The 30 Best Nepo Babies Under 30

30. Ishana Night Shyamalan (25)

Famous parent(s): M. Night Shyamalan
Biggest moment(s): Directing The Watchers 

While many children of famous parents try to shield themselves from “nepo baby” accusations, Ishana Night Shyamalan hasn’t hidden from the fact that her father is filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan. She served as a second-unit director for his 2021 film Old, and wrote and directed episodes of the Apple TV+ horror series Servant, with her dad as showrunner.

Last year, Ishana made her directorial debut with The Watchers, a twisty, experimental thriller starring Dakota Fanning. Though aspects of the film may echo her dad’s work, Ishana has distanced herself from his signature style. “That’s kind of embedded into the movie,” she told Refinery29. “You’re going from a tone that feels somewhat familiar and then moving to a more expansive, experimental place.”

Nonetheless, Ishana knows she’ll be seen as her father’s daughter, and she’s acknowledged the advantages her family tree has given her. “It’s really about meeting that privilege and honoring that with as hard a work ethic as we can,” she said to the New York Times, “by being as kind people as we can and holding ourselves to the highest standard possible.”

[Daysia Tolentino]

29. Brooklyn Beckham (26)

Famous parent(s): David Beckham, Victoria Beckham
Biggest moment(s): Shooting a Burberry campaign; launching hot sauce brand Cloud 23

Brooklyn Beckham is the first-born son of a different class of British royalty: a soccer star father and former Spice Girl mother. And while the term “nepo baby” is rarely complimentary, it’s been all but weaponized against him. As a result, Brooklyn has tried to establish his name in other areas, turning himself into a bit of a multihyphenate. After trying his hand at soccer, he ventured into photography, snapping a Burberry fragrance campaign at just 16. This drew scorn from other photographers, who complained that he got the job out of “sheer nepotism.”

After his first photo book, 2017’s What I See, was met with negative reviews, he pivoted to cooking and launched the short-lived Facebook series Cookin’ With Brooklyn, which saw him learning to cook from world-renowned chefs. That led him to introduce his own hot sauce brand, Cloud 23, which, predictably, drew backlash of its own—though feedback has been, for the most part, positive.

Brooklyn’s also a certified wife guy—so much so that he had his vows to Nicola Peltz tattooed on him. As a symbol of their union, the couple combined surnames, so technically it’s Brooklyn and Nicola Peltz Beckham. 

[Daysia Tolentino]

28. Nico Parker (20)

Famous parent(s): Thandie Newton, Ol Parker
Biggest moment(s): Playing Sarah Miller on The Last of Us and Astrid in the live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon

A lot of these nepo babies kicked their careers off young, and Nico Parker is no exception. Of course, she had an advantage: Her dad is filmmaker Ol Parker, best known for writing and directing Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, and her mom is Emmy- and BAFTA-winning actress Thandie Newton. Like her mom, Parker started acting as a teenager, at 14. She booked her role in Dumbo after her parents filmed her audition tape with a stuffed polar bear as stand-in for the elephant.

After playing alongside Colin Farrell, Michael Keaton, and Danny DeVito, Parker continued to run up her Rolodex: She worked with Naomie Harris and Jude Law in the miniseries The Third Day, and with her mom in the tech-noir thriller Reminiscence. (“It was like passing the torch on,” Newton said proudly.)

Then, in 2023, came her breakthrough role: Sarah Miller (Joel Miller’s daughter), a critical character in the first episode of The Last of Us. The pilot “benefits immeasurably from Nico Parker's endearing contribution,” as Rotten Tomatoes critics put it. 

And now Nico is one of the faces of the live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon, as Astrid, which some racists didn’t like—a critique Parker shut down with grace and force.

[Laura Zornosa]

27. Jackson White (29)

Famous parent(s): Katey Sagal, Jack White
Biggest moment(s): Playing Stephen DeMarco on Tell Me Lies

If you feel the urge to bash Stephen DeMarco’s brains in every time he shows up on Tell Me Lies, then Jackson White is doing his job. The 29-year-old actor won’t be eligible for next year’s list, so we have to give him his flowers now. The breakout star from the Hulu series has turned toxic boyfriend behavior into an Olympic sport, delivering a performance so convincing it frustrates viewers like me to no end. 

White inherited his acting abilities from his mother, legend Katey Sagal (Married…With Children, Sons of Anarchy, Tell Me Lies). He’s only had a handful of roles so far, but he’s made every single one count, bringing a natural charm to the screen that makes you keep watching, even when he’s playing someone you should never root for. White’s nepo status may have opened the door, but it’s his own work that’s carrying him.

