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By Johanna Gardener •
Published: 07 Nov 2024 • 11:08
• 4 minutes read
Like mother, like daughter: ‘Nepo Baby’ Phoenix Chi Brown follows in Ex-Spice Girl mother’s footsteps
Credit:X.@ronniessance
Growing up in the shadow of fame, the children of celebrities, or nepo babies often seem to lead charmed lives, with many taking advantage of a unique blend of privilege and legacy to carve out their own place in Hollywood.
For some, being the child of a celebrity might seem like a dream life. Many of these celebrity offspring have followed in their parents footsteps, often with an unspoken VIP pass that grants them opportunities far beyond the average reach—simply due to their famous lineage. Kate Hudson, Lily Collins, and Lily-Rose Depp are just a few of these fortunate individuals who have pursued the Hollywood dream, whether inspired, encouraged, or even nudged by their parents. This growing wave of so-called “pseudo-celeb” children stepping into the spotlight has even inspired a new term to define them: “nepo babies.”
Term Nepo babies has taken hold since being coined by Generation X
The catchy term stemmed from the much-used ‘son of/daughter of/child of’ label attributed to young aspirants who become famous due to the celebrity status of their parents. Nepo baby comes from babies of nepotism to describe children who have triumphed in the same sector as their parents due to influence. The creators of this quirky term are young cinema enthusiasts and avid followers of series and social media, all hailing from Generation X.
Phoenix Chi Brown nepo baby in the shadow of her Spice Girl mother?
Phoenix Chi Brown, daughter of Ex-Spice Girl Mel B, is the quintessential example of a nepo baby. While you may think that growing up with mum, Scary Spice, might make you the coolest, feistiest chick on the block, Mel B’s 25-year-old daughter confessed that she found life difficult as the daughter of an infamous pop star. According to the young DJ, she was bullied at school and had difficulty making friends due to her celebrity background. The proof in the pudding is that she has gone on to make a Channel 4 documentary called ‘Born in the Limelight: Nepo Babies UNTOLD,’ which traces the struggles faced by the budding star and her life growing up as a nepo baby.
Phoenix Chi s DJ career was her path carved out for her?
Saying that, Phoenix Chi still landed comfortably onto the stardom cushion – and this was undoubtedly due to the legendary status of her Spice Girl mother. Nepo baby not just by name but also for her own developing music career, placing her firmly in the spotlight as the inheritor of her mother’s fame. The aspiring singer told The Mirror that her connections did facilitate an easy transition into DJ roles and acknowledged that for others, not born into celebrity families, getting onto the career ladder, especially in more creative roles, can be an almost impossible step up.
Nepo Baby, Maya Hawke: I think I’m comfortable with not deserving it.
Another nepo baby, Maya Hawke is an example of a celebrity with a more relaxed approach to the whole affair. Daughter of actors Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke, she is best known for her roles in ‘Stranger Things.’ While some might envy her swift rise to fame due to her famous parents, she has also received praise for how she’s addressed the nepo baby criticism. She told London Times: ‘There are so many people who deserve to have this kind of life who don’t, but I think I’m comfortable with not deserving it and doing it anyway.’
Lily-Rose Depp Chanel model aged 16 thanks to father, Johnny Depp
Lily-Rose Depp is the stunning daughter of Vanessa Paradis and Johnny Depp. When she was only 16-years-old, she became an ambassador for high-fashion brand Chanel and recently featured on The Idol. Despite being a nepo baby, she described disliking any fixed attachment to the term telling Elle in 2022: ‘People are going to have preconceived ideas about you or how you got there, and I can definitely say that nothing is going to get you the part except for being right for the part.’ She added: ‘Maybe you get your foot in the door, but you still just have your foot in the door. There’s a lot of work that comes after that.’
Are all celebrity children nepo babies?
However, what if not all nepo babies were products of their parent’s prominence? What if they forged their own paths, independently and successfully? This is precisely the case of many nepo babies who have paved their own way to stardom. And without being handheld by their celebrity parents!
One example of this is Poppy Oliver. The daughter of globally-renowned chef, Jamie Oliver graduated in English from Leeds university last year, celebrating the big day with her parents, who flashed the achievement all over Instagram. Her mother Jools praised the 21-year-old for putting “her sweat and tears” into her degree. Clearly this girl is not waiting for stardom to pluck her from the sky. Poppy is thrilled to forge her own path in life.
Bo Jonsson, daughter of Ulrika Jonsson refuses to be a nepo Baby
Another example is Bo Jonsson, daughter of Ulrika Jonsson. The 23-year-old turned down a life in the limelight, preferring to train as a nanny at the prestigious Norland College. After graduating from university, Ulrika proudly celebrated alongside her daughter, posing as yet another proud mum and congratulating her on her achievements—all the more meaningful given her daughter’s strength in facing a congenital heart condition.
Westlife star s daughter: I’ll leave the reality fame to my mum.
Molly McFadden is bucking the trend for rejecting the nepo baby comforts. The 23-year-old daughter of Westlife star, Brian McFadden and Atomic Kitten’s Kerry Katona, claims to have been living a normal life despite both of her parent’s fame tapping her on the shoulder. She is an acting students at Lir Academy at Trinity College Dublin and graduated in 2022 with a diploma in Acting and Theatre Studies, progressing now to a full-time honours degree. Molly herself denied allegations surrounding any upcoming fame saying I’ll leave the reality fame to my mum.
It just goes to show that, yes, having famous parents can give you a head start on the path to stardom, as countless sons and daughters of celebrities have proven. While some embrace the spotlight, others work to set themselves apart, striving for a sense of self-made achievement. Nepo babies are here to stay, and the envy they inspire often feels justified—after all, their success can seem unearned. Yet, for those who fit the profile, like Phoenix Chi, it’s clear this life isn t always sunshine and rainbows either; it comes with its own pressures and challenges, even if the fame seems like fair compensation. But is that trade-off one worth making?
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Written by
Johanna Gardener
Originally from Manchester, UK and with a degree in English with Modern Foreign Languages, she has been a permanent resident in Spain for the past 12 years. Many of these years, she has spent working as a secondary school teacher, as well as in journalism, editing and marketing. She currently lives in the historic centre of Malaga, where she enjoys writing, walking and animals.
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