Hollywood is filled with Nepo baby actors, sometimes referred to as industry babies. While there are polarized views on their existence, there’s no denying the industry has benefitted from the talents of some of these Nepo babies. The word “Nepo baby” is a shortened form of Nepotism baby. Simply put, a Nepo baby is a child of a celebrity or entertainer (one of both parents) who supposedly advanced in Hollywood because of the connections of the parent(s).
However, it’s important to note that several famous actors, known for their remarkable talents, fall into the definition of a Nepo baby. These include Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Aniston, Kate Hudson, Nicolas Cage, and Dakota Johnson. Besides, not all Nepo babies ride on the connections of their last name. Several of them also love acting (a career choice anyone can make) and go the lengths to attend film schools. However, their advantage is with their family’s already established connections, it’s easier to call in favors for casting. These are the top 10 popular Nepo babies of this generation.
Sadie & Sunny Sandler
Sadie Sandler and Sunny Sandler are the daughters of actor-comedian Adam Sandler. They’re often considered a classic example of a Nepo baby. Sadie and Sunny Sandler have starred in several of their father’s films from when they were little. However, Adam Sandler is known to star close friends and associates in his movies, including his wife, Jacqueline “Jackie” Sandler. Owning a production company, Happy Madison Productions gives Adam Sandler the wherewithal to cast whoever he wants. Sadie and Sunny Sandler starred in films such as The Grown Ups films, The Ridiculous 6 (2015), Murder Mystery (2019), Hubie Halloween (2020), and You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah (2023).
Dakota Johnson
Dakota Johnson is widely known for her role as Anastasia Steele in the Fifty Shades film trilogy. She has also notably appeared in Cha Cha Real Smooth, Bad Times at the El Royale, and is set to play the titular character in the upcoming supehero movie, Madame Web (2024). What’s interesting is that many people do not realize she is also a Nepo baby. Johnson’s parents, Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith, are both notable names in the industry. What’s more, her step father is the superstar actor, Antonio Banderas. Beyond this, her grandmother is Tippi Hedren, who is known for her iconic role in Alfred Hitchcock‘s The Birds.
Lewis Pullman
Lewis Pullman is the last child of legendary actor Bill Pullman, known for playing President Thomas J. Whitmore in Independence Day (1996). However, Lewis shares more than a last name with his father. A Nepo baby but with remarkable acting talents. Lewis Pullman’s notable roles in films include Bad Times at the El Royale (2018), Top Gun: Maverick (2022), The Starling Girl (2023), and The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (2023).
Zoë Kravitz
Actress Zoë Kravitz may be a Nepo baby, but she has successfully carved a niche for herself in Hollywood. Zoë Kravitz is the daughter of Emmy-nominated actress Lisa Bonet and Grammy Award-winning musician Lenny Kravitz. Zoë Kravitz made her film debut in Scott Hicks‘ romantic comedy-drama No Reservations (2007). She’s more popularly known for her roles in X-Men: First Class (2011), The Divergent Series films, and The Batman (2022).
John David Washington
Being a Nepo baby is one thing; living up to the greatness of the last name is another. John David Washington has long proven he has the shoulders to carry on the legacies of his father. Washington is the oldest child of two-time Academy Award winner Denzel Washington. John David Washington debuted in film in 1992, with a minor role in the Denzel Washington-led cast film Malcolm X (1992). Since then, he has starred in films such as BlacKkKlansman (2018), Tenet (2020), Malcolm & Marie (2021), Amsterdam (2022), and The Creator (2023).
Lily-Rose Depp
With another famous last name, Lily-Rose Depp is another well known actor and Nepo baby. The daughter of Johnny Depp and French singer, model, and actress Vanessa Paradis, Lily-Rose Depp made her acting debut in 2014 with the independent body horror comedy Tusk. She has also starred in The Dancer (2016), Planetarium (2016), The King (2019), Voyagers (2021), and Silent Night (2021). Besides playing the lead role in HBO’s The Idol, Lily-Rose Depp is also a brand ambassador for Chanel, a top French fashion house.
Scott Eastwood
Even if the last name isn’t a giveaway, Scott Eastwood is a younger mirror reflection of his father, Clint Eastwood. Since making his film debut in 2006 with Flags of Our Fathers (credited as Scott Reeves), Scott Eastwood has established himself as a formidable actor. For acting exposure, Scott starred in several of his father’s films in his early years. He appeared in Gran Torino (2008), Invictus (2009), and Trouble with the Curve (2012). Besides his father’s films, Scott Eastwood has raked up an impressive resúmé over the years. A few notable films he starred in include Texas Chainsaw (2013), Suicide Squad (2016), two Fast & Furious films, Pacific Rim Uprising (2018), The Outpost (2020), and Wrath of Man (2021).
Sofia Coppola
Sofia Coppola is the youngest child of renowned filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola. She had been one of the victims of Hollywood nepotism criticism. Still an infant, she was thrust into the acting world when her father, the director of The Godfather trilogy, cast her in all three films. As of 2023, Sofia Coppola has 14 acting credits in film. Of the 14, 8 were directed by her father. Wanting to carve a niche for herself, Sofia hasn’t appeared as an actor since the 2001 comedy-drama CQ, directed by her older brother, Roman Coppola. Following in her father’s footsteps, Sofia is an Academy Award-nominated film director. Sofia Coppola’s notable directed films include Lost in Translation (2003), Marie Antoinette (2006), The Bling Ring (2013), and Priscilla (2023).
Tracee Ellis Ross
Emmy-nominated actor Tracee Ellis Ross may not be part of the generation of young actors, but she’s a Nepo baby who has damned her critics. Tracee Ellis Ross is the daughter of Grammy Award winner Diana Ross and music business manager Robert Ellis Silberstein. Although popularly known for her roles in the television series Girlfriends and Black-ish, Ross is also making her mark on the big screen. She starred in Daddy’s Little Girls (2007), American Fiction (2023), and alongside Eddie Murphy in the Christmas movie Candy Cane Lane (2023).
Emma Roberts
Emma Roberts has earned a reputation for starring in horror and thriller films. With a famous last name, Emma Roberts is the daughter of Eric Roberts. And yes, this means her aunt is the Academy Award-winning actress Julia Roberts. Emma Roberts played Chanel Oberlin in Fox’s Scream Queens (2015–2016) and is also a cast of FX’s anthology series American Horror Story. Roberts has starred in over 35 feature films, including Aquamarine (2006), Nancy Drew (2007), Scream 4 (2011), We’re the Millers (2013), Billionaire Boys Club (2018), and Holidate (2020). She’s set to play Mary Parker in the Sony’s Spider-Man Universe (SSU) superhero film Madame Web, alongside Dakota Johnson, who also made this list.
Colin Hanks
Emmy-nominated actor Colin Hanks is the first child of two-time Academy Award winner Tom Hanks and actress Samantha Lewes. Colin Hanks made his acting debut with That Thing You Do! in 1996. Despite being considered a Nepo baby, Colin has built an amazing resúmé in film and television. In television, he’s known for his roles in Roswell (1999–2001), The Good Guys (2010), Fargo (2014–2015), Life in Pieces (2015–2019), The Offer (2022), and A Friend of the Family (2022). On the big screen, he’s starred in King Kong (2005), W. (2008), Parkland (2013), Elvis & Nixon (2016), and Jumanji: The Next Level (2019). Although a Nepo baby, like most on the list, the actor has made a name for himself.
