These nepo babies dug their own graves. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks at the privileged relatives of celebrities who drew criticism or were embroiled in controversy due to their behaviors, actions, and/or inability to overcome the “nepo baby” label.
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00:00Is Daddy-O who you called to get your job?
00:02You wanna do this? You wanna do the parent thing?
00:05Nope, not really.
00:06Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks
00:09at the privileged relatives of celebrities who drew criticism
00:12or were embroiled in controversy due to their behaviors, actions,
00:15and or inability to overcome the Nepo Baby label.
00:18So enjoy the good life, Nepos.
00:20Just don't say you didn't have a huge advantage.
00:24Number 10, Deacon Philippi.
00:27You know that condo you build for your Sims after using the money cheat code?
00:30Deacon Philippi basically lives in it.
00:32Oh, this is sick.
00:33Walking right into the spiral staircase, I haven't seen that before.
00:36Son of actors Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippi,
00:39Deacon studies in New York City
00:41and most definitely does not live in low-priced student housing.
00:44TikTok star Caleb Simpson interviews New Yorkers on the street,
00:48asking them how much rent they pay and if he can have a quick tour.
00:51This is your room.
00:52Cool.
00:53Studio setup.
00:54Philippi brought him up to his amazing and posh apartment,
00:57complete with spiral staircase, brick walls, artwork,
01:00and a presumably very expensive music production setup.
01:03This, of course, drew criticism,
01:05especially given that Philippi never once mentioned his parents footing the bill,
01:08which, let's face it, we all know is probably what's happening here.
01:13Number 9, Lottie Moss.
01:15Kate Moss has been a huge name in the fashion industry for decades,
01:19so it's no wonder those in her orbit would have an advantage.
01:22Lottie Moss is Kate's younger half-sister,
01:24and has become a model herself.
01:30This would be fine had Lottie not put out a spoiled, braddish message.
01:34In 2022, she tweeted acknowledging
01:36that nepotism gives folks a leg up in the industry,
01:39but simultaneously said she was tired of hearing others complain about it.
01:42She then said that life isn't fair.
01:44So instead of being negative about other people's success,
01:47go and try and create your own.
01:49In a subsequent Newsweek article,
01:52saying they came out wrong.
01:53She then told the story of her modelling
01:55and eventual content creator slash OnlyFans career.
01:58It had a poor me vibe, and many didn't like it.
02:01I'm just taking it as it comes to me.
02:03Number 8, Chet Hanks.
02:05Chet Hanks has admitted to being a black sheep.
02:08He had a troubled childhood,
02:09with stints in boarding schools and therapy programs.
02:12You guys sent away at what age?
02:1317.
02:15Hanks has appeared in a handful of movie and TV roles,
02:18and has dabbled in the music world.
02:21You break it down, you bring it up, you touch your toe.
02:24You're the baddest girl around and you let everybody know.
02:28However, controversy follows the son of Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson.
02:32In 2021, he released a single called White Boy Summer,
02:35which drew ire with its merch reminiscent of a certain hate-filled movement.
02:39He also did this whole bizarre Jamaican accent thing.
02:43Not good.
02:45Do you even speak Patois?
02:47I mean, not really.
02:48Not really?
02:50Hanks' history with substances,
02:51restraining orders and warrants for arrest
02:53haven't helped his public standing.
02:55In stark contrast,
02:56his half-brother, Colin Hanks,
02:58is pretty squeaky clean,
02:59which probably draws comparison.
03:01Number 7, Hailey Bieber.
03:03Modeling seems to be a popular choice for nepo babies.
03:06Hailey Bieber,
03:07nay Baldwin,
03:08recognize that name,
03:09has been prominent on the fashion scene since 2014,
03:12with campaigns for Vogue and Ralph Lauren on her resume.
03:15So, I am obsessed with this coat.
03:18It's gonna be my coat of the season.
03:20Her father is Stephen Baldwin,
03:22member of the Baldwin family
03:23alongside brothers Alec, Daniel and William.
03:26There is absolutely no doubt
03:28that a name like that will open some doors
03:29in the entertainment industry,
03:30and Hailey is a clear example.
03:32I'm gonna do one boot on one side,
03:34and these boots are,
03:36I think, like a must staple in anybody's closet,
03:39and they're from the Row.
03:40She's talented, of course.
03:41We're not saying she has no merit,
03:43but that the way was paved decades ahead.
03:45She drew negative attention in 2023,
03:47for donning a nepo baby t-shirt,
03:49so she knows what she did.
03:51Perhaps it's not necessary
03:52to rub it in the lay folks' faces?
03:54Nobody in the world,
03:56especially anybody that doesn't know you,
03:58should have a negative impact
04:00on your path or the decisions that you make.
04:03I agree.
04:04I'm like, I need to hear this today.
04:05Number six, Ivanka Trump.
04:07Humility's antagonist, Donald Trump,
04:10has a few children,
04:11five to be precise.
04:12Arguably, the most publicly present
04:14is daughter Ivanka.
04:15Through her appearances
04:16and his creepy comments.
04:17I said that if Ivanka weren't my daughter,
04:19perhaps I'd be dating her.
04:21Ivanka is a businesswoman,
04:23having worked on a number of projects.
04:25She also had a fashion line,
04:26as well as a modeling career.
04:28But after her father was elected,
04:29she decided to serve in the White House.
04:31She held an advisory position
04:33and was put in charge
04:34of the Office of Economic Initiatives
04:35and Entrepreneurship.
04:36Lawyers for the president
04:37have long maintained
04:38that the law gives him broad discretion
04:40to name his own team of advisors.
04:42There's no doubt she got this far
04:44due to her father's prominent position.
04:46She's often been criticized
04:47for her part in the Trump administration,
04:49claims of female empowerment
04:50that have fallen flat,
04:51as well as ethical controversies.
