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Many stars have benefitted from their families' connections, so much so that "nepo babies" have become quite a topic of conversation online. In December 2022, New York magazine created a bit of buzz after they released an article that listed a number of celebrities who were born into fame. Some stars have spoken out against the people who criticize them for benefiting from nepotism, while others reject the idea outright, arguing that they rightfully earned their careers due to their hard work. Lily-Rose Depp contributed to the nepotism conversation in November 2022 when she argued against critics who believe she has her parents, Vanessa Paradis and Johnny Depp, to thank for her career.
"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,'" she said in an interview with Elle. "It's like, 'No, I went to medical school and trained.'" Lily-Rose Depp is only one of many stars who may have gotten the ultimate career boost from their last name.
Keep reading to find out which celebs only got the job because of their famous parent
Ivanka Trump worked in the White House
Donald Trump's kids are perhaps some of the most infamous examples of inheriting success and wealth. His daughter, Ivanka Trump, got a job in the White House after her father was elected president of the United States in 2016. Some might say that she didn't have the skills for the role, that Donald's status helped her earn the job regardless of her lack of experience in politics.
Ivanka officially became an advisor to the former president two months after Donald took office. She had been working for her father since he was elected but didn't have an official title at first, per CNN. Ivanka focused on a number of issues during her time in the White House. For example, she helped create the Women's Global Development and Prosperity initiative. The former advisor also spent time traveling to help improve workforce development.
Ivanka's stint in the White House wasn't the only role her father helped her land. She also worked as an executive vice president at The Trump Organization, focusing on acquisitions and development. The businesswoman announced in 2017 that she planned to temporarily step down from her role at Donald's company. "When my father takes office as the 45th President of the United States of America, I will take a formal leave of absence from The Trump Organization and my eponymous apparel and accessories brand," she wrote on Facebook. "I will no longer be involved with the management or operations of either company."
Eric Trump was given a prestigious position
Like his sister, Eric Trump also gained a role as a Trump Organization executive vice president. It might be safe to say Donald Trump helped his son secure the position, considering he owns the company. Still, the businessman has a number of responsibilities within his role. According to the real estate company's website, Eric deals with the expansion and management of the Trump Organization's many properties. His bio lists some of his accomplishments while in the role. It reads in part, "Recently, Eric led the $250 million dollar redevelopment of the famed Trump National Doral, Miami, the acquisition of Trump International Ireland and the 200£ million renovation of the legendary Trump Turnberry resort in Scotland, home to four British Open Championships."
So although Eric might have obtained the role with his father's help, it looks like he isn't just twiddling his thumbs in his office. According to Business Insider, the "Triggered" author began working at the Trump Organization after graduating from Georgetown University in 2006. His loyalty to the family business may have paid off since Donald named the company after him in 2021. "It's only fitting to call this company the Eric Trump Organization, because Eric is responsible for everything it has ever done," the former President said during a press conference (via The New Yorker). "This is long overdue."
Donald Trump Jr. works for the Trump Organization
Donald Trump Jr. also works at the Trump Organization as an executive vice president. Even though he wasn't lucky enough to have the company named after him, Trump Jr. still has quite a few accomplishments under his belt. "In 2003, Donald Jr. began overseeing the construction, financing and development of Trump International Hotel & Tower, Chicago, a 2.6 million square-foot property along the Chicago River, one of the tallest completed residential buildings in the world," his bio on the company's website reads, in part. The businessman also aided in developing a golf course and a number of other hotels.
The Trump Organization aside, Trump Jr. reportedly works directly alongside Donald Trump as his unofficial political advisor, per CNN. "He was always fighting for the cause big-picture wise, but now Don is taking more of a leading role in shaping the political direction of Trump's post-presidency," an unnamed source told the outlet. There is a chance that Trump Jr. is heavily involved in his father's campaign to earn a presidential bid in 2024. Maybe the businessman's efforts will persuade his father to name the family business after him instead of his brother.
