“Started from the bottom, now we’re here”…but maybe it’s time to redefine what “the bottom” actually means. Growing up in a multi-million-dollar mansion, attending Hollywood parties, and having A-list celebrities over for dinner isn’t exactly a universal experience.
The internet loves debating nepo babies, but one thing these celebrities deserve credit for is that they aren’t pretending they did it all on their own. Whether they inherited famous last names, industry connections, or financial security, they’ve been surprisingly honest about the advantages that helped launch their careers.
1.
Let’s be honest, Miley Cyrus was basically born into show-business. As the daughter of country star Billy Ray Cyrus, Miley has openly acknowledged that growing up in the entertainment industry gave her an advantage.
During her appearance on Netflix’s My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman, she said, “There is a map of what to do and what not to do, and he’s been — he’s guided me on both.” She also credited her father, explaining, “I’m grateful for being able to watch him ahead of me.” While Miley has made it clear her family connections shaped her journey, she’s also pointed out that she still had to carve out her own career.
2.
“Small” and “million dollars” are two words I never thought belonged in the same sentence. Donald Trump has never denied that his father, real-estate developer Fred Trump, gave him a financial head-start.
At a town hall sponsored by NBC, Trump famously said, “My father gave me a small loan of a million dollars.” The quote immediately took on a life of its own, with many people pointing out that most wouldn’t consider $1 million a “small” loan. Whether he meant it that way or not, it’s become one of the most memorable admissions of growing up with extraordinary financial advantages.
3.
Honestly, calling herself a “nepo baby” during an awards speech is pretty iconic. While accepting the award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role at the 2023 SAG Awards, Jamie Lee Curtis joked, “I know you look at me and think, ‘Nepo baby,’ and I totally get it.”
The daughter of Hollywood legends Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh has never denied that she benefited from growing up in the industry, even later describing herself as “an OG Nepo Baby.” I honestly appreciate that she embraced the conversation instead of pretending it didn’t apply to her.
4.
I can’t lie, I completely forgot Dakota Johnson came from Hollywood royalty. As the daughter of Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson, Dakota has never shied away from the “nepo baby” conversation, even if she finds it overblown.
During an appearance on Today, she admitted she used to find the debate to be “incredibly annoying and boring,” but also acknowledged that she understood why people have opinions about celebrities with famous parents. While Dakota doesn’t think family connections are the whole story, she’s never pretended she didn’t grow up with advantages.
5.
This is one of those family names that comes with a lot of history attached to it. As a member of the Vanderbilt family, Anderson Cooper is often assumed to have inherited a fortune.
However, he’s repeatedly shut down that misconception, revealing, “There’s no trust fund,” and believes that an inheritance is an “initiative sucker.” While his famous last name certainly brought recognition, Anderson has maintained that he built his career through journalism, not family money.
6.
I don’t think anyone expected Paris Hilton to pretend she wasn’t born rich. As a Hilton heir, she’s never hidden where she came from, but she’s also made it clear she never wanted to rely solely on her family’s fortune.
Reflecting on her childhood, Paris said, “I didn’t want to be known as the Hilton Hotel granddaughter. I wanted to be known as Paris.” She has spent decades building businesses, fragrances, and media ventures under her own name. Whether you love her or not, you’ve got to admit she turned “the Hilton heiress” into an empire of her own.
7.
Maybe I’m late to the party, but this one completely caught me off guard. Jack Quaid has become one of the most refreshingly honest voices in the “nepo baby” conversation. The son of Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan told The Daily Beast, “I’m inclined to agree.”
“I am an immensely privileged person, and was able to get representation pretty early on, and that’s more than half the battle.” Instead of pretending his famous parents didn’t give him a head-start, Jack acknowledged the advantages while making it clear he still wants to earn his place in Hollywood.
8.
Turns out Gracie Abrams had more than just songwriting skills in her corner. As the daughter of filmmaker J.J. Abrams, she was surprisingly honest about the role privilege played in her career.
During an appearance on The New York Times’ Popcast, Gracie acknowledged that “the nepo stuff is obviously in the discourse, appropriately,” adding, “I had a safety net.” She explained that having financial security allowed her to spend years writing and developing her music without the same financial pressure many aspiring artists face.
9.
I mean…having Lenny Kravitz and Lisa Bonet as your parents is about as Hollywood as it gets. With a rock legend for a father and one of television’s most iconic actresses as her mother, Zoë Kravitz grew up with a level of access most aspiring actors could only dream of.
But unlike some nepo babies, Zoë has never shied away from acknowledging the advantages that came with her famous last name. In a 2022 interview with ELLE, she admitted, “I was incredibly privileged. I got an agent easily. I’m not going to pretend like it didn’t help me get into the room.”
10.
John David has acknowledged that being Denzel Washington’s son comes with its own set of expectations. In a 2021 interview with Rolling Stone, he admitted “I’m still Denzel’s son” while discussing the challenge of building an identity separate from his father’s legendary career.
Even with a famous last name, John David has spent years proving he can stand on his own, from his breakout role in BlacKkKlansman to leading films like Tenet and The Creator.
11.
Growing up with Goldie Hawn as your mom and Kurt Russell as your longtime father figure definitely comes with some Hollywood advantages. Kate Hudson was surrounded by movie stars from an early age, so it’s no surprise that acting became a natural path for her.
“The nepotism thing, I mean… I don’t really care. I look at my kids, and we’re a storytelling family. It’s definitely in our blood.” Kate also explained that having famous parents can sometimes work against her, too. “I think a lot of directors and producers didn’t want to hire me because they didn’t want [my parents] to become what the movie was about,” she said.
12.
When your dad is one of Hollywood’s biggest producers, people are naturally going to have questions about how much that connection helped your career. Ben Platt has never been shy about acknowledging the advantage of growing up as Marc Platt’s son.
In a 2024 interview with ELLE, the Dear Evan Hansen star addressed the nepotism conversation directly, saying, “Of course, I acknowledge I’m an absolute nepo baby through and through by definition.”
13.
Allison Williams might have given one of the most straightforward responses to the nepo baby conversation. As the daughter of longtime NBC anchor Brian Williams, she has never tried to downplay the advantages that came with her family connections.
When Vulture asked about the discussion surrounding nepotism, Allison said, “All that people are looking for is an acknowledgment that it’s not a level playing field. It’s just unfair.” She also added, “It doesn’t take anything away from the work that I’ve done. It just means that it’s not as fun to root for me.”
14.
Sure, Collins isn’t exactly a rare last name…but most people don’t have Grammy-winning music icon Phil Collins as their father. Lily Collins grew up with a famous last name, but she has been open about wanting to build an identity separate from it.
Speaking to ET Canada, she explained, “I’m proud of my dad, but I wanted to be me, not just his daughter,” reflecting her desire to create a career that wasn’t defined solely by her family connections.
And there you have it! Whether you think these stars earned every bit of their success or got a major boost from their famous families, one thing’s for sure: the nepo baby debate isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Which name surprised you the most? Anyone to add to this list? Let us know in the comments!