[Precious Fondren]

26. Saleka Night Shyamalan (28)

Famous parent(s): M. Night Shyamalan
Biggest moment(s): Playing Lady Raven in Trap and writing, producing, and performing the character’s material

Now this is how you nepo-baby. Saleka Night Shyamalan is the singer-songwriter daughter of M. Night Shyamalan, famed director of thrillers. In true bring-your-kid-to-work fashion, Saleka has produced music for several of her dad’s projects, among them Servant, Old, and Trap, a project inspired by Saleka and her father’s love of Purple Rain, the Prince film.

In Trap, Saleka also starred as the fictional pop icon Lady Raven. She wrote, produced, and performed her own material, which extended to a 14-song album in character. “It was insane,” her father told USA Today. I was saying to her, ‘I’m not sure how many people on the planet could do what I’m asking you to do, but I want you to do it anyway.’”

The singer also released an album for Servant, the Apple TV+ series her father executive produced. And back in the real world, Saleka put out Seance, a project whose name, she explained to Nylon, “connects to all the dark, haunting imagery [on] the album and in the music videos”—a few of which her sister Ishana directed.

[Naledi Ushe] 

25. Natalia Bryant (22)

Famous parent(s): Kobe Bryant, Vanessa Bryant
Biggest moment(s): Runway debut for Versace during Milan Fashion Week 2023; internship with Beyoncé

On January 26, 2020, Natalia Bryant lost her father, Kobe, and younger sister Gianna in a helicopter crash. In the years that followed, she showed strength and poise as both a student and budding model.

“If someone says [being a full-time student] is not difficult, they’re lying, because it is,” Natalia told People in February 2024.

The 22-year-old signed with IMG models in 2021, after turning 18. That same year, she appeared in an Ivy Park campaign for Beyoncé. And in September 2023, she made her runway debut for Versace during Milan Fashion Week. But in the months beforehand, while her University of Southern California classmates spent their summers grabbing coffee for middling Hollywood publicists, Natalia returned to Bey’s orbit and interned for the Renaissance World Tour.  

Natalia has since graduated cum laude from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts. Whether she’ll take her talents to television or the big screen remains unclear, but whichever direction she chooses, her resume will open doors.

[Naledi Ushe] 

24. Iris Law (24)

Famous parent(s): Jude Law, Sadie Frost
Biggest moment(s): Appearing in campaigns for Marc Jacobs, Versace, Calvin Klein, etc.

Iris Law is the child of two famous parents, one an actor, the other an actor, producer, and designer. She’s also goddaughter to one of the most famous models of all time, Kate Moss. So it follows that Iris began her own modeling career at 15, for London brand Illustrated People. That first job put her in front of fashion bigwigs including Christopher Bailey, the former president and chief creative officer of Burberry, who asked her to be the face of a beauty campaign for the brand.

Her client roster only grew from there. Iris has shot campaigns for brands like Marc Jacobs, Stella McCartney, Versace, Calvin Klein, La Perla, Miu Miu, and Lacoste, and has served as an ambassador for Dior Beauty.

Iris is currently on a path that could see her follow in either of her parents' footsteps. She nabbed a role in the FX show Pistols and is studying textiles in school, which could set her up for a career in fashion design. But in the meantime, like any real “It” girl, she’s still modeling for the coolest fashion campaigns (paying tribute to one of the greatest teen movies ever in one) and appearing on magazine covers. 

[Moises Mendez] 

23. Lourdes Leon (28)

Famous parent(s): Madonna 
Biggest moment(s): Material Girl clothing line; appearing in a Savage X Fenty campaign; denouncing nepo babies in an interview with The Cut

We love a self-aware queen, and no one on this list is more self-aware than Madonna’s eldest daughter, Lourdes Leon. The 28-year-old model and singer’s been famous since birth, and has explored a range of creative avenues.

My first encounter with this cool girl was her Material Girl clothing line at Macy’s. This was peak early-2010s tween chic. If you weren’t begging your mom for a faux-leather jacket, were you even living?

Since then, Leon’s gone from teen designer to fashion darling, walking runways and scoring campaigns for brands like Marc Jacobs, Miu Miu, and Savage X Fenty. She’s stylish, striking, and (thankfully) not trying to be a copy-paste version of her superstar mom. She’s also carved out a music career under the name Lolahol, making experimental pop tracks that sound like they belong in an after-hours rave at Parsons.

But what really earns her a spot on this list is that she just gets it.

“I want to feel like I deserve things and not just like I’ve been given things,” she told The Cut. “And, yes, there’s undeniable privilege that I’d be stupid to not realize. Nepotism babies are pretty awful usually, and my mom and my father raised me to be so much smarter than that.”

In a world full of clueless legacy kids, Lourdes is refreshingly clued in.

