Giving credit where it’s due: Nepo babies I can’t bring myself to hate

Nepotism in the entertainment business isn’t a modern phenomenon. The term “nepo baby” is thrown around in a typically unfavourable manner.

It’s easy to slander those born into positions of instant opportunity. Nepo babies often disregard privilege, don’t live up to their famous parents’ success, and make it more difficult for professionals trying to break into the industry.

However, the term can unfairly undermine those who are skilled — which sometimes includes Hollywood stars’ children.

If a nepo baby does admit they had a leg up in the business, all while possessing the talent and character necessary to be a successful entertainer, why hate on them for being the child of someone famous? 

All we can do is give credit where credit is due, and these are my big three. 

Lewis Pullman

Widely known for his characters “Bob” from Top Gun: Maverick, and, coincidentally, “Bob” from Marvel’s Thunderbolts, Lewis Pullman has become one of the few celebrities I truly admire on and off the big screen. 

As an actor, he displays great range and a humble willingness to learn from each project, from grand blockbusters to indie projects like The Starling Girl.

He has also been incredibly appreciative for the guidance, support, and connections earned through his father, Bill Pullman.

Lewis’ slightly awkward charm and down-to-earth, chronically offline persona makes him a better star. He’s not only an actor, but the drummer of the band Atta Boy and an avid reader.

His recent interview with Bustle left my to-be-read list filled with many new book recommendations. 

Maya Hawke

Actress, singer-songwriter, and daughter of two Hollywood powerhouses, Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke, Maya Hawke is another example of a talented nepo baby who doesn’t shy away from the fact she has immense privilege.

While I really enjoyed her as Robin Buckley in Netflix’s Stranger Things, and her jab at voice acting in Inside Out 2, Maya makes my list in how she carries herself both as an actor and a person of great advantage.

In interviews, she’s very quick-witted and humorous, often bringing this chaotic, relatable energy to more playful conversations. Maya told the Happy Sad Confused podcast, that nepo babies don’t need to work harder to prove their family names — they have it easier.

Additionally, she’s able to transition into more insightful discussions, conducting herself as very articulate, aware, and intelligent — much like her father, who goes viral every now and then for casually dropping one-liners of wisdom.

Bill Skarsgård 

Portraying Pennywise in the It films, Nosferatu in Robbert Eggers’ recent Nosferatu, Bill Skarsgård is known best as an icon within the modern horror era.

He is one of the few current actors that fully disappears into his characters, making him completely unrecognizable from the grounded, well-spoken man we see him as.

His family is riddled with highly acclaimed actors whose talents are largely never questioned. Most of the discussions surrounding Bill’s nepotism is to applaud the family’s undeniable brilliance and use them as the picture-perfect example of what a nepo baby should be.

To name a few of his family’s accolades, his father, Stellan Skarsgård, starred in Dune, Good Will Hunting, and Mamma Mia! His brother, Aleksander Skarsgård, has multiple awards to his name.

From watching him as a deranged killer clown to an ancient vampire, Bill fully embodies his roles, using his masterfully precise control over facial expressions, body language, and voice every time.