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Over the past few weeks, a host of celebrities have become the focus of discussion over how their familial connections helped propel them to success.
While it's long been known that nepotism has helped establish and boost the fortunes of people in a number of sectors for centuries, many so-called nepo babies of the entertainment industry have recently faced increased scrutiny.
"Nepo baby" is a term used as an insult by many online when they deem someone to have achieved success only as a result of receiving help from famous or successful family members.
They became a talking point on social media, Twitter especially, after Vulture and New York Magazine articles highlighted a number of entertainers today with influential parents who may have helped their career.
This list included Lily-Rose Depp, daughter of Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis, and Jack Quaid, son of Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan.
The debate has heightened social media users' interest in who in entertainment has benefitted from having famous relatives. Newsweek has looked at 10 of them.
George Clooney
There's no denying that George Clooney is very much a star in his own right, but the Oscar winner boasts a celebrity connection in the form of his late aunt Rosemary Clooney, who starred alongside Bing Crosby in White Christmas.
However, George Clooney did not grow up in the bright lights of Hollywood. He was raised in Kentucky by his parents, city councilor Nina and news anchor Nick.
Once it was established that he wanted to pursue a career in entertainment, he moved to Los Angeles, where he learned some lessons from his aunt.
In a 2021 interview with The Guardian, the actor explained how he avoided bringing scandals and embarrassment to his family after rising to fame.
"I was 33, 34 when ER took off, so I was older, right?" he said. "Also, Rosemary was a huge singer—huge! And then rock 'n' roll came and she lost her career. And she didn't get it, because at 21 she thought she was the real deal and by 26 it was gone. So, I'm lucky enough to understand how little the fame side has to do with me."
Gwyneth Paltrow
After enjoying success on the big screen, which included an Oscar-winning turn in Shakespeare in Love, Gwyneth Paltrow launched her lifestyle and wellness brand Goop.
But if she had never embarked on a career as an actress, fame would still have been a part of the family story, as her mother, Blythe Danner, also enjoyed success in film and on Broadway.
After taking time out to raise her children with late TV and film director Bruce Paltrow, Danner has returned to acting, notably scooping Emmy nominations for her efforts in the classic sitcom Will & Grace.
In July, Gwyneth Paltrow drew criticism for saying children of celebrities "have to work twice as hard and be twice as good" during an appearance on Hailey Bieber's vlog Who's in My Bathroom?
Robert Downey Jr.
Long before Robert Downey Jr. won global recognition for his role as Iron Man, he made a bid for fame as part of the new, younger cast hired to appear on long-running show Saturday Night Live back in 1985.
This hiring is of particular note because the actor's uncle is none other than legendary SNL writer Jim Downey.
However, this connection didn't exactly make things plain sailing for Downey Jr.—he was dropped from the show the following year amid poor ratings and criticism of the new cast's comedic talents.
Rolling Stone named Downey Jr. the worst cast member in the show's entire run, per Vulture. As we all now know, the actor would eventually get the last laugh with hugely successful career that at one point saw him become Hollywood's highest-paid actor.
Jennifer Aniston
Los Angeles-born Jennifer Aniston also counts herself among those who started out with well-known parents, being the daughter of actors Nancy Dow and John Aniston, who passed away in November.
For good measure, the former Friends star's godfather was legendary Kojak actor Telly Savalas, who was a close friend of her father.
In June, Jennifer Aniston's celebrity connections were brought to the fore when she faced backlash for her comments about people "diluting" the jobs of actors by finding fame through social media.
"This thing of people becoming famous for basically doing nothing," she said while discussing the cultural shift with Sebastian Stan as part of Variety's "Actors on Actors" series. "I mean—Paris Hilton, Monica Lewinsky, all those."
Continuing to share her take on the changing landscape of the entertainment industry, Aniston went on: "I always say I feel lucky that we got a little taste of the industry before it became what it is today, which is just different—more streaming services, more people.
"You're famous from TikTok. You're famous from YouTube. You're famous from Instagram. It's sort of almost like it's diluting our actor's job."
Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie's Hollywood connections were made use of at the start of her acting career when she made her screen debut opposite her father, Jon Voight, in the 1982 movie Lookin' to Get Out.
Since then, she has gone on to become one of Hollywood's highest-paid screen stars, thanks to roles in such blockbusters as Maleficent and Mr. & Mrs. Smith, where she met her now ex-husband Brad Pitt.
Bryce Dallas Howard
The eldest daughter of filmmaker and former Happy Days star Ron Howard, Bryce Dallas Howard has appeared in such blockbusters as Jurassic Park, Spider-Man 3, as well as the Twilight franchise.
While Bryce Dallas Howard's career has helped her become one of Hollywood's most recognized faces, Jessica Chastain told the Associated Press back in 2019 that her resemblance to the actress even confused the star's own father.
"I was, like, walking by, I was like, 'Oh, that's Ron Howard,'" Chastain recalled. "And then my friend was with me and said [Howard] turned to someone, he goes, 'I think I just saw Bryce.'"
Drew Barrymore
The granddaughter of John Barrymore and daughter of John Drew Barrymore, Drew Barrymore comes from one of Hollywood's biggest dynasties.
Her connections could go far toward explaining why she started her acting career at just 11 months old.
As a toddler, she auditioned for a dog food commercial. She also gained early recognition for her role in the classic 1982 movie E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.
She later found success in an array of films, including Charlie's Angels, and is currently hosting her own talk show.
Kate Hudson
Kate Hudson is the daughter of Goldie Hawn and her first husband, Bill Hudson.
Speaking to The Edit in 2017, Kate Hudson said that her parents told her she could not rely on them when she chose to go into acting.
"[My parents] said, OK, but we're not going to [financially] support you," the Almost Famous actress said. "They made it clear that we grew up privileged, and that it was theirs, not ours."
Tracee Ellis Ross
Tracee Ellis Ross of Girlfriends and Black-ish fame is the daughter of the iconic Diana Ross.
"Being my mom's child, of course, duh, that's some big shoes to step into, she's just an international icon and beloved by the world and broke barriers and opened up roads, etc.," she said of her mother to PA.
Dakota Johnson
The 50 Shades of Grey star is the daughter of two Hollywood heavyweights, Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith. She is also the granddaughter of Tippi Hedren, star of Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds.
On growing up in a famous family, Dakota told The Edit in 2016: "I understood that my family was famous. I saw the way it felt from the inside, and that put me off ever feeling like I was capable of gawking at someone because they were famous."
About the writer
Ryan Smith is a Newsweek Senior Pop Culture and Entertainment Reporter based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on ... Read more