[Precious Fondren]

22. Sam Nivola (21)

Famous parent(s): Emily Mortimer, Alessandro Nivola
Biggest moment(s): Playing Lochlan Ratliff on The White Lotus; producing, direction and starring in Neighborhood Watch

If you’ve seen season three of The White Lotus, you know Sam Nivola. Nivola plays Lochlan Ratliff, the youngest member of the Ratliff family. (This season is nepo baby heaven, with appearances from Nivola, Patrick Schwarzenegger, and Charlotte Le Bon, who plays Chloe.) Lochlan is aimless and gangly and follows his older brother and sister around like an incestuous puppy. Clock that last part: Lochlan looks up to Saxon (Schwarzenegger) and Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook) so much that he’s not sure if he wants to be them or be with them. And in perhaps the most infamous scene of this season, he does get with Saxon, though we won’t spoil when or how.

That may have been his breakthrough role, but it wasn’t his first: At the ripe old age of 21, Sam has already had a handful of juicy parts, including turns in The Perfect Couple, Eileen, and Maestro, portraying Leonard Bernstein’s son. Plus, in 2021, at 17, when most of his cohort was laser-focused on college, Sam wrote, directed, and acted in the short film Neighborhood Watch, part of the anthological film With/In, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival.

Then he went to Columbia.

[Laura Zornosa]

21. Ella Emhoff (26) 

Famous parent(s): Doug Emhoff, Kamala Harris (stepmother) 
Best known for: Being the First Daughter of Brooklyn; walking in shows for Miu Miu, Coach, etc.

The world met Ella Emhoff in 2020, when she introduced her stepmother, then-vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris, at the Democratic National Convention. That moment came and went, but four years later, when Harris ran for president, Ella was front, center, and under constant scrutiny. 

While she was the actual daughter of the second gentleman, she became known as the First Daughter of Brooklyn—a model and designer who was the embodiment of Bushwick, where she lived. At the same time, Ella, who signed with IMG in 2021, has walked runways for Miu Miu, Coach, and Proenza Schouler, among other brands, and appeared in Vanity Fair and Vogue. 

Despite her profile, Ella has continued to support causes like the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund, which she linked to via Instagram as the war in Gaza accelerated (though she ultimately deleted the post). A political career probably isn’t in the cards, though: These days, she’s more focused on moving knitted goods via Substack. 

[Lucas Wisenthal] 

20. Kiyan Anthony (18)

Famous parent(s): Carmelo Anthony, La La Anthony
Biggest moment(s): Ranked No. 1 high school basketball player in New York City; being recruited by Syracuse University

Kiyan Anthony is a couple of years away from the NBA draft. But right now, with the ink on his high school diploma barely dry, he’s headed to Syracuse University. Some kids are recruited, but Kiyan, the No. 1 high school player in New York City, received an early offer, a mixtape, and a front-row seat at every major hoops event before he even picked a prom tux.

While he’s yet to play a minute of college ball at Syracuse (where Carmelo won a national championship),Kiyan’s got NIL deals, and he's been ranked and retweeted into Gen Z basketball royalty. He’s got Melo’s name, Melo’s midrange, and Melo’s swag, and that provocative combo gets social media going.

Still, Kiyan has handled the spotlight maturely. Whether he becomes a star or a solid role player, his status is locked in, and he’s already lapping the competition, even if the race hasn’t officially started. 

[Sean Malcolm]

19. Mason Gooding (28)

Famous parent(s): Cuba Gooding Jr.
Biggest moment(s): Playing Chad Meeks-Martin in the Scream franchise

Mason Gooding seems like the quintessential Art Boy. He has a habit of adding little doodles and x-ing out eyes in his photography. He often captions his own photos with cryptic phrases. He wants to own a flower shop in Brooklyn one day. And he made, acted in (opposite Annie Hamilton), and directed a short film, just for himself, about two lost souls who connect through a (fictional) suicide pact program.

Gooding is actually a second-generation nepo baby. His grandfather was Cuba Gooding Sr., lead singer of the R&B group The Main Ingredient. His uncle, meanwhile, is actor Omar Gooding. 

Mason got his start in 2018 with a recurring role in the sports dramedy Ballers before landing a role in Booksmart the following year. His biggest role to date, though, came as Chad Meeks-Martin in Scream and Scream VI. He added some much-needed male eye candy to the cast, and even as he portrays a so-called “Chad,” he delivers some of the series' funniest moments.

Sure, Mason caught some flak for sticking with the franchise after it dropped Melissa Barrera in November 2023, but when his perfectly chiseled jaw crosses our screens again, we’re sure he’ll be forgiven.

