The Whole “Nepo Baby” Debate Really Aggravates Gwyneth Paltrow

Gwyneth Paltrow has never been one to shy away from sharing how she feels, and she is opening up about the “nepo baby” criticism, leveled at those who allegedly benefit from nepotism, specifically within the entertainment industry. (Paltrow’s two children Apple and Moses, for example, could be considered “nepo babies”; Paltrow herself could be as well, as her parents, Blythe Danner and Bruce Paltrow, are both successful in show business—Danner is an actress and Paltrow was a director.)

The “nepo baby” debate kicked into high gear last year when New York Magazine released an article about the large number of celebrities that have parents, siblings, or other relatives in Hollywood, pointing out that it seemingly makes it easier for them to have access to opportunities. 

“Now there’s this whole nepo baby culture, and there’s this judgment that exists around kids of famous people,” Paltrow said in an interview with The Guardian. “But there’s nothing wrong with doing or wanting to do what your parents do.”

On her daughter, Apple, Paltrow said that she “just wants to be a kid and be at school and learn,” adding “Nobody rips on a kid who’s like ‘I want to be a doctor like my dad and granddad.’”

Paltrow said she’s trying to protect Apple and her son, Moses, from being branded with the dreaded label. (Paltrow shares both Apple and Moses with ex Chris Martin, the frontman of Coldplay.) “The truth is, if you grow up in a house with a lot of artists and people making art and music, that’s what you know, the same way that if you grow up in a house with law, the discussions around the table are about the nuances of whatever particular law the parents practice,” she said. “I think it’s kind of an ugly moniker. I just hope that my children always feel free to pursue exactly what they want to do, irrespective of what anybody’s going to think or say.”