Nepo Babies are the symbol of our broken meritocracy 

I just don't like when people that come from excessive privilege try to lecture everyone else on how to overcome hardships and hard work.

Nepotism Babies love to say their parents got them in the room, but their "talent" kept them there. Getting in the room is THE point. Everyone struggling wants to be in THE ROOM.

Lena Dunham and Kim Kardashian were the most annoying ones. It’s not just denying nepotism helped them, but the defensiveness and outright snarky remarks about it. Kim K telling people to “get off your ass and work” is an insult to everyone who doesn’t have the same privileges she has.

The Kardashian children pretending like they built themselves up from the ground is the joke of the century.

My big issue with nepo babies really is just when they try to deny that it helped their careers at all because that denial continues to peddle the idea that anyone can make it in Hollywood if they work hard enough and a lot of people throw away their whole lives trying to get their big break. I wish nepo babies would just be open and honest like Jamie Lee Curtis.

But getting your foot in the door is the HARDEST part! People come to L.A. and spend YEARS trying to find a legit agent who can get them to real, PAYING auditions. That's not a small thing.

As someone who works in the film industry, I'm so against nepo babies. Hollywood is becoming even more of a gatekeeping community which is tragic because acting, directing, etc...is an art and there is legit talent out there that doesn't come from producers/actors kids that will and can be the next big thing the next talent to create such an amazing profession yet we fall back to nepo babies. I can't agree with it, regardless of there "talent" they are literally taking a spot away form someone who has worked for it way more than they can even imagine.

The craziest thing is that most celebrities are "nepo babies". The most known ones are the children of great actors, but even the ones who are not from a 'dynasty' have a parent/relative that is connected to the industry in some way. It's very strange to see a real outsider triumph as a celebrity.

I have to agree on Jane Fonda she has always used her privilege to speak out where less connected people would be afraid to. She was ahead of her time on the Vietnam war, feminism , civil rights etc

I assume for a lot of people the big problem comes when they don’t acknowledge their privilege or if they’re talentless. Like you can excuse a talented cognisant nepo baby cos fair enough but the ones who either are lacking in talent or are convinced they somehow made it on their own… It’s usually them I’ve seen people take issue with. I think most people would admit if they had a famous well connected dad they’d be milking the hell out of that cow

If I'm being brutally honest, when I first saw Maude Apatow in film I had no idea who she was but I do remember wondering how this nice, but normal looking, averagely talented actress managed to stand out from the crowd to snag such a big role. This is how I feel about most nepo babies. Some are genuinely exceptional, but the vast majority are given a pass for just being ordinarily good at their jobs, in way that just wouldn't cut it for normal people going after the same thing. They don't just get the door opened for them, they get to play by an easier set of rules and we should be speaking out about that.

Being French, I used to admire (and, I admit, be a bit proud of) Lea Seydoux. At such a young age, what a career ! She was even a James Bond girl. Then, I learnt that she was from two of the richest French families, grand-daughter of the CEO of Pathe (a French leading company in cinema), linked to several celebrities and businessmen/women. And I was like "oh...of course".

I think back to how most of the top 10 students in my public high school, after graduating college in 2009 (some of them 2008) immediately were clearing 6 figure salaries working for big social media companies as engineers during the big social media & technology boom of the 2000s… all of them in high school had computers and technology NO ONE else could afford. This gave them the time and resources to hone their technological skills, which gave them a leg up in getting into elite colleges, and were able to get very high paying jobs in Silicone Valley. Money buys success in more ways than we realize.

Entertainment wise, it doesn’t bother me if they create great art. But knowing actual trust fund babies hasn’t always been pleasant. The entitlement and obliviousness is disturbing.

