Kate Hudson is screaming it from the rooftops and she doesn’t care who hears it: She’s a “nepo baby” and she’s proud of it. Hey, if my parents were Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell, I’d be proud of it, too.
In a new interview with the The Independent, Hudson addressed the phrase that seems to be on the tip of everyone’s tongue this week courtesy of New York Magazine. On Dec. 19, the outlet coined 2022 as “The Year of the Nepo Baby” and consequently called out every nepo baby to ever walk a red carpet.
For fans, it’s hilarious. For the nepo babies themselves, not so much.
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If you’re unfamiliar with the term, “nepo baby” is somewhat of a scarlet letter for those with high-profile parents. It subtly underwrites someone’s success, hinting that the only reason they have such success is because of the weight of their last name. It also has a lot to do with privilege, though that’s left out of the conversation more often than not.
While many view the nickname as a disgrace, Hudson, who is a nepo baby through and through, says it doesn’t bother her.
“The nepotism thing, I mean…I don’t really care,” she told the Independent.
Hudson’s brothers, Wyatt Russell and Oliver Hudson, whom she co-hosts the Sibling Revelry podcast with, have profited from being nepo babies as well. Albeit, she says if you have the talent and grit to go the extra mile, then your last name is merely a last name in her book.
“I don’t care where you come from, or what your relationship to the business is — if you work hard and you kill it, it doesn’t matter,” the actress said.
For Hudson, acting and performing is also a familial thing. Sure, it brings her a boatload of fame and money — but it’s what they were born to do whether it’s on a big stage or in their family living room.
“I look at my kids and we’re a storytelling family. It’s definitely in our blood,” she continued. “People can call it whatever they want, but it’s not going to change it.”
Nepotism exists in all industries, not just Hollywood — some more than others, as Hudson points out.
“I actually think there are other industries where it’s [more common]. Maybe modeling?” Hudson remarked. “I see it in business way more than I see it in Hollywood. Sometimes I’ve been in business meetings where I’m like, wait, whose child is this? Like, this person knows nothing!”
Nepotism isn’t necessarily a bad thing — if the nepo baby has earned their stake in the game and is using their platform for good. Again, it also harps back to privilege. How many of these nepo babies do you think would have still made it big had it not been for their parents’ last name… or bank account?
