Lily Allen won’t stand for nepo baby slander any longer! But, um, is this really the argument she’s going with??
On Monday, the internet was abuzz with chatter about nepotism in Hollywood as New York Magazine debuted its “Year of the Nepo Baby” cover story. The front page photo featured stars like Ben Platt, Dakota Johnson, Lily-Rose Depp, and Zoë Kravitz, all of whom have gained success with the help of their famous family members. Ch-ch-check out the hilarious cover (below)!
Nepo babies are not only abundant — they’re thriving. How could two little words cause so much conflict? Writes @kn8 in our (over)analysis of the phenomenon: "We love them, we hate them, we disrespect them, we’re obsessed with them." https://t.co/WA22qhdS29 pic.twitter.com/nmWXlrIMNS
— New York Magazine (@NYMag) December 19, 2022
LOLz!
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While much of the internet was laughing at the image, not everyone was thrilled with the nepo baby hate. Of those upset was Lily Allen, whose parents are actor Keith Allen and film producer Alison Owen. Before arguing in defense of other entertainment stars who come from notable backgrounds, the musician began by calling out the nepotism she thinks we should all be really worried about, saying on Twitter:
“The nepo babies y’all should be worrying about are the ones working for legal firms, the ones working for banks, and the ones working in politics, If we’re talking about real world consequences and robbing people of opportunity. BUT that’s none of my business.”
Sure, she’s got a point there. We all saw how disastrous former President Donald Trump’s clan in the White House was! But then she continued talking and her point on the matter went… well, a little off the rails. The 37-year-old first addressed her own family tree, writing:
“And before you come at me for being a nepo baby myself, I will be the first to tell you that I literally deserve nothing.”
Sorta the point though, is it not? The Grammy nominee went on to clarify her statement in another tweet, adding:
“I’m a nepo baby, and both my parents are super talented.”
But in perhaps the most shocking tweets of all, she then argued nepotism was completely justified since a famous figure’s children grow up being “starved” of “love.” So… that just automatically means they should get an easier shot at their dreams?! She said:
“In childhood we crave stability and love, nurturing. We don’t care about money or proximity to power yet. Many of the nepo babies are starved of these basic things in childhood as their parents are probably narcissistic.”
The actress, who starred in some of her parents’ projects in the past and currently has a strained relationship with her dad, added:
“And entertainment business is not parent friendly eg.. Touring/ months away shooting. It can be hard to see one’s own privilege when you’re still processing childhood trauma, and a lot of these kids haven’t figured that out yet.”
It’s gotta be a hard life, for sure, but there are so many kids suffering for many other reasons, too! And they have to struggle without also enjoying some of the finer things in life. Sigh. Clapping back, one fan argued:
“This also happens to poor children, and it’s even worse for them because they have no money and no financial stability. What’s your point?”
This also happens to poor children, and it's even worse for them because they have no money and no financial stability. What's your point?
— Gabi (@tii_gabii) December 20, 2022
Another individual pointed out:
“nepo babies currently recycling the ‘i don’t have white privilege my life was hard’ argument”
nepo babies currently recycling the “i don’t have white privilege my life was hard” argument
— chelsea (@chelsealmccabe) December 20, 2022
And therein lies the biggest problem with nepo babies these days — they just can’t seem to accept and acknowledge their privilege!
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This was a major point of contention earlier this year when Ireland Baldwin clapped back at comments Lily-Rose Depp made in Elle last month. At the time, Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis‘ daughter told the magazine:
“If somebody’s mom or dad is a doctor, and then the kid becomes a doctor, you’re not going to be like, ‘Well, you’re only a doctor because your parent is a doctor.’ It’s like, ‘No, I went to medical school and trained.’”
A very valid point, only she came at it rather defensively in the interview which stirred up lots of online drama. She’s not the only one with this mindset, though. The same month over in GQ, Lisa Bonet and Lenny Kravitz‘s daughter also claimed nepotism was “completely normal,” saying:
“It’s literally where last names come from. You were a blacksmith if your family was, like, the black family.”
Understandably, someone who grew up in the industry will one day want to be a part of it and when the day comes, they are no doubt going to have an easier chance of getting their start. It’s just the way things go! Same as doctors, teachers, and other professions when kids follow in their parent’s footsteps. But to claim nepo babies deserve to be spoiled because they were deprived of love is going a little far! Don’t ya think?!
Well, the backlash seemed to reach David Harbour‘s wife, since she returned to Twitter on Tuesday to clear the air. In a lengthy thread, she clarified:
“Look, I seem to have riled people up with my comments about nepo babies. I am nearly 40 years of age and am more than happy, in fact I think it’s important to disclose what a privileged upbringing I’ve had and how that has created so many opportunities for me. I mention my age because I haven’t always been able to have that conversation. In my twenties I felt very defensive about it, I felt like I worked extremely hard and that I deserved the success that I had, that people connected to my songs and that the songs came from me. I also had quite a fraught relationship with some of my family members so it felt difficult for me to attribute my successes to them, at the time.”
She went on:
“But we all know it’s more complicated than that. It is quite clear that there is a severe lack of representation in the industry where class and race are concerned. Everyone loses as a result. I do feel that nepo babies are being somewhat scapegoated here though, there is a wider, societal conversation to be had about wealth inequality, about lack of programs and funding, and I guess that was the point I was trying to make, maybe badly.”
THAT was her point?? Yeah, she really missed the mark with her first comments! She continued:
I promise you I’m not rooting for an industry full of people that had childhoods that looked like mine. I just really think that we can’t get to a real solution without identifying the real problem, as fun as it is to laugh at the kids of famous people. Nepo babies have feelings.”
Hmmm.
Thoughts?! SOUND OFF (below)!
[Image via Nicky Nelson/WENN]
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