[Laura Zornosa]

18. Malia Obama (26)

Famous parent(s): Barack Obama, Michelle Obama
Biggest moment(s): Directing The Heart; writing for Swarm

Malia Obama—or, rather, Malia Ann—has been in the headlines lately. She decided to drop her famous last name in her work as a writer, director, and filmmaker, presumably to shed the nepo baby stigma. She easily could have leaned on the Obama name but chose instead to go it alone. The “my parents and my sister” in the special thanks of her debut short film could have been anyone, really.

The Heart, executive produced by Donald Glover, premiered at Sundance in January 2024 to mixed reviews, although it seems like critics, at least on Letterboxd, struggled to separate the art from the political dynasty. The 18-minute production follows Joshua (Tunde Adebimpe), a sensitive man who still lives with his mother—until she dies suddenly. What follows is a fable-like meditation on grief.

Prior to this, Malia also worked with Glover on the Amazon series Swarm, which she wrote for and he co-created. In 2021, the former First Daughter graduated from Harvard with a degree in visual and environmental studies (she won the Thomas Temple Hoopes Prize for excellent undergraduate work). And prior to that, she had taken a gap year and interned at the Weinstein Company (before we knew just how bad Harvey Weinstein was).

[Laura Zornosa]

17. Laila! (19)

Famous parent(s): Yasiin Bey
Biggest moment(s): Releasing her debut album, Gap Year; performing at Tyler, the Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival

Laila!’s response to nepo baby discourse would probably be: “Not my problem.” The young singer, rapper, and producer became a viral hit for her relatability, catchy hooks and refreshing individuality. Her talent landed her on Billboard’s 21 Under 21 list for 2025 alongside Lay Bankz, Katseye, and more. “I’m really proud of myself,” she told the outlet after dropping Gap Year, her first album. “I didn’t know that it would unfold this way. I thought I was going to have to get a regular job after high school.”

Last November, the 19-year-old took her talents to the stage, performing at Tyler, the Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw before embarking on her first tour in March. A few months earlier, fans were surprised to discover that Laila!’s father is none other than the legendary rapper Yasiin Bey.

“Yes, he is my dad, y’all. The rumors are true,” she said, explaining that he’s always pursued music on her own terms. “I always had my own style; I always had my own thing going on. And he’s always just been like, ‘OK, kid, I see you!’” 

Turns out the coolest flex isn’t having a famous father—it’s not needing to name-drop him to make it.

[Naledi Ushe]

16. Bronny James (20)

Famous parent(s): LeBron James
Biggest moment(s): Selected in NBA Draft; becoming the first player to play alongside his father in an NBA game

LeBron is the king, and Bronny, to the dismay of some and delight of others, is the prince. As the heir apparent, Bronny enrolled at USC, suffered (and thankfully recovered from) a health scare, and was drafted by the Lakers in the second round. He and his dad subsequently became the first father-son duo to play together in an NBA game.

But Bronny’s struggled to shake the stigma of being born on third base. There was the 2023 McDonald’s All-American controversy, when he was chosen in favor of Caleb Foster, who outranked him as the number-nine combo guard and number-seven player in California. Nonetheless, as Bronny told Sports Illustrated, he’s trying. “I just want to show that I belong, and what I can do,” he said. “Just play my game and be confident and be smart.”

Bronny’s a promising defender with a good basketball IQ, and he carries himself with poise beyond his years. Whether he ends up more like Ken Griffey Jr. than Romeo Miller remains to be seen, but there’s no question he’s pushing himself—and that he knows what a legendary career looks like.

[Sean Malcolm]

15. Kendall Jenner (29)

Famous parent(s): Caitlyn Jenner, Kris Jenner
Biggest moment(s): Appearing in her family’s series; becoming the highest-paid model alive

The camera has followed Kendall Jenner for most of her life. The model, socialite, and media personality first appeared on E!’s Keeping Up with the Kardashians at just 11 years old, and at 14 she informed her parents (also on KUWTK) that she wanted to be a model, makeshift headshot scrapbook in hand. Eight years later, Jenner became the highest-paid model in the world, according to Forbes—a title that she has hung on to each year since. 

Kendall is currently worth about $60 million, although not all of that comes from modeling. You’ve got to factor in KUWTK (now rebooted as The Kardashians on Hulu), brand endorsements, and, of course, her 818 Tequila company. Kendall has waded into public-image hot water on a variety of occasions, among them in 2021, with an 818 Tequila ad. The commercial—which featured the model in a rebozo and trenzas sauntering down an agave field on horseback above Mexican laborers—was seen as a heady dose of cultural appropriation.

This arrived on the heels of another controversy: the infamous Live for Now Pepsi ad in 2017. In it, Kendall leaves a photoshoot to join a nondescript protest. She grabs a Pepsi, strides through the crowd, hands it to a cop at the front of the protest line, and the crowd goes wild.