Can I just say, this is a global issue..it's not just the U.S. I live in East Europe and I will never forget missing a great entry level job during my college years, after a summer traineeship, to the coordinating manager's niece. It was so disgusting that honestly it damaged my motivation for months, even years. We had a one month traineeship in telecommunications engineering(exactly my bachelor's degree), I had just graduated from my 2nd year, and at the end of one month, the 15 of us could take a test on what we learned, as well as do a presentation on what we learned-what we found most interesting, and there were 2 open positions for a part-time permanent job at the company(a big multinational). I actually did everything myself, and learned because I was genuinely interested, got the second highest score at the test, and maximum score for the presentation(both of which were in English). The first job went to the girl with the highest score, and the second they gave to this girl who had a much lower score at the test, and could barely speak at the presentation, without looking at her notes, and also seemed like she had memorized stuff without even understanding what she was saying, while I spoke freely and correctly answered all the questions the hiring committee had for me...I was basically sure the job would be mine, and even a lot of the other candidates told me my presentation was amazing and they would surely hire me..it wasn't until after this whole process was over that one of the other candidates told me that the girl who got the job was the niece of one of these women on the hiring committee, who was also a coordinating manager in that department..so yeah. My problem with this is that people attacking public individuals from a place of self-righteousness seems like a witch hunt for show, when the problem is endemic, and it's with the entire human race..that's why there is corruption and injustice everywhere, and also why societies don't function at their fullest potential. It's like Shakespeare said: "The world's a stage, and the actors are badly cast" - because the casting team is hiring from their own gene pool, instead of choosing the best person for the job.

I'm surprised Lily Collins escaped the crosshairs of this video. As the lead actress on Emily in Paris and daughter of singer Phil Collins. And Jane Fonda is awesome in her own right despite being a nepo baby.

I love that in the face of inequality the message is adjust your expectations. Almost like, know your place.

People only hate nepo babies who are 1) mediocre and 2) deny it helped them. If you are talented, are considered the epitome of eurocentric beauty, admit your privileges and/or do philanthropic stuff... then people are fine with it. Very surprising Angelina Jolie isn't mentioned. 👀

I love how they mentioned George Bush Jr, who literally became president for 2 terms only cause his dad was president. A lot of our leaders and politicians are nepo babies

The irony of Woody Allen’s son doing an investigation on Harvey Weinstein 😭

so glad you picked this topic. I've been noticing nepotism all around, not just in entertainment. Glad to have a discussion about it!

Zoe Kazan said it (even though she tried to minimize it). Being a Nepo Baby opens doors for you. What they don’t understand is how hard it is for a person without connections to get their foot in the door. It’s the hardest part.

I get people being upset BUT it doesn't just happen in Hollywood. In my early twenties I worked at a McDonald's where all the managers from district down to shift were related and at the walmart I worked at three of the managers were besties with the store managers family. Humans always put their inner circle first and while sometimes it's undeserved it is not a special thing only for the elite of Hollywood.

The issue is that so many people who are talented but lack resources are looked over. Nepotism babies hate acknowledging that they were born on 3rd base and are speed racing towards home base. While other equally as talented people struggling to get past the dugout.

Meanwhile Bollywood be like: Hold my beer

As I have mentioned it before, nepotism is not restricted to “My parents financed my first job.” but the fact that Social Capital exists. Privileged Intersections will have a leg up in every domain. Do not conflate economic capital and social capital.

There's also the element of pretty privilege and nepo babies being able to afford more cosmetic enhancements. It starts as early as braces, making sure your kid's jaw is developing right and getting a good orthodontist, having access to dermatologists who will help with any skin conditions. They also get more expensive clothes that are tailored to them to fit perfectly. Being in fields where looks hold a whole lot of weight, this is a major leg up.

I resent the fact that they used the word "naive" to describe people who were manipulated their entire lives into thinking that meritocracy existed in this country. As a child you're told that, and it's constantly stated throughout your life. If you question, you're lied to about it. That's not "being naive." That's ~being manipulated~ I'm fine with them if they are willing to admit it. But the whole "we work just as hard!" is ridiculous. They were born in the gate, the gate is gatekept by their parents. And getting your foot in the door is the hardest part. There are people I know who work two jobs and get trained, network, etc., do everything right and haven't gotten anywhere. Non-Nepo actors are expected to have consistent training which is pricey. Some of the nepotism kids don't even bother training and still get the role regardless. ( I work in this industry. MANY newer filmmakers are getting discouraged and disillusioned because there is NO upwards mobility and there are times where the exploitation of lower paid filmmaking jobs gets to be way too much for anybody to think it's worth it.) Another unfair part nobody mentions: Their parents are worth millions, they're set for life and could invest that money and do something else. But instead, they take jobs where they get paid $3k A DAY (it's probably more, that's just a general contract number) when there are more talented harder working actors out there struggling to even make rent. Yes, some are talented and care. Many aren't. So "Naive", at least I think, isn't the right word to describe people who were sold this dream and have been exploited with low pay and no upwards mobility. It's probably the same reason why we don't have nearly as much diversity in the industry as we could too. I love the Take videos. But this one got me to comment, and I don't usually do that. There's way more criticism that is deserved here, and with the platform The Take has, they should be using it to help. Not excuse it all away.

