OPINION: Nepotism babies’ talent is overlooked by family connections

Ben Platt, Lily Rose Depp and Dakota Johnson are some of the most famous names in the entertainment industry. They are all talented and have worked in some of the best media productions of this generation, and yet, people try to discredit their success because of who their parents are.

The term “nepo baby”, or nepotism baby, has skyrocketed to popularity on the Internet with the publication of New York Magazine’s December 2022 deep-dive into nepo babies. The phrase describes those in the entertainment industry that have famous parents, discussing how their connections unfairly benefit them. However, the term is used in a negative way to discredit the talents of many gifted people.

While familial connections are immensely helpful when trying to break into the entertainment industry, they only go so far. People must also show their talent and skill in order to be casted or chosen for certain positions. Many nepo babies may not have broken into the industry at such a young age, but it is undoubtedly true that most of them were destined to show off their talents to the world no matter their family tree. Ben Platt’s work in “Dear Evan Hansen” was groundbreaking, but critics still managed to attribute his success to his father. Anyone who saw the Broadway show knows that Platt’s immense talent is the true reason he landed the role. 

While nepo babies in the entertainment industry do benefit from parental connections, the majority of them possess impressive talent as well. People should stop harping on those singing and acting and focus their attention on people in more influential industries instead. 

Photo Credit: “Ben Platt SXSW 2019” by Daniel Benavides is licensed under (CC BY 2.0)