04:53I couldn't believe so many politicians
04:56actually prefer to complain about a problem
04:59rather than fix it.
05:00Number five, Gwyneth Paltrow.
05:03Oh, Gwyneth.
05:05We couldn't possibly leave you off this list.
05:07As the child of somebody,
05:08you get access that other people don't have.
05:12Gwyneth Paltrow was born
05:13to filmmaker father Bruce Paltrow
05:15and actress Blythe Danner.
05:17Additionally,
05:18her godfather is Steven Spielberg,
05:20in case her parents' names
05:21didn't ring a privileged bell for you.
05:23She first acted in a movie
05:24directed by her dad in 1989,
05:26before consistently booking acting gigs.
05:28Emma didn't ask me to contribute a riddle.
05:30Your entire personality is a riddle, Mr. Knightley.
05:33I thought you overqualified.
05:35But it's her controversial wellness business,
05:37Goop,
05:38that has led to negative attention.
05:39Indeed, the company sells overpriced items,
05:42many of which have received backlash
05:43for perpetuating harmful, unproven fads.
05:46Remember the jade eggs thing?
05:48Health and wellness is a very hot industry,
05:51and part and parcel with that,
05:53we're seeing a significant rise
05:55in misleading and deceptive marketing claims.
05:58In 2023, Paltrow herself claimed
06:01that Nepo Baby is an ugly moniker.
06:03Perhaps she would prefer Nepo Lady?
06:06That woman is a woman!
06:08Number four, Dakota Johnson.
06:10Dakota Johnson's parents
06:11were essentially Hollywood royalty
06:13when she was born in 1989.
06:15Father Don Johnson
06:16was wrapping up a five-season stint
06:18on TV's Miami Vice,
06:19and mother Melanie Griffith,
06:21darred a Hitchcock muse Tiffy Hedren,
06:23was an established movie star.
06:24I mean, you can bend the rules plenty
06:26once you get upstairs,
06:27but not while you're trying to get there.
06:28And if you're someone like me,
06:29you can't get there without bending the rules.
06:31To her credit, Dakota has publicly said
06:34that she was financially cut off by her dad
06:36when she chose to pursue an acting career.
06:38Her parents didn't support her
06:39forgoing higher education to do so.
06:41He said, if you go to college,
06:42you still get an allowance.
06:43And I was like,
06:44well, I'm gonna be an actress.
06:45So he was like,
06:46all right, well, you're on your own.
06:47However, her name and affiliations
06:49undoubtedly gave her a foot in the Hollywood door.
06:52Johnson has called the Nepo Baby focus
06:54annoying and boring.
06:55It mocked her status in an SNL skit.
06:57Nepo truce?
06:58Nepo truce.
07:01A foot in the door and so much more.
07:03While she's largely a beloved actress,
07:05some of this discourse has not gone over well.
07:08Number three, Jaden Smith.
07:10Now this is a story all about how
07:12the Fresh Prince gave us his offspring to gawk at,
07:15whether we want to or not.
07:16Jaden, son of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith,
07:19is an actor and rapper.
07:20He arguably isn't a master at either craft,
07:23though he has received some awards.
07:25Interestingly, his parents have revealed
07:27that discipline wasn't prominent in their household.
07:30To make matters worse,
07:31Jaden appeared on Ellen in 2013,
07:33boasting about everything being free at his father's house.
07:36So I can get anything and everything
07:38that I want at his house.
07:39That same year, the homeschooled Smith said
07:42that those who attend normal school
07:44are just so teenager-y, so angsty.
07:46As you can imagine,
07:47these aren't the kinds of comments
07:49that go over well with people.
07:50Hey, Dad.
07:52Hey.
07:57That sucked.
07:59That is correct.
08:00Number two, Max Landis.
08:03Max Landis is the child of John Landis,
08:05famous for directing such films as
08:07Spies Like Us and National Lampoon's Animal House,
08:10to name a few.
08:11Max is a filmmaker,
08:12albeit not as successful in the industry as his dad.
08:15His biggest hit was the 2012 movie Chronicle,
08:18for which he wrote the screenplay.
08:19Andrew, you're a genius!
08:21We gotta see this one.
08:22However, he was reportedly banned
08:24from the set of the film by director Josh Trank
08:27for undisclosed reasons.
08:28These reasons were perhaps linked
08:30to the harassment and abuse allegations
08:32brought forth by at least eight women.
08:34Landis allegedly used his position and status
08:37to get women in relationships with him,
08:39only to emotionally and physically abuse them.
08:41You learn lessons not from the internet,
08:44not from strangers telling you you're a monster,
08:46but from losing people you love.
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09:04Number 1. Charlie Sheen
09:06Charlie Sheen is the son
09:08of award-winning actor Martin Sheen.
09:10When the former was born in 1965,
09:12Martin's star was on the rise.
09:14Guess I'm kinda lucky that way.
09:16Being one of four children,
09:17the road was paved for Charlie
09:19and his siblings Emilio, Ramon and Renée,
09:22who all opted to follow in their father's footsteps.
09:24Charlie Sheen did have a very successful career,
09:27with credits in such classics as
09:28Wall Street and Platoon, among others.
09:30Feel good?
09:33Yeah, it feels good.
09:34However, Sheen caused controversy
09:36on multiple occasions.
09:38Substance use, conspiracy theories,
09:40controversial opinions,
09:41and a famous sitcom firing
09:43led to much backlash throughout his career.
09:45Though his presence in the entertainment world
09:47arguably outshines those of his siblings,
09:49it hasn't been a clear path.
09:50You know, I get Tiger Blood, man.
09:52What should your parents be famous for?
09:54Let us know in the comments.
09:55Oh, I just can't wait to be home!
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