Allison Williams is well aware that she is no underdog.
The “M3gan” star and daughter of former NBC host Brian Williams offered her take on the cultural discourse of nepotism during a profile with Vulture. released on Thursday.
A “baby nephew,” short for “baby nepotism,” is a popular, if condescending, term that refers to the children of celebrities who are now celebrities, in part because of their parents’ fame. The topic reached a boiling point in late December when New York Magazine declared 2022 “Year of the Baby Nepo.”
In her profile of Williams, Vulture’s Rachel Handler noted that the actor referred to herself as a “little niece” before the entertainment website (which, it should be noted, is part of New York Magazine) could even use the expression. The “Girls” star then released a response showing why so many of her peers struggle to answer the same topic.
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“All people are looking for is an acknowledgment that there is no level playing field. It’s just unfair,” Williams told Vulture. “Period, end of story, and no one works that hard to get it right. Not admitting that I started out as an actress with someone with no connections is not the same thing, it’s ridiculous. It doesn’t affect the work I’ve done. It just means it’s not as fun to keep.”
Other celebrities who have reaped the rewards of having famous parents have expressed a sense of uneasiness about the subject of being a grandchild.
Many have given an increasingly jaded response each time the topic is broached in interviews, saying they’re just “in the family business,” as Zoe Kravitz — daughter of musician Lenny Kravtiz and actor Lisa Bonet — told GQ . in November.
Kate Hudson, daughter of actor Golden Hawn and stepdaughter of actor Kurt Russell, took a similar approach as she spoke The Independent last month.
“I look at my kids and we are a family that tells stories. It’s definitely in our blood,” Hudson said.
Other grandchildren appeared defensive while talking about the issue.
“If somebody’s mother or father is a doctor, and then the child becomes a doctor, you’re not going to say, ‘Well, you’re only a doctor because your parent is a doctor.’ It’s like, ‘No, I went to medical school and trained,'” said Lily-Rose Depp, daughter of Johnny Depp and model Vanessa Paradis. Heit is in november
Jamie Lee Curtis, daughter of actors Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, also seemed offended by the term, writing on Instagram in December that the “nepo baby” chatter was “designed to seek to demean, denigrate and hurt”.
Curtis wrote, “I have tried to bring to my work integrity and professionalism, love, community and artistry. I’m not single. We are many. Dedicated to our craft. Proud of our lineage. Strengthened by our belief in our right to exist.”
