The Costs of Nepotism
Welcome to the world of Nepo babies! These are the rising stars of the entertainment industry who were born with a silver spoon in their mouths and have leveraged their family's connections to climb the ladder of success. We all know the most influential Nepo babies of our generation, Gigi and Bella Hadid, Jaden and Willow Smith – even Bollywood has taken a liking to nepotism. Ananya Panday, daughter of Bollywood actor Chunky Pandey, surely makes her way through the acting industry with a formidable head start.
There is nothing inherently wrong with being born into wealth and status. Many people would love to have been born with parents that their friends can find on a wikipedia page. This certainly isn't a new phenomenon and nepo babies can be found in seemingly any industry. However, the problem lies in the opportunities not granted to outsiders, specifically speaking, the new generation of nepotism babies are quickly taking over multiple industries (acting, modeling, art, ect.) without giving room for those who do not come from a womb of diamonds and gold.
Here are some examples of some well known, problematic nepo babies:
The Kardashian-Jenner family
There is no doubt that this bigger-than-life family has made a global impact in every genre of publicity they can get their hands on. From the makeup industry to their newly launched clothing brand, they have made a permanent name for themselves. However, the Kardashian-Jenner family has been accused of using their fame and influence to contribute to a culture of celebrity worship and setting unrealistic beauty standards.
The Hadid family
From modeling for the top brands in the world to creating a fashion-based netflix series, Gigi and Bella Hadid are no doubt part of the “It Girl” category of Gen Z. Despite both sisters having achieved great success, critics argue that they were given opportunities that were not available to others based solely on their gold-plated family name.
The nepo baby landscape was always one built on privilege, connections, and being in the right place at the right time. However, with the rise in social media influencers and digital platforms, the game is changing, and this time for the better. There has been a lack of diversity all across Hollywood and the creative industry. Memorable social media moments, such as #OscarsSoWhite, clearly demonstrate where the highly publicized and elite film award ceremony was called out for its lack of nominated people of color in the best actor category. Nonetheless, it makes sense; Nepo babies are direct products of an industry built on privileges given to them by birth. The difference people are now seeing is the rise in the diverse social media influencers taking Hollywood by storm.
We have already touched on what a Nepotism Baby is, but let us also explain what a social media influencer is and why they are skyrocketing into the A-List sphere. Social media influencers are individuals who have built a significant following on social media platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok by creating and sharing content that resonates with their audience. They may be focused on a particular niche, such as fashion, beauty, fitness, or travel, and often collaborate with brands to promote products or services. Key word here is ‘built.’ Whilst most nepo babies were already born with a crowd of adoring fans, social media influencers' entire rise to fame is through building their digital follower count from the ground up.
Here are examples of Social Media’s most beloved influencers:
Cameron Dallas
There is no doubt that vine and instagram were gateways into the celebrity field. Dallas is a social media influencer who gained fame on those platforms and has since transitioned into acting. His appearances in films include “Expelled” and “The Outfield.”
Aliyah Bah
It wouldn't be a conversation about influencers without introducing the nineteen year old black internet sensation, Aliyah Bah, better known by her alias: @aliyahinterlude on tik tok. She is the creator of the alternative clothing trend known as Aliyah Core that took rise in 2022 with currently over 140 million views on the hashtag alone. This has garnered Aliyah entrance into the Hollywood spotlight and exclusive invites such as the Concept Korea FW23 Runway Show.
These are just a small few examples of social media influencers who have made it into mainstream fame. They showed their creativity and diligence in a field where diversity was only praised if there was a stereotype to uphold. Social media has gladly opened up new realms and opportunities for people to gain fame and success. This is in stark comparison to the monolithic nepo babies that have been taking over the creative field for too long. There is a new generation of celebrities that are not automatically born from wealthy parents and they are here to stay.
Written by Olive Okoro, Design: Anna Keller , Social Media: Lauren Ercolani