10 Famous Celebrities Who Make the ‘Nepo Baby’ Term Look Cool
Nepotism babies are celebs whose parents were famous themselves. So, thanks to mom and dad, these up-and-comers got a leg up in Hollywood.
TikTok has a knack for popularizing new colloquialisms, and the term “nepotism baby” is among the latest. It describes stars who look eerily familiar because they’re descended from big-name celebrities.
Rising stars Lily Collins and Michael Consuelos are nepotism babies, and they’re not the only ones. If these Hollywood up-and-comers remind you of someone, you’re not imagining it.
Michael Consuelos
Michael Consuelos, recently dubbed “2022’s Sexiest Man Alive” by People, is a budding actor. After a series of smaller roles as a kid, he landed a role in the hit TV series “Riverdale,” plus a part in “Let’s Get Physical,” a movie produced in 2022.
He’s also interested in directing, screenwriting and cinematography. Thanks to his Hollywood connections, he’ll have plenty of opportunities to explore his passions.
The Nepotism Baby of Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos
Michael’s parents Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos met on the set of the soap opera “All My Children!” in 1995. Both of them went on to have long careers in TV, with Ripa co-hosting the show “Live! With Regis and Kelly” (now “Kelly and Ryan”) since 2001.
The couple has two other children, Joaquin and Lola, and both boys are dead ringers for their good-looking pop.
Charlie Hall
Charlie Hall is relatively new to the big screen. His first TV roll was in 2019, and he’s been in a string of shows ever since. He played Bradley in 2021’s “Moxie,” plus major roles in “Single Drunk Female,” “Big Shot,” “The Sex Lives of College Girls” and “Love, Victor.”
He also runs his own comedic web series on YouTube entitled “Sorry, Charlie.”
The Nepotism Baby of Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Brad Hall
Julia Louis-Dreyfus is best known for starring on “Seinfeld” in the 1990s, but she’s a comedian in her own right. She worked on Saturday Night Live for three years, starred in “The New Adventures of Old Christine” and most recently played Selina Meyer in “Veep,” where she introduced Charlie to the acting scene.
Listing all of her achievements would take all day, so we’ll leave it at this: She has 11 Emmys, nine Screen Actors Guild Awards, five American Comedy Awards, a Golden Globe and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She married Charlie’s dad, actor and producer Brad Hall, in 1987. He also played a Weekend Update news anchor on SNL and helped write and produce several sitcoms.
Deacon Phillippe
Born in 2003, Deacon Phillippe recently rose to fame thanks to his role as Parker in the teen drama series “Never Have I Ever.”
He’s also a musician, releasing pop songs on his YouTube channel, Deacon Music.
The Nepotism Baby of Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe
Some young celebs are nepotism babies from just one parent, but Deacon gets it from both. Reese Witherspoon landed her breakout role when she was 15 in “Man on the Moon,” although she’s probably most beloved for her posh, professional character Elle Woods in “Legally Blonde.”
Meanwhile, Deacon’s dad, Ryan Phillippe, broke hearts in 1998’s “I Know What You Did Last Summer.”
Zoë Kravitz
Zoë Kravitz has had more time to make a name for herself than Deacon or Charlie. Born in 1988, she’s an actress, singer, model and filmmaker. She debuted in the rom-com “No Reservations” in 2007, but her real breakthrough moment happened a few years later when she played Angel Salvadore in “X-Men: First Class.”
She’s portrayed countless characters since and has also worked as a fashion model for Vera Wang, Tiffany & Co., Coach and several others. Time even named her one of the 100 Most Influential People in 2022.
The Nepotism Baby of Lisa Bonet and Lenny Kravitz
Zoë Kravitz is another talent among the list of celebs who are nepotism babies from both sides. Mom Lisa Bonet was best known for playing Denise on “The Cosby Show” in the 1980s, followed by several film roles.
And her dad, singer-songwriter Lenny Kravitz, has sold over 40 million albums worldwide. Fun fact: The Kravitz family is distantly related to Al Roker.
Maya Hawke
Maya Hawke, born in 1998, made her acting debut as Jo March in BBC’s 2017 adaptation of “Little Women.” But she’s best known for starring as Robin in Netflix’s “Stranger Things” since season three.
She’s also a musician, with a remarkable 362,000 subscribers on YouTube.
The Nepotism Baby of Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke
Uma Thurman isn’t the biggest name in Hollywood today, but she should be. She’s been in a variety of films, from dramas and rom-coms to action movies. She is famous for her role as Mia Wallace in 1994’s “Pulp Fiction,” for which she was nominated for several awards. She eventually won a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a TV Film for her performance in “Hysterical Blindness.”
Maya’s dad, Ethan Hawke, is just as famous. He made his big break in “Dead Poets Society” and has been nominated for four Academy Awards, two Golden Globes and a Tony Award. He also directed three films, three plays and a documentary as well as wrote three novels. What can’t this family do?
Jaden Smith
Jaden Smith, who usually goes by simply “Jaden,” has done it all. He landed his first acting role when he was eight in “The Pursuit of Happyness.” Since then, he starred in a remake of “The Day the Earth Stood Still” and “The Karate Kid.”