The spot inspired no shortage of commentary, along with an SNL parody, but, as her inclusion in this list suggests, Kendall eventually lived it down.

[Laura Zornosa]

14. Coi Leray (28) 

Famous parent(s): Benzino 
Biggest moment(s): “Players”; “Blick Blick!” with Nicki Minaj

Coi Leray has two albums, a handful of mixtapes and EPs, and a Top 10 hit to her name. She has a Nicki Minaj feature, and she’s been nominated for a Grammy and four BET and BET Hip-Hop Awards. 

She also has something no one else on this list does: a bitter, public, longstanding beef with a parent. 

Coi is daughter to Ray “Benzino” Scott, a Boston rapper whose career was entwined with The Source, the first national hip-hop magazine. Benzino used the outlet to settle scores with rivals, Eminem among them. He probably never thought his own daughter would one day come for him in songs and on her socials, airing out their tumultuous relationship, and that Em would jump in. 

Coi began her own rap career in 2018, with the mixtape EverythingCoZ. Her delivery, at once animated and menacing, translated to hits like “Players,” which peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and got a memorable remix with Busta Rhymes, and “Blick Blick!,” a Nicki Minaj collaboration. 

Coi subsequently jumped on Busta’s “Luxury Life,” a flip of Jay-Z's classic “Ain’t No” that showed just how rooted in hip-hop she is—in part because the original came out before she was born.

[Lucas Wisenthal] 

13. Sofia Richie Grainge (26)

Famous parent(s): Lionel Richie
Biggest moment(s): Appearing in Teen Vogue at 14; walking in shows for Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, etc.

Music “didn’t feel right” for Sofia Richie Grainge, daughter of former Commodore Lionel Richie. Neither did acting. But at 14, Sofia appeared in a spread in Teen Vogue, which led to runway gigs for houses like Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Philipp Plein, Jeremy Scott, and Samantha Thavasa.

Since then, she’s launched swimwear collections and transitioned into life as an influencer—something that was on full display when she married music industry scion Elliott Graine in April 2023.

Their nuptials were seemingly everywhere. You couldn’t swipe through TikTok without getting slapped in the face with what became known as the “old money” bridal aesthetic. The timeline was filled with pearls, every conceivable version of the color white, and the tightest hair buns imaginable. In the end, the wedding was lavish, and Sofia became the face of the “quiet luxury” movement we couldn’t escape.

[Moises Mendez] 

12. Gracie Abrams (25)

Famous Parent(s): J.J. Abrams
Biggest moment(s): Earning two Grammy nominations; opening for Taylor Swift

If my father had directed decades’ worth of films, including one of the most beloved entries in the Star Wars catalog, and I were an aspiring musician, I wouldn’t say not to the leg up his name might give me, either.

Gracie Abrams, daughter of director J.J. Abrams, got her start in the music business in 2019, when she released her debut single, “Mean It.” Once her music gained momentum, she began working with big-name producers like Benny Blanco and Aaron Dessner, a member of The National and one of Taylor Swift’s go-tos.

In 2022, Abrams supported Olivia Rodrigo on her Sour Tour before releasing her debut album, Good Riddance, the following year. The project earned Abrams her first Grammy nomination, for Best New Artist. She then opened for Swift’s record-breaking Eras Tour stateside and in Canada. Abrams subsequently landed a feature from Swift on her second album, The Secret of Us. That collaboration netted Abrams another Grammy nomination.

Today, Abrams is on the road, headlining a tour in support of that album. She also seemingly confirmed her long-rumored relationship with Paul Mescal, which was met with no shortage of fanfare. She may be Hollywood royalty by birth, but is becoming pop royalty by hustle. 

[Moises Mendez] 

11. Julez Smith (20)

Famous parent(s): Solange Knowles 
Biggest moment(s): Walking in a show for Luar; signing with Next Models

Blue Ivy Carter runs a tight ship, and that means everyone in the Carter-Knowles-Beyoncé dynasty has to be gainfully employed. (Kidding, sort of.) Solange Knowles’ son, Daniel Julez J. Smith Jr., who goes by his middle name professionally, is the striking blue-green-eyed new face on runways at fashion weeks in New York, Milan, and Paris. 

Julez made his runway debut in February 2024, walking for Luar’s fall collection. Grandmother Tina Knowles and aunt Beyoncé Knowles-Carter proudly sat front row as the Houston native strutted in a black trench coat. The show attracted major attention, and Julez was signed to Next Models in April 2024. “I’ve been wanting to model for a couple of years; it just never really worked out. Luar was really my breakthrough. I was actually interning with them for a couple of months, and maybe, like, a week before the show, they were just like, ‘Come to the casting.’ So I went to the casting and I got it,” he told Vogue shortly after his debut. 

