By Neia Balao
7:00am PDT, Apr 19, 2023
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By now, you're probably well aware of the term that's taken the internet by storm: nepo babies. Short for "nepotism babies," it refers to the Hollywood stars who aren't exactly self-made — they have either one or two famous parents who, directly or not, gave them an edge in the industry. We, like the rest of the internet, have grown increasingly captivated by the discourse surrounding nepo babies and the ways celebrities have responded to being categorized as one (we're looking at you, Hailey Bieber). Join us as we take a look at our favorite nepo babies…
Did you know that this "Law & Order" Special Victims Unit" star is a nepo baby? Mariska Hargitay is the daughter of late '50s and '60s Hollywood bombshell Jayne Mansfield — who would have celebrated her 90th birthday on April 19, 2023 — and late actor and bodybuilder Mickey Hargitay.
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We're all familiar with these supermodel sisters, right? It's no surprise that Gigi Hadid and Bella Hadid have crafted impressive modeling careers considering their mom is Dutch model Yolanda Hadid, who also starred on "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills." It also doesn't hurt that their father is luxury real estate mogul Mohamed Hadid.
In a March 2023 interview with the Times of London, Gigi acknowledged, "Technically I'm a nepotism baby," though added, "My parents came from very little." Gigi said she's "always acknowledged that I come from privilege." She shared that "My parents told me, 'Just because you have parents who were successful, it doesn't mean that you shouldn't walk into the job being as nice and as hard-working as you can be.'" Gigi also said she doesn't think she is the "prettiest person in the world" and could "probably do" with some Botox.
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Golden Globe-winning actress Kate Hudson has certainly established herself a star, but the Los Angeles native also happens to have a famous mom and dad! The "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" actress is the daughter of actor-musician Bill Hudson and Oscar- and Golden Globe-winning "Cactus Flower" actress Goldie Hawn. Nepo bonus: Kate's stepdad is Kurt Russell!
MORE: Nepo babies of music
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With Grammy winner Lenny Kravitz and Emmy-winning "The Cosby Show" actress Lisa Bonet as her parents, it's no wonder "The Batman" actress Zoe Kravitz is as effortlessly cool — and talented — as she is.
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Lenny Kravitz is the dad of nepo baby Zoe Kravitz, but did you know he's a nepo baby himself?! Consider your mind blown: The "American Woman" singer is the son of film producer Sy Kravitz and "The Jeffersons" actress Roxie Roker.
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Hollywood loves Laura Dern, and why wouldn't they? The Oscar-winning "Marriage Story" and "Little Women" actress is super-talented, plus her parents are practically royalty in the industry: Her dad is Oscar-nominated "Nebraska" and "Coming Home" actor Bruce Dern and her mom is Oscar-nominated "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore" actress Diane Ladd.
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Maya Hawke rose to fame thanks to her breakout role on "Stranger Things" followed by a stellar performance in the Netflix dark comedy "Do Revenge." Between her last name and the fact that she looks like a combo of her parents, it seems pretty evident she's the offspring of two huge stars: "Training Day" actor Ethan Hawke and "Kill Bill" actress Uma Thurman.
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With roles in films like "Booksmart" and "Scream," Mason Gooding has quickly established himself as a contender in young Hollywood — but aside from having talent, it could be because acting is in his blood! The Los Angeles native is the son of Oscar-winning "Jerry Maguire" actor Cuba Gooding Jr.
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If you're anything like us, you were consumed by the volatile years-spanning romance depicted on the Hulu series "Tell Me Lies" in 2022. But did you know the show's leading lady, Grace Van Patten, is the daughter of a Hollywood director? At 8, Grace landed her first role — on an episode of "The Sopranos" directed by her dad, Tim Van Patten.
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Like "Tell Me Lies" co-star Grace Van Patten, Jackson White is no stranger to the inner workings of the television industry. Why? Probably because his mom is none other than "Married… With Children" and "Sons of Anarchy" actress Katey Sagal.
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Sisters Maude Apatow (right) and Iris Apatow (left) were introduced to the world of acting at a young age when they portrayed the on-screen daughters of their real-life mom, Leslie Mann, in the films "Knocked Up," "Funny People" and "This Is 40" — which were all written and directed by their dad, Judd Apatow. These days, you can catch Maude on HBO's "Euphoria" while younger sister Iris, who's pop star Olivia Rodrigo's best friend, appeared in the Netflix movie "The Bubble."
