Pop culture in 2023 has been defined by strikes, popstars on stadium tours and 50,000 famous breakups. But, if you cast your mind way back to the New Year, all we could talk about was nepotism.
First, New York Magazine published its already infamous nepo baby magazine cover in December 2022. Features within the edition explained the nepo-verse connections and most importantly, put various celebrity faces on the bodies of babies. Hailey Bieber wore a 'nepo baby' t-shirt. Celebrities gave quotes about whether or not it was a fair label, and some even tried to 'reclaim' the term.
It was a wild ride that slowed down as we instead turned our attention to the many aforementioned breakups and watching Beyoncé or Taylor on TikTok.
But now as 2023 draws to a close, we must come full circle. There is a new expansive piece from The Guardian, explaining the widening nepo universe. And at this point, Marvel should be scared. And so should the celebs, it seems, as Gen Z are determined to uncover whether anyone's half-brother's aunty's best friend was also a star.
Yes, more nepo discourse after a year of nepo discourse. I promise this one will be fun, and deeply unserious. Jamie Lee Curtis, I love you, but you don't need to wade into this one. It's fine. I promise.
Here are the many corners of Hollywood's nepotism universe.
The Double Nepo.
These are people who have nepotism flying at them from multiple directions, mostly with two parents that are each famous in their own right. These are Top Tier nepos, often with generations of nepo pedigree. They're like the British Royals, but more fun.