7 Nepo Babies Who Skipped the Audition Line Thanks to Famous Parents
The Biggest Actors who were Born with a Leg Up.
In 2022, a new term was derived to describe celebrities who didn’t have to work for their stature: Nepo Babies. They were born into fame, having their roles gifted to them by their celebrity parents.
Here are seven of the most famous Nepo Babies in the industry.
Gwyneth Paltrow
One of the most respected actresses in the industry, Oscar-winning Paltrow’s biggest early role came in 1991 as Young Wendy in Robin Williams’ Hook, directed by Steven Spielberg - who happens to be her godfather.
Jessica Capshaw
Capshaw was also the recipient of Spielberg’s fame; married to Kate Capshaw, he is her stepfather. Her first film role came in her mother’s film, The Locusts. She later appeared in her stepdad’s Minority Report before making it big as Arizona on Grey’s Anatomy.
Sofia Coppola
The daughter of Godfather creator Francis Ford Coppola, Sofia began her career as an actress in her father’s films. After writing and directing a series of short films, her career peaked with 2003’s Lost in Translation.
She won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay while earning nominations for Best Picture and Best Director - the first woman to be nominated for all three in the same year.
Bryce Dallas Howard
Bryce is the daughter of iconic director Ron Howard - who is also a Hollywood Nepo Baby. Her early roles came as extras in her father’s films (A Beautiful Mind, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and more). As the years passed, she became a star of her own, appearing in such series as Jurassic World and Spider-Man. She’s now one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood.
Jaden Smith
Unfortunately for Jaden, his father continues to be a bigger star than he is. He starred alongside Will Smith, in such movies as The Pursuit of Happyness and After Earth, and ended up having a solid career of his own, starring in the remake of The Karate Kid, though his father continues to steal the show.
Jeff Bridges
Both of his parents, Lloyd and Dorothy, were actors - Lloyd had a role in the classic comedy Airplane!. After appearing on his father’s The Lloyd Bridges Show and Sea Hunt as a teen, Jeff starred in films like The Last American Hero and King Kong (1976).
By the 1990s, he was one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars.
Blake Lively
Blake owes her career to a couple of family members. Her father, Ernie, was an actor (The Beverly Hillbillies, Turner & Hooch); Blake appeared in his lone directorial credit, a small film called Sandman. Her mother, Elaine, is a talent manager. All four of her brothers are in the industry; Eric even got his agent to send Blake on an audition that became her breakout role - The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.