For Centuries Children grew into the Business of their Parents, being Nurses or Plumbers or Griots or Hoteliers. Meritocracy has always been an Illusion to keep the Lower Middle Class quiet and docile.

I would like to see the percentage of successful performers from the last 20 years who didn’t grow up with parents making over $100k. There are a ton of resources you need access to to “make it” in the arts & it’s definitely the blatant denial of that that bothers so many of us. I have so much more respect for the people who admit that their family’s wealth/influence was an asset to them.

"The American dreams has never been real." Truer words have never been spoken on this channel.

We have a similar problem in the U.K.- they’re not necessarily nepo babies in the most basic sense but if you look at the most accomplished/famous/award winning British actors and actresses- a lot of them come extremely wealthy and privileged backgrounds. Privately educated, related to politicians and members of the landed gentry etc- Rose Leslie who played Ygritte on GoT’s dad owns a literal castle. Phoebe Waller Bridge talked about having to move back home with her parents if she failed- what she forgot to mention is that “home” is a stately home. You can definitely argue that these people are talented but the difference between them and everyone else is that they have the means to go to auditions all day, to hire agents and acting coaches to hone their craft, to not have to worry about living costs and at the end of the day, having a good education as a back up. More needs to be done to help aspiring actors who shouldn’t have to choose between their part time job supporting themselves and going to an audition. There’s so much untapped potential out there.

If a small group makes a few nepo babies, that group gets bigger every generation and there's less and less space for people to get those opportunities. That's what's troubling. It's worse when untalented ones sit on a chair so more talented people don't have one.

As Julie Andrews said in ‘The Princess Diaries 2’: “Nepotism lies in the Arts, not in plumbing.”

People never talk about the psychological benefits of being born rich or having famous parents. You're set for success because you have positive mental models very early in life, as well as the safety net, money, connections, etc. It's the intangible benefits that are most important.

we should have talent agencies that only hires talent that doesn’t have “insider ties” .. create content without nepo babies.. it would give so many opportunities to show their talent and hard work! we don’t need hollywood to become famous anymore. we can create on our phones. anyone out there with big dreams don’t give up! keep making content and posting it!

I don’t mind nepo babies if they’re honest how they got to where they were or if they really did work hard and not use their parents name

I usually love their video essays, but this just rubbed me the wrong way. "Yeah it's systematic but at least some of our oppressors have their heart in the right place cheer up". yeesh what a toothless conclusion. Nepotism is a symptom of class privilege, and as such capitalism. No amount of stake "holder capitalism" will fix class divide. As self aware and talented as some of this people are, truth remains that we are community made. And the system allows some to hoard wealth, if your born on that community of 1%ers you're made for life. The rest of us are fucked. So yeah, didn't like this take

It’s just the phenomenal lack of transparency that I find annoying. When a person who has benefited from nepotism/access sets a narrative that they independently started their own career, when it’s obvious they used the network of people in show businesses that they clearly had access too, and they often gaslight us by saying due to nepotism they have had to work twice as hard! Like they are a victim of nepotism! How can that be! I just wish they could be honest about their start in the industry. “I come from a show business family. I had access and support” simple.

I once met a real "nepo baby". I was 8 but I still remember. I was taking a walk in a forest with my parents and we walked in on a secluded place where a movie was being filmed. My mother was very charismatic and actually befriended them when they were on a break, to the point where they asked for our umbrella to help with some illumination difficulties. The movie being filmed had a boy my age as the protagonist, and his father, who was present, was the star of a famous TV show of the moment. He actually told my mom he was surprised we didn't recognize him. And the boy my age and I got along well, and I find extremely hilarious even now that he made a point of telling me many times that *"I wouldn't be here without my father"* *"You know why I'm here? Because of my father"* Another nepo baby I've seen is Dafne Keen. She studied at my high school (in Spain) before leaving it when the pandemic started. She was one grade above me and I never knew her but people said she was nice. Also- it's a weird school for screenwriter's children and such- so one of my friends has her entire family in the film business, since her grandmother played Reagan(?) from the Exorcist. I do find it kind of disturbing that while she doesn't have any particular talent she and everyone have just assumed she'll be a film director, since she has all the right connections.

