Aren’t all “nepo babies” picture-perfect-looking young celebs who find success in movies/TV/music because of their well-known families? We can’t help but think “must be nice…” every time we read about them, right?
There is no doubt that there are some celebrities out there who aren’t all that talented and who ride on the coattails of their last name, but honestly, it’s not super fun to talk about them. What about the nepo babies who would make it in their chosen fields no matter who their family was? There are a bunch, like The Boys star Jack Quaid, who is awesome and just happens to fit the nepo baby mold. Hey, it’s okay. We can’t help who our parents are, but we can be a decent person!
Jack Quaid
In July 2024, Jack Quaid was interviewed by Variety and was honest about being a nepo baby. He said “I don’t think it undermines my talent” because “I know that I work hard.” Of calling Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan “mom and dad,” he said, “I am an immensely privileged person.” The key to being a good nepo baby? Realizing that you are one!
While we love seeing Jack Quaid play Hughie Campbell on The Boys and are curious about what will happen in The Boys season 5, I will always think of him as Richie Kirsch in Scream (2022). The actor can seamlessly play both superhero and monster. Also, I have a soft spot for Meg Ryan thanks to the iconic ’90s rom-com You’ve Got Mail, and thankfully, there’s really nothing bad to say about her son.
Riley Keough
If your grandfather is Elvis Presley then you know people are going to talk about you for the rest of your life. Thankfully, Riley Keough has more talent than most people who don’t have this prestigious of a family tree. After obsessing over Taylor Jenkin Reid’s Daisy Jones & The Six, I was impressed by Riley’s performance as a troubled, spirited singer on the Hulu series. She was equally amazing as the late author Rebecca Godfrey in Under The Bridge. Sure, we can call Riley Keough a nepo baby… but she’s the coolest nepo baby ever.
Maya Hawke
You have to admit you were interested to find out if Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke’s daughter could act as well as her talented parents, right? We’ve all been amazed at Maya Hawke’s acting chops, whether as bold and funny Robin Buckley in Stranger Things or a teenager in the opening scene of the first Fear Street Netflix movie. Maya seems so effortlessly cool and while we unfortunately can’t be best friends with her, we can at least watch her evolve as an actress. Her projects are unique enough that it can’t be claimed she’s copying her parents’ career in any way.
Rashida Jones
Rashida Jones’s parents are model Peggy Lipton and the amazing music producer and composer Quincy Jones, but she’s built something for herself, and we love watching her comedic talent. Instead of being the subject of wild news stories, Rashida seems to have always been hyper-focused on her career. She also made the documentary Quincy, which you can watch on Netflix, which was a nice way to share more of her dad’s amazing career. Whether starring in Celeste and Jesse Forever or in two of the best sitcoms ever, The Office and Parks and Recreation, we love Rashida.
Zoë Kravitz
Lisa Bonet and Lenny Kravitz’s daughter has been acting for a while, and throughout her career, it’s become clear she’s never relied on her famous last name. Some of Zoë Kravitz’s most famous roles include Selina Kyle/Catwoman in The Batman and Bonnie Carlson in Big Little Lies. She’s also the co-writer and director of the thriller Blink Twice. We’re excited to see how her impressive career continues.
Jamie Lee Curtis
Yes, Laurie Strode is a nepo baby! Jamie Lee Curtis grew up with actors Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh as her parents, so it was no wonder she became a legend as well. From her turn as Donna Berzatto on The Bear to her absolutely iconic Halloween films, not to mention her unexpected role in Everything Everywhere All At Once, we bow down.
Sosie Bacon
The daughter of Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick looks just like both of them. After watching her play a therapist who is haunted by the scariest grins you could ever imagine in Smile, I think she’s one of the greatest nepo babies around. That horror movie is the perfect proof that when you have well-known parents, you still need to show people what you’re made of, and Sosie definitely does that.
Zelda Williams
Robin Williams’s kids could never be anything other than wonderful, and as we continue to grieve the loss of such an incredible actor and person, we’re watching his kids grow up. Whether voicing a character in Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or directing the creative and unique Lisa Frankenstein, Robin’s daughter Zelda Williams has had a lot of success. We know she would have absolutely forged a great career path for herself regardless of her family tribulations.
Wyatt Russell
Of course you’re going to be an actor if Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn are your parents… aren’t you? Well, Wyatt Russell didn’t start out wanting to make his way in Hollywood, which honestly makes us like him even more. According to Yahoo!, he got a hip injury while playing on a minor-league hockey team in Europe, which led to his departure from the sport and his segue into acting. He’s not just a pretty face starring in comedies, though. He’s had an interesting career that includes a wide range of films like Ingrid Goes West and the freaky Black Mirror episode “Playtest.”
Tracee Ellis Ross
Tracee Ellis Ross is beloved for playing Rainbow Johnson on Black-ish and, more recently, we saw her as Lisa in the brilliant American Fiction. Her dad is Robert Ellis Silberstein, a music exec, and Diana Ross is her mom, but she’s another actress whose talent speaks for itself. As she said about her famous mother in an interview with Flaunt Magazine, “She’s a mom before she’s ‘Diana Ross.’ My childhood was very anchored in real family life.”