The term "nepo baby" seems to be on the tip of everyone's tongue these days. In case you missed the conversation, a "nepo baby" describes a famous person who is assumed to be where they are in their profession due to influential relatives who paved the way. For as long as there have been people in positions of power, nepotism has been present in some form or fashion, so why would Hollywood be any different? In a recent interview, one Hollywood "nepo baby," Allison Williams (who has weighed in on nepotism before), gets very candid while clarifying her stance on the subject, and her comments are worth reading.
Allison Williams spoke with Vulture about her upcoming horror movie M3GAN. Before the interviewer even had the chance to bring the subject up, the 34-year-old Get Out actress used the term nepo baby herself. While some of her peers (such as Johnny Depp's daughter Lily-Rose) shy away from the conversation or have said they don't see themselves as privileged, Williams is not afraid to acknowledge the advantages she's enjoyed in life due to who her parents are. Amid her comments, the actress says people are just seeking some "acknowledgment" that the playing field isn't level:
All that people are looking for is an acknowledgment that it's not a level playing field. It's just unfair. Period, end of the story, and no one's really working that hard to make it fair. To not acknowledge that me getting started as an actress versus someone with zero connections isn't the same — it's ludicrous.
The Perfection star is the daughter of two well-known and affluent individuals, Brian Williams, a news anchor, and Jane Gillan Stoddard, a journalist and news producer. Allison admits having wealthy parents afforded her a sense of relative comfort that made it easier for her to accept parts she wanted and pass on ones she didn't. Being the daughter of the former NBC anchor allowed her the opportunity for dreamlike summer jobs such as being a PA on the set of A Prairie Home Companion and the assistant to Tina Fey's assistant.
Allison Williams isn't the only child of prominent individuals to face the "nepo baby" debate. However, most don't seem to agree with Williams' take on the subject. Kate Hudson (daughter of Bill Hudson and Goldie Hawn) says she doesn't care all that much about the issue and sees nepotism in business far more than in Hollywood. Self-proclaimed OG "nepo baby" Jamie Lee Curtis believes the whole conversation is designed to be hurtful, revealing that not a day goes by when she isn't reminded that she is related to movie stars.
America's favorite uncle and father to a few children who have turned to acting, Tom Hanks, weighed in on the discussion as well. In Hanks' recent 2023 movie release, A Man Called Otto, his youngest son Truman Hanks plays a younger version of his grumpy character. When pressed about the possible nepotism in casting his progeny, Hanks defended the choice, saying that Hollywood is a family business and that if his relatives ran a floral shop, "the whole family would be putting in time at some point, even if it was just inventory at the end of the year."
Whether you agree with Tom Hanks or Allison Williams regarding the "nepo baby" discourse, it's nice to see an A-lister like the latter being very candid with her answer and acknowledging how her lot in life has opened doors that would not be afforded to the average person. Still, one can't deny the actress's hard work and talent. With only five movies to her credit since she hit the scene a decade ago, she's become an actress to keep your eye on. Fans can catch Williams in her latest film, M3GAN, which is slashing its way through theaters now, and/or check out The Perfection, which is now streamable with a Netflix subscription.