"Also it's like, you know, maybe someone can get you one part, but they can't really get you 10 parts." She has no idea how much just one part would mean to some people.

I think the difference between entertainment nepobabies and the nepotism that bothers me is talent. The examples you have provided all had to work and show talent to build careers. Whereas Jared and ivanka were unqualified and incapable of the jobs the took. Also dislike the kardashions but that is more tied to their blindness to their own entitlement.

The Take has become so “accommodating” and “understanding” it’s now elitist and asking its viewers to sympathize with byproducts of the meritocracy

Y'know who is the opposite of it? Anthony Ramos, grew up in a working class neighborhood an din a single parent household, went to a regular high school and got a scholarship to study art performing. These are the stories we should champion.

Marilyn Monroe was no nepo baby but a self made woman and she's still the Queen of our pop culture even 50 years after her death.

I was under the impression that meritocracy doesn't actually exist.

I'm glad that Zoe Kazan acknowledges that nepotism played a role in her career, but I think she vastly underestimates how much it's played a role. She's somewhat talented and pleasant in her roles, but seriously a thousand other actresses can play her parts similarly or better.

I laughed when the video was like "oh poor them, having to put up with people continuously pointing out that privilege while they continue to benefit from it 😢" and that ending lmaoooo oh boy

I just dislike it in the modeling world. I do love the Hadids but in general I miss the models who got discovered at the mall. They were just more interesting to watch, and more beautiful imo!

I would love to be a nepo baby, but only if I could pick my parents. If it's Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann, sign me up, they seem lovely. If it's Drew Barrymore's parents, Mackenzie Phillip's parents, etc...absolutely tf not. I'm amazed those ladies made it out ALIVE.

I had a few arguments with my sister, whom nepo babies don't bother at all. she thinks if they are talented and made it, it's fair. my point is, that it is impossible to deny, no matter how talented they are, they only got a chance because of their connections, because of their famous parents. while all other aspiring actors, without family connections in show business never had that chance. and it is so unfair. and the truth is, most of those young people (nepo babies) would have never ever made it without the connections, ever. every culture and every country has them. sigh, and yikes.

"It's a big club and you ain't in it." -George Carlin

Many of them end up in the main roles of big franchises, like Lily Collins with Shadow Hunters and Emily in Paris.

Meritocracy was never “broken.” In fact the whole concept was a satire & dystopia by sociologist Michael Young. Just like Fight Club, “Born in the USA” by Bruce Springsteen, and The Punisher, the right took it literally & uniroically and distanced their works from their satirical & critical origins .

I have an issue with nepotism because there are countless talents that will never even get into the hallway, building, street or city let alone their foot in the door. It's elitism. Networks, money, zip code and genetic lottery play MAJOR roles. And they people pretend otherwise it irritates the duck out of me. I want to art and to see art created by more than just a minority wealthy and or powerful club of people. Appreciate the commentary on inequity and "the American dream," rhetoric.

Not only America. I went to high school with one of Netflix's "Elite"'s protagonists. Her mother was a chief writer for a top journal in Spain, and got her to feature in an extremely famous fashion magazine because of her connections.

I think part of what makes people so mad about these nepo babies is that they have a leg up and better training in an area most people don’t think about when it comes to achieving success: networking. If people want to succeed in any industry, but especially entertainment, you have to be able to walk up to people and be genuinely interested in who they are and be able to get them to be genuinely interested in you. Something I learned from the woman who is helping me get my work off the ground is that people invest in people, not ideas. That’s part of why these nepo babies do well. People are invested them as individuals and are curious to see where they will go because of their heritage! You can make someone feel the same way about you! You can make them care about who you are! Make them want to watch what you do next! Then they might even want to help you. But you have to have the courage to walk up, say hello, and understand it may or may not work. Still, it never hurts to try. Goodluck out there my fellow artists! Thank you for coming to my TedTalk! Lol!

I think problem is that celebrities promote this hardworking, pursuing your dreams and it's a lie. Cause ordinary people have almost no chances to be famous and rich. You have to have a lot of money and connections to be successful or die trying.

