People Are On Their Knees Begging Nepo Babies To Acknowledge Their Privilege After Zooey Deschanel Became The Latest Star To Insist That Her Parents Didn’t Help Her Career

"My mom would coach me when I didn’t have an acting coach," Zooey went on to say. "I would have so many great discussions about film and filmmaking with my dad."

By
Stephanie Soteriou
by Stephanie Soteriou

BuzzFeed Staff

It’s fair to say that nepo baby discourse really entered the mainstream at the end of 2022, when New York Magazine published an article breaking down the “nepo-baby boom” in Hollywood.

Leslie Mann, Maude Apatow and Judd Apatow on the red carpet
Bruce Glikas / Getty Images

The article dissected the rise of celebrity children such as Maude Apatow and Lily-Rose Depp, and the accompanying attention-grabbing cover immediately went viral.


And although more than a year has passed since then, the conversation around nepotism in the celebrity world is still going strong in the year 2024.

In February, Dakota Johnson sparked backlash when she called the nepo baby debate “lame” as well as “incredibly annoying and boring.” If you didn’t know, the Madame Web star is the daughter of famous actors Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson.

Dakota Johnson with her mom Melanie Griffith
Gregg Deguire / WireImage

In March, actor Ryan Phillippe admitted that he gets annoyed and “offended by” nepotism comments as he discussed his and Reese Witherspoon’s children’s decision to enter the showbiz world.

Ryan Phillippe with his son Deacon on the red carpet
Kevin Mazur / Getty Images for Fanatics

While 20-year-old Deacon is pursuing a music career, 24-year-old Ava is keen to “figure out” a career in acting like her famous parents. 

And Zooey Deschanel has now stepped up to be the face of nepotism discourse in April, with the New Girl and Elf star insisting that her parents did not make it easier for her to establish a career in acting.

Zooey Deschanel with bangs and updo, wearing a dress with bejeweled strap details, posing at an event
Dia Dipasupil / WireImage,

If you’re wondering, Zooey’s dad is Caleb Deschanel, a cinematographer who has worked on everything from Titanic to The Godfather, receiving six Academy Award nominations in the process.

Caleb Deschanel, cinematographer, with daughter Zooey Deschanel and wife Mary Jo Deschanel
Jim Smeal / Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images

Her mom is Twin Peaks’ star Mary Jo Deschanel née Weir, and Zooey’s sister, Emily Deschanel is also a successful actor, starring in Bones and Spider-Man 2, among other projects.

Zooey Deschanel and Emily Deschanel smiling for photographers at an event
Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty Images

But Zooey is confident that she and her sister do not owe their careers in the industry to their mom and dad, saying on The School of Greatness podcast: “It’s funny because people be like, ‘Oh, nepotism’, I’m like, ‘no.’”

Zooey Deschanel in elegant black dress with one shoulder detail and a bow accessory in her hair
Jamie Mccarthy / WireImage

“My dad’s a DP [director of photography, which is another term for cinematographer],” she continued. “No one’s getting jobs because their dad’s a DP. It’s definitely not [nepotism.]”


Zooey went on to admit that having parents in the industry was a huge help creatively, explaining: “My mom would coach me when I didn’t have an acting coach, she would help me, read lines with me. She’d be so supportive.”


“I would have so many great discussions about film and filmmaking with my dad. They both would help me. My dad would also read lines with me,” she continued, before acknowledging that “automatically” having a “community” was a great help for her acting pursuit. 

Still, some have been left unimpressed by how dismissive Zooey was about her father’s role in her career as they expressed their exasperation at nepo babies repeatedly failing to acknowledge the privilege that comes with their parents having connections in the industry.

Zooey Deschanel, Mary Jo Deschanel, Caleb Deschanel and Emily Deschanel
J. Vespa / WireImage

Sharing Zooey’s quote to X, formerly Twitter, one person wrote: “I think what gets lost every time someone talks about this is a refusal to acknowledge that growing up around the industry *does* give you more insights and connections into how to break in than someone who grows up in Iowa with a dad who is a mailman.”


“why don’t nepo babies realize that your parent simply being able to connect you to one person or get you into the right room and get you even the smallest job to get a foot in the door makes you a nepo baby??” another asked. “your parent doesn’t have to be scorsese to make you a nepo baby.”


“Your parents aint work that damn hard for you to deny the step up they gave you,” somebody else tweeted.


One more wrote: “There’s nothing wrong with being a nepo baby especially when you’re talented but don’t act like your parents didn’t put you in a better position to succeed than others due to their connections in the industry.”

“I love zooey but i'll never understand celebs treating the phrase nepo baby like a slur,” another user said. “it’s actually really cool to have successful parents when you're humble and gracious about it!!!!”

Zooey Deschanel with updo hair, fringe, and drop earrings
Michael Tran / AFP via Getty Images

Meanwhile, others admitted that Zooey’s recent comments were the first time they’d even heard about her nepotism.

One person joked: “i had no idea zooey was a nepo baby and now the only reason i know is because she's acting like a nepo baby in defence of being a nepo baby and that makes her a loser.”


Zooey has not publicly acknowledged the response to her comments, but we will let you know if she does!

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