10 celebrity ‘nepotism babies’ born into privilege: from David and Victoria Beckham’s ‘chef’ son Brooklyn, and Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis’ model child Lily-Rose, to Lenny Kravitz’s daughter Zoë
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The term “nepotism baby” has been getting a lot of attention this year.
While some “nepo babies” are praised for proving their talents, others have been criticised for their privilege and lack of acknowledgement of their arguably lucky positions.
Meet 10 of the most well-known nepotism babies from the current generation – but who stayed humble and who clapped back at the haters, pointing out that their success wasn’t handed to them?
1. Lily-Rose Depp
![Lily-Rose Depp became the face of Chanel at just 16 years old. Photo: @lilyrose_depp/Instagram](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2022/11/28/c436a132-248b-49ca-b6d5-b8894a33da51_5cbb8a1e.jpg)
![Johnny Depp and Lily-Rose Depp seem to share a close relationship. Photo: @Platoon19792/Twitter](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2022/11/28/68b8468f-fbea-454e-b62b-452c7f535b90_2e52fe38.jpg)
But the young model-actress is not a fan of the term “nepo baby”.
In a recent interview with Elle in November, she said, “If somebody’s mum or dad is a doctor, and then the kid becomes a doctor, you’re not going to be like, ‘Well, you’re only a doctor because your parent is a doctor.’ It’s like, ‘No, I went to medical school and trained.’”
She has also previously pointed out that criticism of being a “nepotism baby” is often unfairly directed towards women.
2. Brooklyn Peltz Beckham
![Brooklyn Peltz Beckham is the son of two superstars, David and Victoria Beckham. Photo: @brooklynpeltzbeckham/Instagram](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2022/11/28/0054d515-8872-4fb2-8146-68d04ec58ab3_7390c88c.jpg)
In a TikTok video that went viral a few months ago, TikTokker Daniel Mac approached Brooklyn, who was sitting in a limited-edition car that costs more than US$1 million. When Brooklyn was asked what his occupation was and how he affords such luxuries, the 23-year-old answered, “I’m a chef.”
![Nicola Peltz with Brooklyn, Victoria and David Beckham. Photo: @brooklynbeckham/Instagram](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2022/11/28/8c76e398-5fd4-4925-b4d3-89344bca5010_162c5af8.jpg)
Brooklyn’s cooking venture, a TV show titled Cookin’ with Brooklyn, apparently cost US$100,000 per episode to produce, according to the New York Post.
El País has dubbed him one of the least popular nepo babies out there.
3. Kendall Jenner
![Socialite Kendall Jenner arrives for the 2022 Council of Fashion Designers of America Fashion Awards in New York in November. Photo: AFP](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2022/11/28/2c66fb3d-8051-4780-90a5-83d0246f056a_17184392.jpg)
“Of course, I had a platform and I never took that for granted and I always knew that that was there, but that almost made my job a little bit harder,” she said in the Keeping up with the Kardashians reunion special.
![Kris, Kendall and Kylie Jenner and Kim Kardashian are among the most famous women on the planet. Photo: Getty Images](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2022/11/28/ca7bb447-8b77-4b60-8011-21000763397a_ad2d1961.jpg)
This is despite the fact that her mum Kris Jenner helped her get signed to Wilhelmina Models in 2010, according to Refinery29.
4. Ty Tennant
![Ty Tennant stars in 2022’s House of the Dragon GoT spin-off. Photo: @ ty__tennant/Instagram](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2022/11/28/8ede6c48-084a-428b-b96d-672b80b202b9_bc474711.jpg)
![Ty Tennant is the son of Doctor Who’s David Tennant. Photo: @ ty__tennant/Instagram](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2022/11/28/2b406b39-5dd0-4779-9d67-efbf6122d0e8_7390c88c.jpg)
He comes from a line of Doctor Who actors, with both his father and maternal grandfather Peter Davison portraying the iconic Time Lord in the past. Ty has said that he too would like to follow in their footsteps and take up the role one day, according to the Sunday Post.
5. Zoë Kravitz
![Zoë Kravitz is the daughter of Lenny Kravitz and Lisa Bonet. Photo: @zoeisabellakravitz/Instagram](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2022/11/28/21290881-2bad-47b5-9bf2-82ad6c775fa4_7390c88c.jpg)
![A young Zoë Kravitz with her famous rocker dad, Lenny Kravitz. Photo: @zoeisabellakravitz/Instagram](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2022/11/28/e1371988-1ae6-4e38-9e58-aed2a8539ea0_235bd3e2.jpg)
The 33-year-old actress recently defended all nepotism babies in an interview with GQ. “It’s literally where last names came from. You were a blacksmith if your family was, like, the Black family,” the High Fidelity star said.