As an aspiring actor/writer from a working-class background with a long ways to go until I am even considered a solid working actor, hearing about nepotism and how it’s become more and more prevalent within the entertainment industry is soul-crushing. To have a consistent career in the performing arts today, you have to (1) start really young (as a child actor/performer), (2) be born into an upper-middle class or wealthy family, (3) already have a relative in the industry as it is, or (4) all three. I look at the famous actors from the Golden Age of Hollywood like Charlie Chaplin, Joan Crawford, Clara Bow, Greta Garbo, Barbara Stanwyck, Burt Lancaster, Lana Turner, and Marilyn Monroe. All of them came from lower-class and working-class backgrounds. A lot of them also came from broken homes. Would these actors and actresses stand a chance if they were trying to break out now in Hollywood? I’m not going to give up and remain persistent in what I really want to do, which is act and perform. By now, I have accepted and come to terms that my life and my path in life will always be different and difficult from everyone else, unlike those mentioned in this video. But still, actors, actresses, and performers from lower-class and working-class people deserve and should have a voice too. I’m glad this issue is finally getting some attention and focus in how rigged and unjust the industry is (and has been). It’s about time.

I was already suspicious that an Apatow kid got a role in a gritty HBO show. When her character dominated season 2 of Euphoria, it became too obvious

For me the problem with some nepos babies is that they denied their privilege to be more "relatable" and that some of them are not as good in their areas and it is very clear that if they did not have connections they would have not get the role or that job.

Some things people are born with also is hope. Wealthy people are more likely to dream because they're told this idea that they can be anything they want since they have lots of money and money=opportunities. When I look at people like Taylor Swift, I respect her and all she's done. But I was born in a low income house, with two narcissistic parents who wouldn't take interest in my passions, so now even as an adult I have lots of barriers like trauma and unhealthy habits like anxiety and trauma, and I can't imagine not being white. I'm not jealous I like Taylor Swift and would love to be friend with her, but we just live in two different worlds.

I think most people just want them to acknowledge their privilege. you aren't a bad person for having privilege. just acknowledge it. that's all we want. and when they go, "yeah, I had these step-ups, but I still worked hard," like no one is denying you worked hard or are talented. but there are lots of people who work just as hard and are just as talented who don't get the same opportunities. just acknowledge your opportunities you had that not everyone does.

I can't even find an agent. People say that the hardest part of being an actor is all of the auditioning. I would love to even have an opportunity to audition.

I honestly feel the way to balance it out is that nepo babies need to be willing to work with people breaking into the industry. Nepo babies in the industry should be like the Medicis and help those breaking in.

I don't mind Nepo babies who are actually talented. when they're not, that's when it's very irritating

Mariah Carey certainly wasn't a nepobaby and she got to the top because of her sheer talent.

No, we feel betrayed because they refuse to acknowledge that who they know gave them a massive leg up in the industry and gave them a base to feel confident.

"Oh boo-hoo, somebody called me out on my nepotism, so rude!"

I think the problem with nepotism and how the world works is that we are left with conformism in the sense that there´s never gonna be a difference for the ones who are talented enough but can´t have the same connections , opportunities, ect. The people who are self made are exceptions of the rule and thats how you know the world is not fair and will never be

here’s the thing, I came from an ultra-privileged background... my cousin was a very successful and well known artist among very elite circles and the high end of the global art world throughout the 00’s and 10’s (before his death from an OD at the end of 2016) and as a really young teen (13) I went to go live with him full time in manhattan and got sent to private schools (dalton and collegiate) where I had uber wealthy, well connected and future-famous friends and acquaintances (timothee chalamet, ansel elgort, michael consuelos, etc) and got to hang out with very famous and well connected people who would constantly come over for dinner or drinks or parties at our west village townhouse (kate moss, alison mosshart, lena dunham, anna wintours daughter bea schafer, jeff koons, annie liebovitz, zoe kravitz, madonna, lauren santo domingo, etc). I got to travel the world regularly and attend fashion shows and premieres and exclusive parties and events, etc. so by the time I was in my early 20’s just a few years ago and decided to start a company within the luxury fashion sector i knew so many people from that world and had so many connections and firsthand experience and “know-how” within it that industry that it was much easier and quicker for me to make it a success than it almost certainly otherwise would have been. I can sit here today and say that I almost certainly would not be nearly as successful as I currently am at such a young age (27) had I not had that type of of ultra-privileged and uber-connected upbringing. nepotism is real and it does give you a leg up. does that mean I didn’t do a lot of it on my own or that I didn’t have to work hard to achieve what I have? no, of course not!... but does it mean that it was a lot easier for me to do it and that I was able to achieve it much faster than most other people would have been able to? yes, 100%

The myth of the American Dream obscures the very real class divide. Letting go of the idea of meritocracy has helped my mental health exponentially.

