Emerging Prominence or On the Path to Stardom - Which offspring of influential figures managed to succeed and which ones fell short in their careers
Nepotistic Offspring Dislike the Label "Nepotistic Offspring". This phrase sparkes a "deep-seated insecurity" in them, as stated by Zoe Kravitz, daughter of Lenny Kravitz and Lisa Bonet. It makes her "sad", agrees Maude Apatow, daughter of Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann. "People are eager to bring you down and say: You don't belong here", believes Gwyneth Paltrow, daughter of Blythe Danner and Bruce Paltrow.
Paltrow has established a reputation as an actress, Oscar winner, and Hollywood's high priestess of self-love. However, she understands that whatever her daughter Apple or son Moses achieve in the future, it will be scrutinized beneath the "Those are the offspring of Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin" microscope.
Nepotistic Offspring are Often Identified by Their Parents
Since the term "Nepotistic Offspring" surfaced online a couple of years ago, the children of famous parents are often reduced to these two words. "Nepotistic" stems from the English word "nepotism", implying favoritism. Nepotistic Offspring are individuals who gain, or fail to, from the names and connections of their families in the professional world. Similar to, for instance, Brooklyn Beckham, who despite his name hasn't demonstrated much talent anyplace and has become the butt of jokes among Nepotistic Offspring analysts. So, who has succeeded and who hasn't? Let's take a look.
Struggling:
Brooklyn Beckham, son of Victoria and David Beckham. He's given it his all, trying as a footballer, model, and photographer. His photography book was criticized for its unclear elephant pictures. Then he turned to cooking: under the "Cookin' with Brooklyn" banner, he serves strange dishes to his Instagram followers like a cheese sandwich. If only he'd baked his father's banana flakes! At least he has over 16 million followers, who provide him with the attention a Nepotistic Offspring receives thanks to their name.
Jaden Smith, son of Will and Jada Smith. He tried acting and music like his father. He appeared in Dad's films "The Pursuit of Happyness" and "After Earth", which received mixed reviews. He also released three albums, none of which were hits. His advice to kids to leave school instead of getting an education earned him the image of a negative Nepotistic Offspring: a bad influence!
Occasionally in the Spotlight:
Eve Hewson, daughter of U2 singer Bono Vox and Ali Hewson. She acts, but not like her father ("I was kicked out of the family band because I was too enthusiastic"), and she's had modest success. But now she's walked the red carpet at the premiere of "The Perfect Couple" with Nicole Kidman and Liev Schreiber - in the Netflix film, she has a significant role. Her career is on the rise!
Lily-Rose Depp, daughter of Vanessa Paradis and Johnny Depp. She signed her first modeling contract at 16 - with Chanel, just like her mom. Then she followed her father into acting, appearing in a few things and being nominated for a French César Award for Most Promising Actress. She opposes the Nepotistic Offspring category: "Maybe you get your foot in the door, but then there's a lot of work to do." These days, Depp is more often seen in gossip columns, thanks to her relationship with US rapper 070 Shake.
Making a Comeback:
Gene Gallagher, son of Liam Gallagher and Nicole Appleton. He recently emerged from a wild night out at the "Chiltern Firehouse" in London, flipping off waiting paparazzi with both middle fingers – and looking more like his father than ever. His dad is going on a comeback tour with Oasis next year. Could Gene and his band Villanelle be the opening act? "They're good!" Liam Gallagher said. Gene is tired of the "nepotistic offspring" stigma: "People say to me, 'Oh, it must be so easy for you to put a band together.' It's not. We earn our stripes." Which ones, only he knows so far.
Following in Their Footsteps:
Lila Grace Moss, daughter of Kate Moss and Jefferson Hack. She followed in her mother's modeling footsteps, which are quite imposing. Kate Moss was seen in iconic Calvin Klein campaigns, but also in pictures showing her snorting cocaine. A rollercoaster career that left its mark. So far, Lila Grace has only made headlines with photos with her mother – and then faded into obscurity.
Rising Stars:
Maya Hawke, daughter of Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke. The actress has been making waves in Hollywood since her roles in "Stranger Things" and "Euphoria." She's also praised for her humor about her "nepotistic offspring" status. "It's okay if someone makes fun of someone who's high up," Hawke says. "But that's a happy place!"
Rising in the Fashion World:
Kaia Gerber, daughter of Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber. She's her mother's twin and has become a top model like her. Watching Kaia on the runway feels like a journey back to the golden age of supermodels that Cindy dominated with Tatiana Patitz, Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell, and Christy Turlington. Fun fact: Christy's daughter, Grace Burns, is also on the catwalk – but not as successful as Kaia Gerber.
Dakota Johnson, child of Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson. Actress offspring, actor dad – no surprise there. Dakota gained prominence with "Fifty Shades of Grey." Yes, it earned her a Razzie for worst actress in 2016, but who cares? Her mom was also a "nepotism kid" as Tippi Hedren's daughter, and Johnson is dating Coldplay's Chris Martin – she's got a captivating tale!
Hailey Bieber, daughter of Stephen Baldwin and niece of Alec Baldwin. Finally, a Baldwin lady tops the charts – as a model. Plus, she's hitched to Justin Bieber and just welcomed their very own "nepotism kid" – little Jack.
The Kardashian-Jenner daughters: Kim, Khloe, and Kourtney (whose dad was O.J. Simpson's lawyer, Robert Kardashian) and Kendall and Kylie (whose dad is former Olympian Bruce Jenner, now Caitlyn Jenner) became social media influencers, businesswomen, rapper wives, or models – all thanks to their mom, Kris. They're renowned and loaded, very loaded. That's the fantasy!
Blazing Their Own Trails:
Jessica Springsteen, offspring of Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa. She gained passion for riding at the tender age of five through her mom and turned into a skilled equestrian. Jessica made it to the U.S. Olympic team in show jumping and bagged a silver medal at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Her brother works as a firefighter in New Jersey – the Springsteen kids are all about loving animals and helping others. That's the Boss's lifestyle!
Eve Jobs, daughter of Steve Jobs and Laurene Powell Jobs. The luck of the world backs these riders: Eve also rides, albeit not as medal-laden, but successfully. She's also a model, signed with DNA Models in New York. She's not as starved for attention as Kendall Jenner or Hailey Bieber. A humble spirit!
Napotistic Offspring, like Gwyneth Paltrow's children, are constantly under scrutiny, regardless of their talents or achievements. Despite her success as an actress and Oscar winner, Paltrow acknowledges that Apple and Moses will be judged under the "Those are the offspring of Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin" microscope.
Following the trend set by famous parents, Brooklyn Beckham has tried his hand at various professions, from football to photography and cooking. Despite having over 16 million followers, his talent has been a subject of debate among Nepotistic Offspring analysts, similar to the criticisms faced by Brooklyn Beckham.