Since then, Julez has walked the runway for Donatella Versace, Jil Sander, and more, and appeared in publications including Vogue and GQ. He’s said he owes his work ethic to seeing his family grind. If we’re being real, that started in the womb, when a very pregnant Solange showed up in the “Soldier” video. 

[Naledi Ushe]

10. Shedeur Sanders (23)

Famous parent(s): Deion Sanders
Biggest moment(s): Second-team All-American (2024); selected in NFL Draft

Shedeur Sanders was never your average college quarterback. He was a content machine with a cannon arm, field vision, and composure. His stat line? Impressive. His Q rating? Off the charts. But Shedeur’s meteoric rise didn’t happen in a vacuum—it happened in the Coach Prime Cinematic Universe.

Shedeur was already a four-star recruit before committing to Jackson State University when his father signed on to be head coach. Then, when Deion took his talents to Boulder, his son followed suit and put up numbers (7,364 yards, 64 touchdowns, 13 interceptions, with a completion percentage at 71.8 percent in two years). After an All-American season, he’ll have his Colorado Buffalos jersey retired. 

Say what you will about that one, but Shedeur’s game is undeniable.

Which made his precipitous fall in April’s NFL Draft a head-scratcher (chosen in the fifth round instead of the first, as projected, by the Cleveland Browns). Even the president noticed. Nevertheless, Shedeur’s “punishment” likely owed to the tidal wave of press he’d received.

Shedeur’s talent may have earned him a seat at the table regardless, but the Sanders surname ensured that table was set, catered, and filmed in 4K. ’Cause when your coach, marketing team, mentor, and father are the same person, your world shines brighter than an iced-out Rolex flexed during pregame. Must be the money indeed. 

[Sean Malcolm]

9. Kaia Gerber (23)

Famous parent(s): Cindy Crawford
Biggest moment(s): Walking for Calvin Klein at 16; appearing in campaigns and runway shows for Marc Jacobs, Alexander Wang, etc.; playing Brittany in Bottoms

Kaia Gerber has been in the public eye since she was 10. The 23-year-old model and actress, born to supermodel Cindy Crawford and nightlife and alcohol magnate Rande Gerber, made her modeling debut at New York Fashion Week for Calvin Klein when she was just 16 years old. She was the face of multiple campaigns and walked the runway for Marc Jacobs, Alexander Wang, Michael Kors, and Versace, among others. She also collaborated with the legendary designer Karl Lagerfeld on a collection.

But Kaia is more than a model. The budding star is a talented, funny actress, as seen in Bottoms, a high school comedy starring Ayo Edebiri and Rachel Sennot. Gerber plays one of the popular girls, adding a layer of humor to the movie by way of her deadpan,

Kaia’s other credits include a recurring role on the Apple TV+ show Palm Royale and, most recently, in the wildly popular Prime Video series Overcompensating—a raunchier performance punctuated by wild one-liners. 

[Moises Mendez] 

8. Hailey Bieber (28)

Famous parent(s): Stephen Baldwin
Biggest moment(s): Vogue cover; launching Rhode skincare

Hailey Bieber’s part-time job, of late, has mostly consisted of dodging rumors of divorce from husband Justin Bieber. Otherwise, when she hasn’t found herself engulfed in Team Hailey-vs.-Team Selena fan base feuds, the young model’s been busy building her own empire.

Before becoming Mrs. Bieber, Hailey hit the scene with a famous last name of her own: Baldwin. The daughter of Stephen Baldwin and niece of Alec Baldwin started modeling in 2014. She made her runway debut for Topshop that same year before appearing in Teen Vogue in 2015. Since then, she’s signed with IMG Models, booked gigs with Moschino, Guess, and Karl Lagerfeld, and walked in various Fashion Weeks.

Yes, interest in Hailey’s personal life, namely her tumultuous marriage, tends to eclipse any conversation about her professional milestones. But amid the drama and rumors, Hailey developed the YouTube series Who’s in My Bathroom? and Who’s in My Kitchen? and launched skincare line Rhode, which E.L.F. Cosmetics acquired for $1 billion last May. She also landed her first solo cover for Vogue the same month. 

[Naledi Ushe]

7. Maude Apatow (27)

Famous Parent(s): Judd Apatow, Leslie Mann
Biggest moment(s): Playing Sadie Knocked Up and This Is 40 and Bethany in One of Them Days

Maude Apatow, the eldest daughter of Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann, quite literally grew up onscreen, first as Sadie in Knocked Up and This Is 40, delivering peak pre-teen angst alongside her real-life sister, Iris. If you’ve ever dramatically rolled your eyes at your mom in a minivan, you’ve probably seen Maude do it better, and on a large theater screen. 