Jon Bon Jovi and Jesse Bongiovi own a wine company
It seems that Jon Bon Jovi's son, Jesse Bongiovi, knows how to capitalize on his family connections and influence, because he partnered with his rock star father to start a wine company. The line of wine is called Hampton Water and was rated at 90 points by Wine Spectator for four consecutive years, according to its website. Although Bongiovi likely plays an imperative role at the company, it might be safe to say that his father's fame helped him earn the opportunity to own such a successful business in the first place.
The father and son spoke about Hampton Water at the New York Water Experience, according to Wine Spectator. "This is not a celebrity wine," Jon Bon Jovi said during the event. "This is a fine wine, made with love and created with family." Jesse Bongiovi chimed in, "We really wanted to create a wine that not only had a catchy name, and a label that stood out, but also had the complexity and structure to be taken seriously by the wine community." During an interview with Who Australia, Bon Jovi revealed that his son is in charge of the business side of things at Hampton Water. "I'm just the number-one employee," he shared.
Zoë Kravitz might have her parents to thank for her start
Zoë Kravitz might have her famous parents to thank for some of her success. In fact, her mother, actor Lisa Bonet, was involved in the original film that led to one of Zoë's most notable gigs. Bonet took on the role of nightclub singer Marie De Salle in the 2000 movie "High Fidelity," which was originally a book written by author Nick Hornby. Zoë starred in a TV series adaption of the film; however, she didn't portray her mother's character. Instead, the actor plays a female version of Rob, who was the lead character in the film.
There is a chance that Zoë was considered for the role because of Lisa Bonet's involvement in the original film, but the "Kimi" star shared with Rolling Stone, "I didn't see the movie when it came out, because my mom wouldn't let me see it — I was a little bit young. I saw the movie, I think, when I was maybe around 16, and then I read the book later. I read the book in my early twenties. I fell in love with the movie, and fell deeper in love with the world through the book.
Since "High Fidelity," Kravitz has weighed in on the "nepo baby" chatter, as she has Bonet and music superstar Lenny Kravitz for parents (along with actor Roxie Roker for a grandma). "It's completely normal for people to be in the family business. It's literally where last names came from," she told GQ, noting that she still deals with "deep insecurity."
Judd Apatow puts Maude Apatow in his movies
Director Judd Apatow may have given his daughter a career boost when he cast her in roles for a few of his films. Maude is arguably most well-known for her role as Lexi Howard in "Euphoria," but her big break came courtesy of her famous dad. It also probably helps to be the daughter of actor Leslie Mann — who better to seek advice from than a parent who has already made a name for themselves?
Judd Apatow-directed films Maude can be spotted in include "The King of Staten Island," "Funny People," "Knocked Up," and "This is 40." The actor and her sister, Iris Judd, have been given roles in their father's films since they were children. Judd appeared on "Serious Jibber-Jabber with Conan O'Brien" and spoke about directing his daughters in 2012. "...my kids are strangely funny. And they're bored of being on set, so they're not scared that cameras are around," the director explained. He added, "They get sucked into what their real problems are with each other. Like, they're so annoyed with each other that they're not distracted by the fact that they're shooting a movie and it needs to go well..." The dad would come up with disagreements to help the girls get into the scenes. Those on-set arguments might be a thing of the past now that Maude's acting gigs are no longer a family affair.
Gwyneth Paltrow's father wrote and directed her first film
Gwyneth Paltrow is so well-known on her own that you may have forgotten she was born into fame. The star's mother is actor Blythe Danner while her father is the late director Bruce Paltrow. Gwyneth was actually cast in her first movie role thanks to her famous father. The dad put his daughter in his 1989 made-for-TV film "High," which he wrote and directed.
The late Bruce Paltrow not only gave his daughter a major career boost, but he also gave her advice on navigating fame. During an interview on "The Graham Norton Show," Gwyneth spoke about her father's straightforward input when her notoriety started getting to her head. "I think, incrementally, I started just behaving a little strangely or a little weird," the actor said on the talk show. She added, "He said, in his inimitable Brooklyn way, 'Um, you're kind of turning into an a**hole.'"