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What do we love? A self-aware nepo baby. Hailey Bieber, née Baldwin, traded one famous last name for another when she married Canadian pop star Justin Bieber in 2018. The model, who launched the skincare brand Rhode in 2022, is the daughter of "The Usual Suspects" actor Stephen Baldwin.
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From "The Runaways" and "Mad Max: Fury Road" to "Zola" and "The Girlfriend Experience" (for which she earned a Golden Globe), Riley Keough has shown her range as an actress. The star — who also earned the coveted Caméra d'Or at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival for "War Pony," the film she co-directed — comes from a family of famous names: She's the daughter of late singer-songwriter Lisa Marie Presley and the granddaughter of actress Priscilla Presley and music star Elvis Presley.
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Born in England but raised in Los Angeles, Lily Collins landed her breakthrough acting role in the critically acclaimed sports drama "The Blind Side" at 20. Now, with films like "Stuck in Love" and "Love, Rosie" as well as the ever-divisive but totally addictive series "Emily in Paris" under her belt, she's continued to craft a career separate from her father, who happens to be Genesis musician Phil Collins.
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Given her famous lineage, it's no surprise that Zoey Deutch decided to follow in her parents' footsteps! The "Something From Tiffany's" actress was born to "Back to the Future" star Lea Thompson and "Pretty in Pink" and "Some Kind of Wonderful" director Howard Deutch.
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The fame is in her surname! You probably could've guessed who "Girlfriends" and "Black-ish" star Tracee Ellis Ross's mom is: None other than iconic Motown singer Diana Ross.
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"Cha Cha Real Smooth" actress Dakota Johnson made her film debut at 10 when she appeared in 1999's "Crazy in Alabama" alongside Melanie Griffith, who happens to be her mother. Her father is Golden Globe-winning actor Don Johnson.
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Dakota Johnson's mother, actress Melanie Griffith, is a nepo baby herself! Her mother is model-turned-actress Tippi Hedren, who came to fame starring in Alfred Hitchcock films including "The Birds" and "Marnie."
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From adorable child star to critically acclaimed talk show host, Drew Barrymore has been in the industry for five decades. Does her last name ring a bell? If so, it's probably because her father is late Broadway star John Drew Barrymore, who was part of a dynasty of lauded actors.
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Margaret Qualley's nepo baby status might come as a bit of a surprise! The Golden Globe- and Emmy-nominated "Maid" actress is the daughter of model-actress Andie MacDowell and former male model Paul Qualley.
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Based on her surname alone, it's pretty obvious who Lily-Rose Depp's father is, but she isn't limited to just one famous parent: Her mom is French singer, actress and model Vanessa Paradis. Lily-Rose seems to have followed in both parents' footsteps: She's starring in the upcoming HBO series "The Idol" and has graced several runways.
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"Saturday Night Live" alum and actress Maya Rudolph has been making us laugh for so long, we often forget that she isn't the first famous face in her family. The Florida native was born to musician Richard Rudolph and late singer-songwriter Minnie Riperton, who was known as the "Queen of the Whistle Register."
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If there's such thing as original nepo babies, Angelina Jolie would probably considered one. The actress and humanitarian is the spawn of acclaimed Oscar-winning actor Jon Voight and late actress Marcheline Bertrand.
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Gwyneth Paltrow's nepo baby status has never been a secret. The Goop founder and Oscar-winning "Shakespeare in Love" actress has managed to carve out her own career in Hollywood, despite having Emmy- and Tony-winning actress Blythe Danner as her mom and director-producer Bruce Paltrow as her dad.
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The surname of this would-be chef, who's a former model and photographer, gives it away! Brooklyn Beckham has long been in the spotlight — and that's thanks to his ultra-famous parents: retired soccer star David Beckham and Spice Girls singer-turned-fashion designer Victoria Beckham.
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Kaia Gerber has graced the four most coveted Vogue covers: American Vogue, British Vogue, Vogue France and Vogue Italia. Her modeling prowess makes total sense though, if you consider the fact that her mom is '90s supermodel Cindy Crawford. Kaia's dad is former model and Casamigos tequila founder Rande Gerber.