But don’t get it twisted: She’s no longer just the kid in her dad’s movies. Maude leveled up in HBO’s Euphoria as Lexi Howard, the painfully observant playwright who finally got her main-character moment in the last few episodes of season two. Then came her scene-stealing role in the SZA- and Keke Palmer-led hit One of Them Days, playing Bethany, a gentrifier so clueless you couldn’t even hate her properly. A true skill!!!

Now, at 27, she’s hopping in the director’s chair for her upcoming feature Poetic License, officially entering her “nepo baby but make it auteur” era. Yeah, she’s def been building her resume like she has plans to be around long after the “nepo baby” discourse dies down. I’m always here for a nepo baby ready to do the work.

[Precious Fondren] 

6. Maya Hawke (26)

Famous parent(s): Uma Thurman, Ethan Hawke
Biggest moment(s): Playing Jo March in Little Woman and Robin Buckley in Stranger Things

Many among us were introduced to Maya Hawke by way of her role as ice cream scooper-turned-video store clerk Robin Buckley in Stranger Things. But Hawke had her breakout moment two years prior, via the BBC adaptation of Little Women, in which she played Jo March.

Maya has shown range as an actor, appearing in projects like Netflix’s Do Revenge, opposite Camila Mendes and Sophie Turner; Wes Anderson’s A-list-packed Asteroid City; and Bradley Cooper’s Oscar-nominated Maestro. She also lent her voice to the animated Inside Out 2, starring as Anxiety.

All the while, Maya has pursued a singing career, releasing three folk-pop albums, the most recent of which, Chaos Angel, came out in 2024.

Now, Maya is set to appear as a younger version of Wiress in next year’s film adaptation of The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. Despite growing up with famous parents, Maya was still surprised by her own fame, she told Zach Sang. “I did not expect it to be as weird as I experienced it as.” 

[Moises Mendez] 

5. Kylie Jenner (27)

Famous parent(s): Kris Jenner, Caitlyn Jenner
Biggest moment(s): Launching Kylie Cosmetics lip kits; being named the world’s youngest self-made billionaire by Forbes (and having the title rescinded)

It’s hard to fully articulate the influence of Kylie Jenner, especially during the “King Kylie” days of the early 2010s, when she set fashion and beauty trends and then turned into successful businesses.

At just 18, Kylie parlayed her signature overlined, matte lipstick combo into the successful beauty brand Kylie Cosmetics. She created lip kits for her fans to recreate her look, with the first 15,000 selling out in less than a minute. Whatever your stance on the kits, they were everywhere, and they led to Forbes crowning Kylie, then 21, the world’s youngest self-made billionaire (although, given her family tree, many rolled their eyes at the “self-made” part of the title, and the publication stripped her of the honor the next year, saying she inflated her numbers). 

No matter. Kylie, in the tradition of her business-savvy family, thrives off controversy. Since Kylie Cosmetics, she has since launched a number of brands, including Kylie Swim, Khy, and, naturally, as a mother of two, Kylie Baby—a skincare line for children. 

[Daysia Tolentino]

4. Jaden Smith (26)

Famous parent(s): Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith 
Biggest moment(s): Starring in the remake of The Karate Kid; releasing Syre; appearing in a skirt in Vogue Korea

Jaden Smith said it himself: He’s an icon living. His film career started at the tender age of eight, when he co-starred in 2006’s The Pursuit of Happyness with his father. But it was the 2010 remake of The Karate Kid that really blew Jaden up.

That stint as the Karate Kid—starring alongside Jackie Chan—led to Jaden’s first musical collaboration with Justin Bieber on the song “Never Say Never,” which was featured on the movie’s soundtrack. Smith went on to launch his own rapping career, releasing his first album, Syre, in 2017. While his father began as a rapper, Jaden’s own music is a far cry from “Parents Just Don’t Understand,” and he received a Grammy nod for his work with Bieber on 2021’s Justice.

At the same time, Jaden’s made a name for himself in fashion, appearing in a skirt in a 2016 Vogue Korea editorial. He brought his genderfluid style to MSFTSrep, the fashion collective he co-founded alongside his sister Willow. And, of course, he’s had a series of viral moments, including the times he wore a house headpiece to the Grammys and complained about young people ignoring politics. A conscious king.

[Daysia Tolentino]

3. Bella Hadid (28)

Famous parent(s): Yolanda Hadid
Biggest moment(s): Appearing on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills; getting the cover of Vogue; walking for Tom Ford, Chanel, etc.

Her name is Bella Hadid. She’s a model, business owner, occasional actress, trendsetter and perpetual muse. Few nepo babies on this list have the influence of the younger Hadid sister. She has sold out Ugg boots, and she popularized the “weird girl” aesthetic. 