Although you may think that Gwyneth has had it easier due to the guidance and connections she's received from her famous mom and dad, the actor might not agree. As a guest on Hailey Bieber's "Who's In My Bathroom?" in 2022, Gwyneth Paltrow made a smoothie and shared, "As the child of somebody, you get access that other people don't have, so the playing field is not level in that way. However, I really do feel that once your foot is in the door, which you unfairly got in, then you have to work almost twice as hard and be twice as good..."
John Huston helped Anjelica Huston win an Oscar
Director John Huston helped his daughter, Anjelica Huston, win an Oscar. Anjelica took on the role of Maerose Prizzi in her father's 1985 film, "Prizzi's Honor." She later won an Oscar in the category of best supporting actress for her skills in the film. Anjelica's father may have helped her earn an accolade that many actors can only dream of, but what did she think of working with her dad on other projects? Well, his film she starred in as a teenager, "A Walk with Love and Death," cost her a shot at starring in "Romeo and Juliet." Speaking about her father, Anjelica told The Guardian in 2006, "Ultimately, he wrote a letter to Zeffirelli to say that I wouldn't be doing Juliet, which infuriated me, and that instead I would be working with him."
As for her "A Walk with Love and Death" character, the actor said, "I wasn't crazy about the part. I was a big snob at the time. I felt that the script was a bit saccharine, and my character was the daughter of a nobleman, and a young student, played by Assaf Dayan, son of Moshe Dayan, was traveling the land in 15th century France, looking for the sea. This struck me as being incredibly corny." Anjelica was a bit more passionate about her character in "Prizzi's Honor." She shared that she read the book that inspired the movie ahead of filming and later helped influence John to move forward with directing the project.
Francis Coppola's help hurt Sofia Coppola's reputation
Sofia Coppola got her start in director Francis Ford Coppola's "Godfather" movie franchise. The actor took on the role of Michael Corleone's daughter, Mary, after Winona Ryder stepped away from "The Godfather: Part III" last minute due to an illness. Sofia famously became a director after starring in the movie. It might have been for the best that acting wasn't the star's primary passion, because she didn't exactly receive praise for her performance.
Critics slammed Sofia's portrayal of Maria and even "The Godfather: Part III" as a whole. During an interview with Vulture, Francis took the blame for the harsh criticism of his daughter's acting. "I felt that I did this to her," the director admitted. "Of course, Sofia went on to have a wonderful career of her own, but it must have hurt her terribly to be told, 'You ruined your father's picture,' when in fact, she hadn't — in my opinion. At any rate, the whole subject of 'The Godfather III' was painful for me."
In a separate interview with the Independent, Sofia confessed that she has a tough time re-watching "The Godfather: Part III." Critics may not have had anything nice to say about the star's acting, but her directing skills garner a different reaction. She's the mastermind behind a number of successful films, including "Lost in Translation," "The Bling Ring," "The Virgin Suicides," "Marie Antoinette," and more.
Clint Eastwood gave Francesca Eastwood her start
Francesca Eastwood got her big break after her father, Clint Eastwood, cast her as a waitress in the 2014 film "Jersey Boys," which launched her film career. Given the fact that Francesca was the daughter of Clint Eastwood, her last name earned her fame even before she landed a role in the movie. She and her sister, Morgan Eastwood, documented their lives on the short-lived 2012 reality show "Mrs. Eastwood."
Francesca is now much more than a reality TV star, though. After using her small role in "Jersey Boys" as a jumping off point, she's earned roles in a number of other projects, including "Awake," "The Vault," "Outlaws and Angels," and more. It seems that the actor is in the process of creating a portfolio of work that will help her gain respect and recognition beyond her famous last name.
This is something Francesca has been passionate about. "Everyone thinks it must be so easy for me," she told Refinery29 in a 2014 interview. "But, it's challenging to differentiate yourself from your family and have your own identity. I want to have longevity and to do things that are meaningful, and you have to really prove yourself [for that]." She added that this challenge motivates her to work harder. "That struggle isn't bad — nothing in my mind is bad," the actor continued. "It gives me a stronger drive to have my own career." In 2022, she signed on to star in a thriller movie called "Clawfoot," per Deadline.
