"Nobody Criticizes George Clooney." Emma Roberts Speaks Out About Nepo Babies, Says It's Mostly Girls Who Criticize
Emma Roberts spoke out on the Table for Two podcast about the nepo baby debate and said that it is mostly girls who face criticism, while men who have privileges due to their celebrity relatives are not criticized. Emma herself is the daughter of Eric Roberts and the niece of Julia Roberts. She made her screen debut at the age of 9 and has faced criticism ever since.
Emma believes there is much less pressure on men in this regard. "I always joke, 'Why doesn't anyone accuse George Clooney of being a nepo baby?' [His aunt] Rosemary Clooney was an icon," she says.
"I think it's harder for young girls in this regard. I haven't seen anyone criticize the sons of stars who are making a career," she said, adding that it was unfair to blame "someone who should be blamed for wanting to follow their dreams."
Emma said people who criticize nepo baby often don't see the bigger picture. "People only see your wins, they only see you when you're on a movie poster - they don't see all the failures along the way," she said.
Having famous relatives can be both a detriment and a help to a career in Hollywood, she says. "People like to say, 'You know, you have an advantage because you have relatives in the industry.' But the flip side of that is you have to prove yourself even more. Plus, if people don't like your famous relatives, you're never going to have a chance."
Similar thoughts were previously expressed by Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis' daughter Lily-Rose, who is pursuing a career as a model and actress. According to her, background does not always lead to career success. "People have preconceived notions about you or how you got there, but I can definitely say that nothing will get you a role other than the fact that you are right for the role. It might help you open the door, but it won't get you in. There's always a lot of work to do afterwards."
Her words were criticized by model Vittoria Cerretti, who started her career at 14 and achieved everything on her own. In her opinion, it is unfair to compare the efforts of nepo babies with the difficulties that everyone else has to go through. “I know you have this experience and you can tell your little sad story about how you were rejected (even if after that you can go and cry on the couch of your dad’s villa in Malibu),” she responded to Lily-Rose. Cerretti added that children with connections often take the place of those who struggle for their careers on their own. “You wait for hours for a fitting or a casting only to see a child with connections walk past you from the warm seat of a Mercedes with their driver/friend/assistant/agent who cares about their mental state.”
And singer Lily Allen recently commented on the nepo baby topic, and, like Emma Roberts, said that it is mainly girls who are criticized. She noted that her brother, actor Alfie Allen, known for his role as Theon Greyjoy in the series "Game of Thrones", rarely faces bullying like she does.