Emma Roberts thinks the “nepo baby” charge isn’t quite fair to young women in the industry.
The “American Horror Story” star weighed in on the term during Bruce Bazzi’s “Table for Two” podcast on Tuesday, lending her unique perspective to the subject of entertainers who benefit from family members’ fame.
“People like to say, ‘Oh, you know, you have a leg up because you have family in the industry,’” Roberts said of charges that “nepo babies” have it easier. “But then the other side to that is, you know, you have to prove yourself more . . . If people don’t have a good experience, maybe, with other people in your family, then you’ll never get a chance.”
Roberts, the daughter of actor Eric Roberts and the niece of “Pretty Woman” star Julia Roberts, got her acting debut at nine years old alongside A-listers Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz in “Blow,” and has hardly had trouble breaking into the industry, but she argues that her path isn’t the story audiences crave.
“Everybody loves the kind of overnight success story, and if you're not the girl from the middle of nowhere that broke into Hollywood, you know, there's kind of an eye roll,” Roberts shared.
The actress went on to ask why stars like George Clooney, nephew of 50s superstar Rosemary Clooney, seemingly get a pass on their family connections.
“The point is, young girls, I feel like, get it harder with . . . everything with the with the nepo baby thing,” she told Bazzi. “I don't really see people calling out you know, sons of a famous actress. Not that they should be called out. I don't think anyone should be called out wanting to follow their dreams.”
Roberts also noted that the label flattens the behind-the-scenes rejections actresses face.
“People only see your wins because they only see when you’re on the poster of a movie. They don’t see all the rejection along the way,” she told Bazzi.
Roberts is far from the first star to call out the label: Gwenyth Paltrow, daughter of Blythe Danner and goddaughter of filmmaker Steven Spielberg, once argued that entertainers get more undue scrutiny for following in the footsteps of their parents than other professionals.
