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In recent months, the term “nepo baby” has shot into the spotlight. If you are unfamiliar with the term, a “nepo baby” refers to a celebrity — typically an actor or actress — who was able to land big roles in big movies and television shows because of who their parents are.
They did not have to work as hard as the average person to get what they got. The nepo baby had an automatic advantage because their parents were famous and got them into the room.
Credit: Disney
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Now, not every nepo baby likes being called a nepo baby. While they admit that their parents are famous, they think that they worked hard to get to where they were. Most people aren’t saying that nepo babies don’t work hard, but they don’t like it when they don’t admit their leg up.
For example, Kendall Jenner recently received a ton of backlash for saying that she doesn’t “feel like a Kardashian”. In her recent statements, she failed to mention that her mother called one of the most famous modeling agencies in the world to get Kendall’s career started.
Credit: Hulu
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Another well-known Hollywood nepo baby is Stranger Things star, Maya Hawke. Hawke is the daughter of Kill Bill (2003) actress Uma Thurman and Before Sunrise (1995) star Ethan Hawke. Maya Hawke was not one of those celebrity kids who started acting at a young age, but when she turned 18, she didn’t have a problem getting work, despite her lack of experience.
And the actress says that she is completely fine with that.
Credit: Netflix
In a recent interview with The Times of London, Hawke was asked about whether or not she deserved the roles she was given and if she deserved to be where she is.
“‘Deserves’ is a complicated word… there are so many people who deserve to have this kind of life who don’t, but I think I’m comfortable with not deserving it and doing it anyway.”
“And I know that my not doing it wouldn’t help anyone. I saw two paths when I was first starting, and one of them was: change your name, get a nose job and go to open casting roles.”
Credit: Netflix
Realizing and accepting that she is a nepo baby also means that Hawke does not get upset when people criticize her for it. She realizes that she is in a position of privilege, and accepts it.
“It’s OK to be made fun of when you’re in rarefied air. It’s a lucky place to be. My relationships with my parents are really honest and positive, and that supersedes anything anyone can say about it.”
This is not the first time that the famous family has talked about the privilege that Maya receives because she is the daughter of two famous actors. In fact, her father proudly proclaims that he is a “nepo dad” to his daughter, Maya. But while he did admit that famous parents can get their kids into the room, it is ultimately up to the kids to get the job.
Credit: Disney/Marvel
Although she has not been in Hollywood for very long, Hawke has been in a number of notable films and television shows, including Little Women, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (2019), Asteroid City (2023), and Maestro (2023). She is most well known for her role as Robin Buckley in the hit Netflix show Stranger Things.
Hawke recently joined the Disney and Pixar families and will voice Anxiety in the highly anticipated sequel, Inside Out 2. The film will premiere in theaters nationwide on June 14.
How do you feel about nepo babies? Let us know in the comments!
