Celebrities you may not realise are nepo babies

“Nepo babies” is a term pop culture followers have entirely familiarised themselves with at this point.

The wide reaching phenomena engulfed too many corners of the current cultural zeitgeist to count, and many famous faces, mostly young or up and coming, were discovered to have been part of a very well connected milieu from the world of fame.

To that extent, a whole debate brewed — one that doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon either — about just how easy or difficult it is for some to get their foot in Hollywood’s doorway.

As many privileged takes continue to pour out and an entire New York Magazine cover story later — remember the amusing saga kicked off by “She has her mother’s eyes. And agent”? — the nepo baby system continues to churn out new products.

While many names may already be in development without our knowledge, here are a few we do know (but may not be as well known for their nepo connections by everyone):

Nicolas Cage

Yes, Nicolas Cage wasn’t always Nicolas Cage.

Born Nicolas Kim Coppola, the distinguished actor and meme friendly celebrity is part of the decorated Coppola clan, which counts the filmmaking heavyweights Francis Ford Coppola and Sofia Coppola, as well as many others, among their fold.

Lenny Kravitz

While everyone knows about Zoe Kravitz being the daughter of two famous parents in Lenny Kravitz and Lisa Bonet, it may not be as well known that her dad is also a nepo child.

Born to television heavyweights, actress Roxie Roker and producer Sy Kravitz, the actor and musician was indeed born with a silver spoon in his mouth.

Timothee Chalamet

This one is a bit tricky; while Timothee Chalamet is not related to actors, he certainly had privileged origins.

The hottest young star today was born to Nicole Flender, a former Broadway performer, and Marc Chalamet, an American French writer, currently working for the United Nations.

Louisa Jacobson

Louisa Jacobson is the daughter of Meryl Streep and her ex-husband, Don Gummer.

She has had breakout roles in fairly recent releases — 2022’s The Gilded Age and 2025’s Materialists — while her sisters, Grace Gummer and Mamie Gummer, are also working actors.

The Kardashians

While the other half of the family, the Jenners, are well known to be nepo babies for growing under the shadow of their elder siblings, the Kardashians themselves are no stranger to the nepo discourse.

Raised in the spotlight by their mother and manager, Kris Jenner, Kim Kardashian, Kourtney Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian, and Rob Kardashian first flirted with the limelight as kids through their father, prominent attorney and businessman Robert Kardashian’s friendship with O.J. Simpson — and his eventual participation in the late athlete and actor’s notorious trial.

Dakota Johnson

Dakota Johnson’s parents — actors Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson — are well known by most.

However, she also had a Hollywood connection in her former stepfather, Antonio Banderas, who she is still close to despite him no longer being married to her mother — presenting him with a tribute award at the Hollywood Film Awards in 2019, four years after his divorce from Melanie Griffith.

Chris Pine

Chris Pine comes from a strong acting background, as both of his parents — Robert Pine and Gwynne Gilford — were actors.

The Star Trek actor even revealed in a past interview that his father helped him secure an audition for a part in Gilmore Girls (a job he eventually didn’t land), as he reported his father’s words to the show’s casting department, “‘My son’s an actor and he’s just coming back from Williamstown, this theater festival back east. Would you see him?’ They said sure.”

The Gyllenhaals

Acting brother and sister duo, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Jake Gyllenhaal, grew up around film sets thanks to their parents.

Their mother Naomi Foner is a screenwriter and director, while father Stephen Gyllenhaal is also a director as well as a poet.

Gwyneth Paltrow

While Gwyneth Paltrow is in the capacity to be the nepo connection for her kids today, she was herself a nepo baby when she first started out in Hollywood.

The actress and entrepreneur was born to Blythe Danner, an Emmy and Tony winning actress, and Bruce Paltrow, prominent director and producer.

Lourdes Leon

A singer, dancer, and fashion model in her own right, Lourdes Leon is the daughter of pop royalty Madonna and actor, personal trainer Carlos Leon.

Interestingly, she also dated fellow nepo, Timothee Chalamet, while they both attended LaGuardia High School in New York City.

Matty Healy

The 1975 lead vocalist, Matty Healy gets his nepo credentials from actor parents, Denise Welch and Tim Healy.

He even has a famous godfather in Brian Johnson, member of the rock band AC/DC.

Phoebe Dynevor

The Bridgerton breakout, Phoebe Dynevor has acting connections from back in her home nation of England through her mother, Sally Dynevor.

Sally has starred on the incredibly hit and long running daytime British soap, Coronation Street, since 1986, and continues to impress with her well established presence on the show still.