Nepo Babies: Do We Have an Issue?

Nepo Babies: Do we have an issue?

Written by Alyssa CLark

Art By Lily Brown

The discussion of nepo babies has been on the rise when it comes to the entertainment industry. Now, whether you like them or not, they are having their own kind of takeover. Just in the past few months, some famously known nepo babies have been in the media. Lily-Rose Depp is a common example since her parents are Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis, and she was in one of the most anticipated films of last year, Nosferatu. As for music, Gracie Abrams has been often talked about in this regard, and people have fairly versatile opinions when it comes to her talent. These instances are what leads to people debating whether or not nepo babies should have a place in the entertainment industry. 

As a whole, I can say that I believe nepo babies are a topic I feel neutral about. While there are some individuals of questionable talent, a majority have proven themselves to be worth our time. Jack Quaid has been seen in films more and more within the past few years. His parents, Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid, are both incredibly well-known film stars, and evidently their son is following in their footsteps. He was in the new movie, Companion, as well as having a role as a killer in Scream. It is hard to say if I believe this is well-deserved since I do not have the highest of standards when it comes to movies. What I can say, though, is that it has become increasingly obvious that nepo babies are not leaving anytime soon.

Gracie Abrams is a largely debated nepo baby since many disagree on whether or not she is inherently talented. Her start itself is without a doubt helped by her dad, J. J. Abrams’ influence, yet the discussions do not stop there. There are often arguments of her not having a worthy voice of all this attention, yet I feel that most arguments disguised as valid criticism are rather simply misogyny a majority of the time. 

The question of talent when it comes to these individuals does not just fall on their work, but also how they present themselves to the media. With this, I want to focus on a nepo baby some are not exactly aware of, Ryan Murphy. Murphy is an incredibly well-known producer for camp shows like Glee and American Horror Story. His mother is an author, writer, and director, and while not all may be aware of J. Andy Murphy, she is an essential part to his access to the industry. He is known for his shows that often circulate in the media, especially when it comes to his questionable character in real time. Recently, many fans were upset with his stance when it came to his show Monster. It is important to mention that this has already occurred when it came to its first season surrounding Jeffrey Dahmer. This goes to show that, while nepo babies can arguably be talented in their fields, they can still do more harm than good in the end. 

I have noticed that, on various media platforms, people tend to feel pretty strongly about nepo babies and their place in the entertainment industry. Whether it be criticisms of their talent, or simply them pointing out their family members, it all often comes from a place of dislike. I have realized among this that I truly do not always see the issue people take with these individuals strictly on the question of their talent. I remember lots of people took issue with Lily-Rose Depp’s performance in The Idol, and immediately started questioning if she was worth being in the industry. This took a turn when Nosferatu came out, and many of those had taken back what they originally said regarding her abilities.

I am not arguing that nepo babies are a good thing for the entertainment industry, but I do believe they deserve a fair chance to succeed regardless of how they may start. It is hard to criticize someone for something that many others would likely take as a chance if they were in the exact same situation. It feels almost unfair to constantly make remarks against these individuals when there are many untalented individuals who are not even nepo babies, yet still have success. This is to say that I don’t necessarily believe nepo babies are an issue, I just believe everyone should be held to the same standard to allow for those who deserve success to get where they want to go.