Gwyneth Paltrow calls out “nepo baby” criticism

Gwyneth Paltrow slammed “nepo baby” criticism, arguing that celebrity progeny should not be judged harshly or scrutinized for following in their parents’ professional footsteps. “Now there’s this whole nepo baby culture, and there’s this judgment that exists around kids of famous people,” the actor and wellness brand mogul said. “But there’s nothing wrong with doing or wanting to do what your parents do.”

Speaking about her teenaged daughter, Apple, Paltrow said she “just wants to be a kid and be at school and learn,” adding, “Nobody rips on a kid who’s like: ‘I want to be a doctor like my dad and grandad.’” Paltrow, however, is something of a nepotism baby herself, as The Guardian noted, landing her first Hollywood role in 1991 after her godfather and lauded director, Steven Spielberg, cast her in his Peter Pan adaption, “Hook.”

“The truth is if you grow up in a house with a lot of artists and people making art and music, that’s what you know, the same way that if you grow up in a house with law, the discussions around the table are about the nuances of whatever particular law the parents practice,” Paltrow added, attempting to shield her daughter from being branded with the term. “I think it’s kind of an ugly moniker. I just hope that my children always feel free to pursue exactly what they want to do, irrespective of what anybody’s going to think or say.”