nepo baby. She once lamented: “If you’re not the girl from the middle of nowhere that broke into Hollywood, there’s kind of an eye roll… I always joke, ‘Why is no one calling out George Clooney for being a nepo baby?’” I am, Emma! (George’s aunt, Rosemary Clooney, was a famous singer and actress.) It must be so difficult having industry connections and not being from the middle of nowhere. I can’t even imagine.
Brandy
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I was today years old when I learned that Snoop Dogg is Brandy’s cousin. The “Love Ain’t It” singer’s father, William Ray Norwood Sr., is also a gospel singer and vocal coach, so he passed on those genes and connections!
Jennifer Aniston
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This woman will always just play herself, and I’ll eat it up every time. Jen is the daughter of actors John Aniston and Nancy Dow and thank goodness she was born into the biz, because I can’t imagine a world without Friends or The Morning Show.
Matty Healy
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Matty’s a nepo Taylor ex-boyfriend at this point, but he’s also the son of actors Tim Healy and Denise Welch. Realistically, he was always destined to go viral on TikTok for being insane and/or problematic. (Unfortunately, he’s also talented.)
Ben Platt
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If you ever run into Ben Platt, do not bring up the fact that his father is Marc Platt, a super successful producer who worked on Legally Blonde, La La Land, and more. When Rolling Stone asked him about his nepo baby status, he said “skip” and then left the interview early. An iconic diva moment, honestly.
Tracee Ellis Ross
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When your mom is the Queen of Motown Records and the former lead singer of the Supremes, Diana Ross, the sky’s the limit. Tracee embraced her name and the stardom in her blood and became a beloved actress, starring in shows like Girlfriends and Black-ish.
Lily Collins
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Emily from Paris is actually from England, and her father is English music icon Phil Collins. Yup, as in “In The Air Tonight” Phil Collins. Lily once said that “nothing is going to get you the part except for being right for the part,” and that is wildly false and hilarious, but I still love her.
Dakota Johnson
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My No. 1 nepo baby incredibly annoying and boring,” she is very much a nepo baby.
Maya Rudolph
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Another girlie who really dislikes being called a nepo baby but has famous relatives! The actress is the daughter of songwriter Richard Rudolph and the late singer-songwriter Minnie Riperton. But according to Maya, it doesn’t count because her parents were musicians and not actors. She’s just like us!
Jack Quaid
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At least Jack, the son of Dennis Quaid, is all good with being called a nepo baby. “I am an immensely privileged person,” he said, adding, “I don’t think it undermines my talent.” Jack, can you teach a class on how to respond to nepo baby allegations and make sure a few of the above celebs are enrolled? Thank you, king.