Bella and her sister Gigi were introduced to audiences on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills—their mother, Yolanda, was a cast member. A lifelong horse girl, Bella shared that she aspired to compete in the 2016 Summer Olympics. 

The Olympic dream didn’t work out, but she’s thrived in a different lane: modeling. After starting her fashion career at 16, she graced the covers of magazines like Vogue, W, and Glamour. She made her New York Fashion Week debut in 2014 and has since walked for brands like Tom Ford, Victoria’s Secret, and Chanel. She also appeared in ex-boyfriend The Weeknd’s “In the Night” music video, and was immortalized in a few of his songs, “Wasted Times, “Heartless,” and “Save Your Tears” among them. 

All of this culminated in the banner year that was 2022, which Bella capped off by walking the Coperni SS23 show wearing a spray-on dress that was all anyone could talk about and winning Model of the Year at the Fashion Awards. 

Bella’s kept a lower profile since. She returned to competitive horseback riding and moved to a ranch in Weatherford, Texas, with her cowboy boyfriend, Adan Banuelos. A proud Palestinian herself, she continues to advocate for Palestine. And in 2024, she launched the fragrance line Orebella, her first venture since co-founding the adaptogenic beverage brand Kin Euphorics in 2021—showing that, even in rural Texas, she’s keeping a foot in fashion. 

[Daysia Tolentino]

2. Lily-Rose Depp (26)

Famous parent(s): Johnny Depp, Vanessa Paradis
Biggest moment(s): Playing Jocelyn in The Idol and Ellen Hutter in Nosferatu

Lily-Rose Depp doesn’t even believe in the whole nepo baby thing, which might be seen as rich. As the daughter of Johnny Depp and French singer Vanessa Paradis, she was born with the kind of cultural currency most can’t fake. But to her credit, she’s also managed to bring something of her own to the table. 

Take The Idol, for example. Carrying this was no small feat. Between Sam Levinson’s writing, more vibes than plot, and The Weeknd's horrendous acting, which was panned beyond belief, Lily-Rose somehow made the HBO show watchable. As Jocelyn, a pop star grappling with trauma and fame, she brought a level of commitment and charisma that suggested she understood the script better than the people who wrote it. 

Add to that her buzzed-about role in Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu. This haunting reimagining of the classic vampire tale features Lily-Rose playing Ellen Hutter, her yearning and doom practically dripping off the screen. It’s the kind of part that could have easily been flattened into some damsel-in-distress bullshit, but Lily-Rose fills it with eerie vibes only someone with acting chops can. 

She may not be as self-aware as some of the others on this list, but Lily-Rose knows exactly what to do with what she’s got.

[Precious Fondren] 

1. Willow Smith (24)

Famous parent(s): Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith 
Biggest moment(s): “Whip My Hair”; “Meet Me at Our Spot”; NPR Tiny Desk performance

Good nepotism exists, and Willow Smith is proof. At just 24, she’s already been famous long enough to have gone through multiple artistic lives, each more unexpected than the last. She was still a pre-teen when she dropped the cultural reset “Whip My Hair,” a creative, funny, and memorable anthem etched into the brains of a generation. It was a confident and catchy introduction to Willow. And it was only the beginning. 

She’s our number-one nepo baby for a litany of reasons, but mostly because she’s done what every nepo baby should: build something that feels entirely their own. While the Smith name certainly opened doors, Willow’s never coasted on it. In fact, she’s spent the past decade crushing the idea of what a celebrity kid should be. She even dropped Smith from her artist name in an effort for her work to speak louder than her lineage. 

Inspired by the likes of Paramore, Willow’s given us pop-punk bangers like “Transparent Soul” and the viral Gen Z favorite “Meet Me at Our Spot.” And don’t forget that her NPR Tiny Desk performance is arguably one of the best in the series. With raw, heavenly vocals and a commanding presence, she seemed more like a seasoned vet than someone coming into her own. But her impact isn’t just musical: She’s mapped out a blueprint for alternative Black girls to exist in the mainstream without apology. 

Willow has addressed the nepo allegations, saying they’ve only pushed her to be better.

“I truly believe that my spirit is a strong spirit and that, even if my parents weren't who they were, I would still be a weirdo and a crazy thinker,” she told Allure. “I definitely think that a little bit of insecurity has driven me harder because people do think that the only reason I'm successful is because of my parents. That has driven me to work really hard to try to prove them wrong. But nowadays, I don’t need to prove shit to anybody.’"

Our number-one nepo baby proves that when nepotism meets ambition, taste, and vision, it can be a launchpad for something truly original. 

[Precious Fondren]