His gaze has recently shifted to the music industry, featured alongside Justin Bieber and then releasing two of his own albums. In 2022, he also received a Grammy nomination as a featured artist on Bieber’s album, “Justice.”
The Nepotism Baby of Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith
Jaden Smith’s parents were all over social media after the infamous Chris Rock slapping incident at the 94th Academy Awards in 2022. Still, Will and Jada’s accomplishments are far too impressive to ignore. Will starred in the NBC sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” winning an Academy Award and four Grammy Awards. His movies have currently grossed more than $9.3 billion globally.
Jaden Pinkett Smith was on the 1990s sitcom called “A Different World,” and she went on to star in several feature films. She also became the lead singer and songwriter for a heavy metal band called Wicked Wisdom and wrote a children’s book, “Girls Hold Up This World,” which made it onto The New York Times Best Sellers list. Of course, the couple also has a daughter, Willow, who is making a name for herself as well.
Dakota Johnson
Dakota Johnson was born in Austin, Texas, in 1989. She first appeared on screen in the 1999 film “Crazy in Alabama” and was named Miss Golden Globe in 2006. After modeling for a while, she returned to the movie biz, playing a small role in “The Social Network.”
She’s played several strong supporting roles, but her breakthrough role was on the sitcom “Ben and Kate.” The show was a flop, but her performance was praised by critics. She also starred in the “Fifty Shades of Grey” series.
The Nepotism Baby of Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson
Dakota’s mom Melanie Griffith started her acting career in the 1970s. She played in several independent thrillers before making it big in Brian de Palma’s thriller “Body Double.” Her performances in “Something Wild” and “Working Girl” were also well-received, and she has continued acting in film and TV to this day.
Griffith’s ex-husband, Don Johnson, won a Golden Globe for his performance in “Miami Vice” and later appeared in numerous blockbuster films. He’s also a singer, releasing two albums in the 1980s. His star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame appeared in 1996, and Dakota could easily follow in his footsteps.
Lily Collins
Another 1989 nepotism baby, Lily Collins is an actress and model. She was raised in Los Angeles and began acting when she was only 2. She appeared in the “Blind Side” in 2009, followed by a string of lead roles over the following decade.
Since 2020, she’s been the star of Netflix’s hit series “Emily in Paris,” for which she’s been nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress. The young star is also an author, sharing an honest account of her mental health struggles in her book “Unfiltered: No Shame, No Regrets, Just Me.”
The Nepotism Baby of Phil Collins and Jill Tavelman
Lily Collins’ dad needs no introduction. Phil Collins has done it all. The Englishman is a singer, musician, songwriter, record producer and actor. He’s best known for being the lead singer and drummer of the rock band Genesis and had more U.S. top 40 singles than any other musician in the 1980s. He also wrote songs for Disney’s “Tarzan,” which are arguably some of the best Disney songs to date.
Lily’s mother, Jill Tavelman, was married to her father from 1984 to 1996, during which she had some minor acting roles. Today, however, she works as an architect and owns her own antique store in Los Angeles.
Lily-Rose Depp
Lily-Rose Depp needs no introduction. Born in 1999, the French-American actress and model was nominated for two Cesar Awards for Most Promising Actress in 2018. She also starred in “The King” opposite Timothee Chalamet.
But she’s perhaps better known for her music videos and modeling work, considering that she’s been a brand ambassador for Chanel since 2015.
The Nepotism Baby of Vanessa Paradis and Johnny Depp
French actress Vanessa Paradis has been a muse of countless musicians, and it’s not hard to see why. She became a star when she was only 14, and she was given France’s highest award for both her acting and singing, the Prix Romy Schneider. She was in several french films and has been a spokesmodel for Chanel since 1991.
Paradis was coupled up with Johnny Depp from 1998 to 2012. Despite all the chaos of the Amber Heard fiasco, Depp remains an accomplished actor and film producer. He got his start in “A Nightmare on Elm Street” and has since played in countless Tim Burton movies and the “Pirates of the Caribbean” series. In 2012, he was listed by Guinness as the highest-paid actor in the world, earning about $75 million that year. It’s no wonder Lily-Rose Depp is doing well!
John David Washington
John David Washington, born in 1984, was a professional football player before he turned to acting. He signed with the St. Louis Rams in 2006 as a free agent before spending four years in the United Football League with the Sacramento Mountain Lions in the mid-2000s. After moving on to acting, he joined the cast of HBO’s comedy series “Ballers” from 2015 to 2019.
In 2018, he gained more notoriety thanks to his role in “BlacKkKlansman,” which earned him a Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award nomination. Two years later, he starred in the sci-fi action-thriller film “Tenet,” winning the Saturn Award for Best Actor.
The Nepotism Baby of Denzel and Pauletta Washington
John David Washington was a bit of a late bloomer in the film industry, but so was his dad. Denzel Washington didn’t begin acting on screen until he was 23, and it wasn’t until he was 29 that he found his breakout roll in 1982’s “St. Elsewhere.” His career has spanned more than four decades, earning him dozens of awards. Most recently, The New York Times named him the greatest actor of the 21st century, and President Joe Biden presented him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2022.
Of course, John David’s mother, Pauletta, is also an actress in her own right but not nearly as famous as her husband.
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