Nepo Babies: The New Female-Dominated Field?

Emma Burnett

Nepotism has brought us the new generation of Hollywood, where old-timers have taken the backseat and let their offspring take the spotlight. With superstars such as Zooey Deschanel, Dakota Johnson, Emma Roberts and Lily Collins riding the gravy train to fame, it’s a challenge to find anyone in Hollywood who hasn’t been shoe-horned into the industry by their familial connections. 

Women are simply dominating the Hollywood nepotism field.

However, you may have noticed that all the celebrities I just listed are women. There is a distinct gender gap in the nepotism game – women nepo babies by far outweigh men. Think of the hottest nepo babies of the season: Zoe Kravitz, Margaret Qualley, Maya Hawke and Lily Rose Depp, for example, women are simply dominating the Hollywood nepotism field.

Outside of acting, two huge music stars of 2024, Gracie Abrams, daughter of director J.J. Abrams and Clairo, daughter of marketing mogul Geoff Cottrill, also had a foot in the door thanks to their famous fathers. And the modelling industry is simply riddled with the good genetics of nepotism, think supermodels Gigi and Bella Hadid, Kaia Gerber, Hailey Bieber as well as newcomers Apple Martin and Lila Grace Moss. Even behind the scenes, top female directors Emerald Fennel, Jane Campion and, of course, Sofia Coppola come from familial fame. 

That’s not to say there aren’t successful men who come from nepotism out there. Jack Quaid, son of actors Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan, had a huge year in 2024, playing Hughie in his fifth season of The Boys, and starring in the upcoming Companion. There’s also John David Washington, son of Denzel and Pauletta Washington, who starred in both BlacKkKlansman (2018) and Tenet (2020). And not to forget the brothers Skarsgard – Alexander, Bill and Gustaf – all of whom got the acting gene from their famous father, Stellan Skarsgard.

What has driven this distinctive divide, making women the most prevalent nepo babies on our screens today? 

Of course, male talent is present in the nepotism circle. Nonetheless, one can’t deny that women far outweigh the men – there seems to be a constant conveyor belt of nepo baby ‘it-girls’ in Hollywood. So, what has driven this gender divide? It could be coincidence – perhaps celebrities just happen to be birthing very talented baby girls. Undoubtedly, the combination of a stellar gene pool, a lifetime of exposure to the entertainment industry, and access to the most prestigious education, breeds the talented nepo babies which dominate the entertainment industry. Or, it could even be a natural phenomenon, where we are experiencing a certain ‘rush’ of nepo baby women in contemporary Hollywood. But what has driven this distinctive divide, making women the most prevalent nepo babies on our screens today? 

When discussing gender gaps in Hollywood, one simply can’t ignore the long-standing gender bias in the entertainment industry. Receiving lower income than their male counterparts, as well as significantly less recognition during the Awards season, women in Hollywood must fight to earn their place at the showbiz table. A study from the University of Huddersfield found a gender wage gap of 25% in Hollywood, whilst the recently revealed 2025 Oscar nominations featured just one woman in the Best Director category (Coralie Fargeat for The Substance (2024)). Fairly unsurprising when you consider that only three women have ever won the Best Director accolade in the history of the Oscars.

Nepo babies have built-in credibility due to the talents and successes of their parents, something that self-made women must work doubly hard to achieve themselves.

Therefore, perhaps the barriers which prevent women from Hollywood success are more easily broken by women who have a familial foot in the door. For how can a woman, without any industry connections, or a wealthy family circle of support, firstly expect to be taken seriously, but secondly survive the dire income of a beginner actress? Nepo babies have built-in credibility due to the talents and successes of their parents, something that self-made women must work doubly hard to achieve themselves. In an industry which clearly favours men, it is no wonder that so many of the most successful women in Hollywood had to ride the coattails of their progenitors to get to the top. 

Another potential explanation of the prevalence of women in the nepotism space is pressure. Women, throughout their lives, are placed under certain pressures which are often invisible to men. The pressure to conform to societal expectations of women, the pressure to be successful in everything you do, the pressure to follow in the footsteps of your parents. It is possibly this pressure which has driven so many women of celebrity heritage to find success in the entertainment industry, thus ending up a prosperous nepo baby. 

The entertainment industry must allow for talented women to be championed for their talent, not just their surname.

Without a doubt, it is awe-inspiring to see female talent shining on screen – Lily Rose Depp’s portrayal of Ellen in Nosferatu (2024) was simply haunting, and Margaret Qualley was formidable as Sue in The Substance (2024). But the championing of nepo babies in showbusiness, specifically those who identify as women, reveals an industry that is fundamentally flawed. The attitude ‘it’s not what you know, but who you know!’ creates a space that is exclusionary, reserved for a select group of interrelated stars.  

Hollywood is a man’s world. The blame cannot be placed on the women who have successfully carved careers for themselves through nepotism. Their talent, although perhaps genetic, cannot be discredited. The glitz and glamour of showbusiness hides many prejudices, one of them being a stark gender divide, where men have a much smoother ride to stardom than their women counterparts. The entertainment industry must allow for talented women to be championed for their talent, not just their surname.

Emma Burnett