The Nepo Thing

While the term “nepo baby” is a recent addition to cultural vocabulary, the phenomenon of nepotism in entertainment, fashion and media has existed for as long as these industries themselves. Family connections have always played a role in opening doors, but the phrase gained widespread attention and cultural weight after a viral 2022 New York Magazine cover story entitled “The Year of the Nepo Baby.”

Nepotism in the creative sector isn’t novel. Hollywood’s Golden Age filled with famous dynasties — think Douglas Fairbanks and Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Kirk and Michael Douglas, or Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli. Similarly, in music and fashion, names like Sinatra (Frank and daughter Nancy), Presley (Elvis and Priscilla) and Cole (Nat King and Natalie).

For decades, family connection was viewed as an unspoken advantage. The children of stars had access to influential networks, auditions and opportunities that others could only dream of. However, with the rise of digital and the internet, transparency around privilege has intensified.

The 2022 New York Magazine cover story blew the lid on what social media suspected for a long time. On platforms such as Twitter and TikTok, users started pointing out the overwhelming number of celebrity offspring in prominent roles. The discussion grew sharper as younger audiences, often more woke, became critical of wealth and all things unearned. But that article had a very American perspective. Ironically to those of us on this side of the Atlantic, many of the babies name-called were unknowns, especially to the older generation.

We’ve heard of Dakota Johnson, daughter of Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith. We’ve heard of Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan, but not so much so of son Jack Quaid. Lenny Kravitz, Lisa Bonet and Zoë Kravitz? Excuse me, but who are they? Ben and Marc Platt? Nope. We know of Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman but daughter Maye remains a mystery, at least to me. Yes, I recognise Lilly-Rose Depp, child of Johnny. However, Lilly-Rose’s mother is Vanessa Paradis, not the better-known celebrity grumpy-on-the-bed social media star baddie Amber Heard.

Neither Johnny nor Amber’s parents were in the entertainment business although in interview Amber once described her father David, a construction contractor, as being ‘out of Central Casting Texan’. Her late mother, Paige, did appear in a reality TV show called Overhaulin’, where ‘stars’ have their old cars repaired.

Before you ask, my parents didn’t write articles for internet blogs. Maybe that’s why nobody reads or comments beneath them. But I must admit, given the parlous economics of putting paid pen to commercial paper, my wife did get me an evening job in the supermarket where she works. And if my mum and dad had been in the politics website blogging sector you wouldn’t have been told about it anyway, as the nepo thing gets little attention on the side of the Atlantic. Why so?

A States-side friend tells me the debate resonates more over there because of the sheer scale and visibility of the US entertainment industry, particularly Hollywood, which dominates global pop culture. In the US, celebrity isn’t just a byproduct of success — it’s an industry in itself.

Fame extends beyond talent and becomes a brand, with celebrity offspring often stepping into the spotlight as influencers, actors, or musicians. The American dream, built on meritocracy and self-made achievement, clashes with the reality of inherited privilege, making nepotism a sore point for audiences. Social media such as TikTok and Twitter, where the nepo baby discourse thrives, is driven by US users who scrutinise and meme-ify privilege with their global reach.

In contrast, the UK’s entertainment industry is smaller, more reserved, and intertwined with the class system. Names like Redgrave, Fox, or Fiennes are seen less as glaring examples of nepotism and more as part of an expected continuation of privilege.

British culture is tempted to tolerate if not quietly endorse family connections opening doors, especially in period spaces like theatre and drama. While nepotism exists on both sides of the Atlantic, American celebrity culture’s global dominance and obsession with self-made success magnifies the ‘nepo thing’ over there. Perhaps so, but also perhaps because the media gatekeepers on this side of the pond have something to be embarrassed about.

Puffin’s favourite James O’Brien is the adopted son of journalist James (Jim) O’Brien Sr. When James was young, Jim was a journalist working his way around Yorkshire regional titles before joining the Daily Telegraph. An award-winning writer who worked for the paper in a number of roles, both home and abroad, after his final Telegraph position as Midland’s correspondent, he moved to the Birmingham Post.