In India, this issue has been raised and people from film lineage do have an advantage. HOWEVER, the larger issue of caste networks which create opportunities and relatively smooth career trajectory is never mentioned because it takes away the ‘Outsider’ Tag, thus making them not relatable. P.S. ‘Outsiders’ are also insiders. They’re just outsiders to certain elite circles.

On "naturally gifted" @4:18 : Please, everybody, read "Peak" by Anders Eriksson. It absolutely decimates the vast majority of claims of natural talent, or at least talent playing a bigger role than opportunity and training (specifically directed, high-level (read: often expensive) training). While there is a lot we don't know about the _how_ of experts & high-level performers, and there may be ways in which natural tendencies do play some role (for instance, sensitivity to reward mechanisms in the brain), we absoltely do need to put to bed the idea that someone - even a very young person - performing at a high level is just "naturally gifted". The overwhelming evidence seems to demonstrate that it is their opportunities for developing their skills and not some innate talen that is the primary driver of success. Editing to add: the point of this isn't to criticize or dismiss performers who are highly accomplished, regardless of how they got there. It's to question the idea of meritocracy and focus on increasing opportunities for all - not just career opportunities, but everything one needs to pursue a career like stable housing, a robust social safety net, educational support, etc.

One of my favourite 'under the radar' Nepo Babies may be Amy Lee from Evanescence. She came across like an outsider goth kind at the start of their career, but her father is "John Lee, a disc jockey and television personality." That said, as soon as they dropped their early songs like "Bring Me To Life" and "My Immortal" she immediately had one of the most iconic voices of all time. Bottom line, I think most people could be OK with Nepo Babies as long as they produce good and entertaining works.

The problem about Nepo babies is not just getting their foot in the door which is the hardest, but also have more chances to fail with no consequence, there will still be people ready to cast them even if they fail while non-nepo people who had somehow did the impossible of getting their foot into the door will at best have one chance to prove themselves before being written off.

it's funny how they say their famous or well connected parents had very little to do with the roles they got or only just cracked the door open. yet they fail to see that they also had access to all their parents money and all the resources in the world to be set up for success. they didn't just crack the door open for you they swung it open.

This could go hand-in-hand with the previous “Is growing old a taboo” video. In that video, you were mentioning that the industry is becoming now less open to new actors since actors like Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, or singers like Jennifer Lopez resist getting old and being discarded by keeping their looks. The nepo babies like Dree Barrymore, Jamie Lee Curtis, or Nicolas Cage didn’t bother us that much because 1) we were less aware without the internet, and 2) there were still new openings, as the previous generation was getting older. Even though it’s a new golden age for TV with the streaming services, there are a lot of options as to which productions will be chosen by the consumers, and success is more arbitrary and uncertain. Given the openings are slimmer, when nepo babies fill in these, it becomes more alarming. It’s not a couple of babies like it used to be. Industry is more chaotic than ever and chances are slimmer for outsiders with zero connections. Nepo babies can push second chances but others can hardly push the first ones.

Unpopular reminder: Miley Cyrus is a product of nepotism first and foremost, not just a Disney Channel star. She got the job at Disney due to her famous father landing her acting jobs when she was really young. Yet people are still claiming that she's the most self-made artist there is.

If you’re poor or ugly you have no chance in Hollywood, no matter how talented you are.

Huh, who knew that being born into a certain group gave you an advantage over other people. Perhaps we should enact policies that puts people on a more equal footing that gives everyone a chance to succeed. I'm sure the powerful group won't complain about certain people getting special treatment and gaslight society into accepting their miserable lot in life. That would be ridiculous.

Thank you for the video. I also recommend Tara Mooknee's video as well. One of the comments from the comment section of that video that stood out to me, is that there is a danger regarding the messaging and art produced from that kind of background. If the stories and experiences depicted are from such a limited echo chamber.

I fell into acting...a lady comes up to me for a part and she knew my mom. 🤣🤣🤣

Jane Fonda has also been very honest about the nepotism that granted her her fame. in her wired auto complete interview she answered the question ”why is Jane Fonda famous?” with ”I was Henry Fonda’s daughter. That’s how I became famous.”