6. Maya Hawke
![Maya Hawke arrives at the premiere of Do Revenge on September 14, on Vine Tudum Theatre in Los Angeles. Photo: AP](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2022/11/28/6e412c39-a6ed-4896-81dc-ee4c2c9026a0_2cf50b89.jpg)
The 24-year-old is known for her portrayal of mainly LGBTQ+ characters in hit Netflix series including Robin in Stranger Things and more recently Eleanor in teen comedy film Do Revenge.
![Proud dad Ethan Hawke with daughter Maya, who he “loved” in Stranger Things. Photo: @maya_hawke/Instagram](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2022/11/28/05fdea48-f2dc-4029-a76c-bf2f4f596fd5_80f54e88.jpg)
“I feel like the only way to handle the nepotism thing, which definitely gives you massive advantages in this life, is, you will get chances for free, but the chances will not be infinite,” Hawke said in an interview with Rolling Stone.
7. Timothée Chalamet
![US actor Timothée Chalamet poses during a photocall for Bones And All on November 12, in Rome. Photo: AFP](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2022/11/28/3ce0c29b-7da8-49da-9800-617a46349557_741ac6ff.jpg)
While the Dune star’s parents are not a part of the Hollywood scene, they certainly aren’t nobodies either. His mother Nicole Fender was a Broadway dancer and her dad, Chalamet’s grandad, was a writer and filmmaker, according to The Tab.
![US actor Timothée Chalamet has family roots in theatre. Photo: @tchalamet/Instagram](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2022/11/28/15d41760-31f4-4c48-a3c1-66ae1c690ea7_7390c88c.jpg)
However, Chalamet’s fans have been quick to defend the young star, arguing that his acting credentials are proof that he has worked his way to the top. A TikTok comment under a video about nepotism babies, per Refinery29, read, “Timothée Chalamet nepotism and Lily-Rose Depp nepotism just isn’t the same thing!”
8. Maude Apatow
![Maude Apatow is the eldest daughter of film director Judd Apatow. Photo: @maudeapatow/Instagram](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2022/11/28/24452785-d059-45a7-b6bb-c9e05b9969bf_6b800f23.jpg)
Fans of the HBO teen drama show Euphoria seemed to be shocked when they discovered that Maude Apatow is the eldest daughter of film director Judd Apatow and actress Leslie Mann.
![Maude Apatow is the eldest daughter of Leslie Mann and Judd Apatow. Photo: @maudeapatow/Instagram](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2022/11/28/16f03885-f0c3-4280-94f4-c5c7582b8ea1_6efb4462.jpg)
Starting her career in 2017 in one of her father’s films Knocked Up, the now 24-year-old actress portraying Lexi Howard in Euphoria spoke about being branded a nepotism baby, “I try not to let it get to me because I obviously understand that I’m in such a lucky position,” she told Net-a-Porter’s Porter.
9. Deacon Phillippe
![Deacon Phillippe has been making waves in fashion lately. Photo: @weareivypark/Instagram](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2022/11/28/2206d01c-b66f-4d35-b80a-c21d6db2af08_65c59a08.jpg)
![Deacon Phillippe with his parents Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe. Photo: @ryanphillippe/Instagram](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2022/11/28/e711f730-fa92-494e-8dd2-98acbd83ada4_d7491f3d.jpg)
According to Variety, executive producer Mindy Kaling cast Deacon when his mum, a close friend of Kaling’s, mentioned that the 18-year-old had an interest in acting.
Comments on Twitter reacting to the Variety article were simple and to the point, stating “nepotism”.
10. Elizabeth Olsen
![Elizabeth Olsen attends Variety’s 2022 Power of Women: Los Angeles event presented by Lifetime at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on September 28, in Los Angeles, California. Photo: FilmMagic](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2022/11/28/b9cf2c97-5314-49ba-ba5f-03e873c59c84_1630675f.jpg)
![Elizabeth Olsen (centre) and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen attend the 2016 CFDA Fashion Awards at the Hammerstein Ballroom in June 2016, in New York City. Photo: Getty Images](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2022/11/28/57617d5b-7d31-4219-b658-a66fbbd19f1a_513e22c9.jpg)
Olsen, 33, said she is “very aware” of nepotism, in an interview with Glamour UK. She said “I guess I understood what nepotism was like inherently as a 10-year-old. But there is some sort of association of not earning something that I think bothered me at a very young age.”
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- The Kardashians’ Kendall Jenner says her family’s TV fame made finding a modelling job ‘harder’ – even though mum Kris helped get her into an agency
- House of the Dragon’s Ty Tennant is the son of Dr Who star David, Lenny Kravitz’s daughter Zoë nabbed a role in Batman, and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen’s sister Elizabeth made it big in Marvel