In 2004, O’Brien Sr set up his own company called ‘Business in Writing and PR’. Upon his passing eight years later at the age of 73, former colleagues remembered him as a witty and warm gentleman who embodied old-school journalism and an unwavering work ethic, all delivered with a generous serving of thick-as-gravy northern humour

Public schoolboy James Jr (£54,000 a year Apleforth) followed his father into journalism the easy way after graduating in PPE at the London School of Economics.

London phone-in radio contemporary Nick Ferrari is the son of Fleet Street legend Lino ‘Dan’ Ferrari. After starting the Ferrari News Agency, Dan prospered on the woes of bishops running off with actresses and parish treasurers running off with the money. After selling his press agency, Ferrari Sr moved to Fleet Street where he rose from the Daily Mirror’s news desk to be head of their investigations unit. Son Nick’s rise through London media began after leaving private school (£29,000 a year Eltham College) whereupon his father gave him a job at the Daily Mirror.

Olivia Utley of GB News is another hereditary journalist. Olivia’s mother is of the BBC World Service. Her uncle, Tom Utley, resides at the Daily Mail. Ms Utley’s grandfather was TE Utley of The Times. One of Olivia’s great-grandparents was Dermot Morrah, also of The Times and the Daily Mail.

We know of Olivia because of her appearances on the BBC’s Question Time – a reminder of more domestic nepotism. Former QT presenter David Dimbleby is the son of BBC heavyweight Richard. Keeping it in the family, David’s brother Johnathon presented Any Questions, the radio version of QT. Remaining in media, David’s daughters Liza and Kate are an artist/writer and singer respectively, and his son Henry is a former actor, now a chef and cookery writer.

Other British media nepos lie thick on the ground. An ad hoc random shout out to the Corens, late-father Alan (BBC and editor of Punch) and children Victoria (BBC) and Giles (The Times). The BBC’s Ester Ranzten’s husband was Desmond Wilcox, a BBC producer, as is their daughter Rebecca Wilcox.

Mike Parkinson Jr is a TV director, his mother Mary was a journalist and TV presenter. Father Michael needs no introduction. Wife Fionna Allen is a comedian and actress from Channel 4’s Smack the Pony. Huw Edward’s ex-wife is TV producer Vicky Flind who is responsible for the Peston Show. Speaking of whom, Robert Peston’s late wife was a writer, Sian Busby. His present squeeze is journalist Charlotte Edwards.

As with media, so with politics, at times in combination. Television’s Ed Balls even interviews his own wife, Home Secretary Evette Cooper-Balls, on the Good Morning Britain programme.

However, the nepo bubble can burst when confronted by voters. Jack Straw, a disgraced former MP caught trying to sell parliamentary influence to a non-existent Chinese company, has a son, Will, who stood for the Labour Party (and lost) in the constituency next to his father’s. Not to worry, Will is a Labour admin and quangoland lifer, ridiculously the holder of a CBE.

Likewise the Harmen-Dromeys. Husband Jack Dromey (not his real name, John Eugene Joseph Dromey) and Harriet Harman have a son Joe, who only rose to be a Labour councillor but is now a quangoland high panjandrum. Sue Grey’s son, Liam Conlon, had better luck and entered parliament in 2024 as the new MP for Beckenham and Penge.

Considering that they spend such a lot of time lecturing us on diversity and inclusion, an awful lot of luvvies and members of the House of Liars and Thieves are related to each other and giving each other both jobs and an easy ride. Feel free to out some more below the line.

As for my nearest and dearest, passing this unread effort across Mrs AWS, she cleverly exposed the Dalai Lama, a rotter who gives himself a new position every time he dies. Perhaps Going-Postal should offer her a job?
 

© Always Worth Saying 2025