I feel like older actors that benefited from nepotism (Jane Fonda, Jamie Lee Curtis, for example) at least openly acknowledge that their famous parents and connections played a role in their careers. Millennial/Gen Z nepotism babies seem to write it off a lot more and chalk everything up to their "hard work"

I find it funny that The Take's last video was about how Lena Dunham's character in Girls is generally reviled, and in this video, they showed a clip of her essentially saying that the 'nepo baby anger [directed at her] is bullsh*t' 😂😂😂 I'm sure it was a coincidence, but I still find it funny. Fine, Lena, your parents weren't Hollywood elite--- far from it---- but they were still NY artists who had lots of connections. And to hear about Lena's pitch meeting to HBO for Girls is kinda infuriating, just cementing (for me) her lack of self awareness. Lena's character Hannah never acknowledged her priviledge in the show, and just WOW to see art imitating real life.

I think the University scandal should be added to this. The American education system is horribly complicit in this. Everyone LOVES to complain about affirmative action, but nobody ever wants to acknowledge that half the people in top universities are legacies.

This obviously happens in other fields too. That said, I'm happy that some Nepo babies have at least tried to make their own way. Joe Hill (Stephen King's son) even changed his name just so people wouldn't think he's trying to skate on his dad's name.

As my brother fittingly put it a while back. “Meritocracy has been dead in this country for a while now.”

Meritocracy is in direct conflict with inheritance. We can not be a society that allows inheritance and yet insist that everything is based on merit. If people who have nothing in this world can’t “pull themselves up from their bootstraps” because they just don’t get the opportunities that someone with affluent parents would get, there is no merit to that. Either we are an inheritance society, or a merit based society, but we can not be both.

It's interesting to think about; I remember reading that Idris Elba wouldn't let his daughter star in a movie with him because he felt she wasn't ready, and refused to allow his fame to advance her career,because she needed to do that herself.

As a Korean, Nepotism is like a giant malignant tumor of meritocracy. It makes sense for a senior to be high-class with outstanding ability. But it's hard to understand Junior being a high-class man with Nepotism. In particular, controversy over fairness will arise in Korea, which was rebuilt under the influence of the United States after the disappearance of the status system after the Korean War. Even chaebols are not free from meritocracy and fairness controversy. Therefore, chaebols are aware of the controversy over fairness, but they even train their abilities harshly to pass it on to Junior.

There's nothing wrong with being highborn if you're self-aware & a class traitor.

Personally, if you can act that's okay in my opinion. But the ones who are crap, I feel like we should call them out. Dakota Johnson is a great example, she wasn't that great of an actress, so why the hell did they make her the lead in 50 shades of grey!? To this day, most of her movies arent that great. No hate on the actress but she is taking away from actual talent and it's annoying. But also, this isn't anything new and it will probably never change.

The Wayans are the best nepo family ever. I absolutely love that they put each other on

I was with you until almost the end, when your conclusion seemed to be, "Oh, well. Inequality sucks but hopefully some of the privileged few will use their privilege to help the masses." I mean, yes. It is good for people to help the less fortunate, and people like Jane Fonda and Ronan Farrow should be applauded for having gone above and beyond most people of whatever background to make working for change a focus of their lives. But, the real goal must remain what it was for those who coined the idea of the American Dream originally: Making a more equitable society in which genuine meritocracy can thrive. There will always be nepotism and family connections have always provided a leg up, but the current level of inequality and intergenerational privilege has not been seen in the USA for a century. It does not need to be this way, either in Hollywood or in society at large.

I’m a bit torn on this. On one hand, lucky or not, it’s a blessing that people can pursue their passions. On the other hand, I don’t think it’s fair and it can limit the storytelling too. When I see another “chosen one” or “you’re destined” trope, I want to take my eyes out. It would be best if it wasn’t just one or the other.

As the son of immigrant parents, I gotta say, I don't think the idea of "The American Dream" was that everything would be fair. Maybe I am biased, but I always viewed this Dream to be of bettering oneself and having the freedom to do so.

This plagues everything not just entertainment and politics. A well-off cousin of mine was bad-mouthing one of our friends for having borrowed money from his family; he said, "I'm proud I built it all on my own, I never had to ask anyone for a favor." He literally inherited his uncle's construction conglomerate but he credits it all to his hard work. People are fucking clueless, they don't have internal mirrors.

Very thoughtful and reasoned essay, with sharp editing and examples. Thank you!