Yahoo Lifestyle 10 Nepo Babies Who Ended Up Becoming More Famous Than Their Celeb Parents
These days, who doesn’t want to live the nepo life? You get jobs, you get money, and you get notoriety that most people can never achieve.
The job usually requires sitting pretty, making appearances, and smiling whenever the cameras are around, but every now and then, Tinseltown’s nepo babies push themselves to strive for more. And in some instances, their accomplishments make them more relevant than their celeb parents.
Here are 10 celebrity kids who worked hard and became more famous than the people who gave them their start.
Miley Cyrus’ dad, Billy Ray Cyrus, may have taken over airwaves, movie soundtracks, and karaoke battles after he dropped his “Achy Breaky Heart” hit in 1992, but MC matched his celebrity and raised him 10 the moment she was cast as Disney’s Hannah Montana.
She made her mainstream acting debut in spring 2006 —at just 13— and she’s been a trending topic ever since.
Hannah Montana (the show) released 100 episodes, averaged 4.4 million viewers per episode. She has also recorded nine studio albums, including two Disney-produced projects and a live compilation of hits, won two Grammys, received eight nominations, and performed one of the best renditions of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” that I’ve ever heard. (We all know it’s true.)
Now, Miley’s got 214 million IG followers, and her dad, well he’s got a lot, but he doesn’t have that.
Angelina Jolie acquired her acting chops from her Oscar and Emmy-winning father, Jon Voight. She was seven years old when she appeared alongside her dad, and wasn’t shy about showing off her cinematic genes. How do we know? Because she went on to star in more than 20 movies and has been the voice of Tigress in the Kung Fu Panda franchise since 2008. And now, she’s worth a whopping $120 million, but who’s counting?
Jolie has Oscar and Golden Globe nods for her role in Girl, Interrupted —amongst a slew of others— deals with Walt Disney Studios, and two of Hollywood’s most talked about and high-profile marriages (albeit they didn’t last) behind her.
Her dad may be a cinematic icon, but she’s clearly a Hollywood legend.
3.Chris Pine
Chris Pine’s father may have introduced him to the biz, but the young Pine has put in the work to reign in California’s highest kingdom.
Pine’s first acting gig was on the set of the NBC classic ER, but it all went up from there once the then-22-year-old actor joined the cast of Disney’s Princess Diaries 2 as Anne Hathaway’s love interest. Then, two years later, he starred opposite Lindsay Lohan in Just My Luck, and just like that, Hollywood’s next heartthrob was born.
Pine has since gone on to star as Captain Kirk in Paramount Pictures’ Star Trek franchise and secured roles in top-notch films like Into the Woods, A Wrinkle in Time, and Wonder Woman, amongst others. He has two projects on the way, including another film in the Star Trek saga, and shows no signs of stopping anytime soon.
4.Gigi and Bella Hadid
Gigi and Bella Hadid are some of the most beautiful people in the world, and they got it from their mama (and their papa)! As sisters born to some pretty reputable parents, the two were always destined for greatness, but they’ve surely exceeded expectations and then some.
Both Gigi and Bella have been named International Model of the Year by the British Fashion Council, appeared in fashion shows from New York to Paris, and each sister has made more than 30 appearances on Vogue’s international covers.
They’re absolutely stunning, they’re proud of their heritage, and they have no qualms about speaking up on political issues. In other words, they take having beauty and brains to another level.
5.Anderson Cooper
Anderson Cooper may be known for his in-depth, investigative reporting, but his introduction to Hollywood came from his mother, Gloria Vanderbilt, whose last name shows she (and Cooper) are part of America’s 13 wealthiest families. But unlike his late mother, Cooper found his way to the spotlight and has shined bright since.
Aside from being the host of CNN’s Anderson 360°, the blue-eyed news anchor has appeared in movies like Marvel’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and done voiceovers for films like Columbia Pictures’ Chappie. He is a regular on 60 Minutes, and currently one of the highest-paid news anchors in the country.
Talk about making mommy proud.
6.Gwyneth Paltrow
As the daughter of Blythe Danner and Bruce Paltrow, no one ever doubted Gwyneth Paltrow’s ability to land on top. But I’m not sure if anyone thought that her fame would surpass her parents.
Paltrow starred in a multitude of movies in the early ’90s, including the Robin Williams classic, Hook. (Here is where true fans will start whispering, “Rufio. Rufio.” #iykyk.)
She went on to captivate the screen in films like Great Expectations and A Perfect Murder, and fully embraced her rizz when she won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role as Viola De Lesseps in Shakespeare in Love. And now, the Oscar winner is an in-demand actress with major studio projects under her belt.
So while I love her parents, I have to salute the family’s first Oscar winner and her 61-picture catalog.
7.Prince Harry
Prince Harry went from being England’s royal bad boy to being one of the world’s most admired gentlemen.
As Princess Diana’s second son and the fifth in line to take the British throne, the Duke of Sussex will always make headline news. He married one of television’s most revered stars and turned her into a princess, then the family allegedly ostracized him. But none of that has stopped him from living the good life.
In 2021, the prince sat down with Oprah and his now-wife Meghan Markle, which became the most-searched interview on Google that year. And together, he and Markle now own a production company, a non-profit organization, and a lifestyle brand that offers products like cookbooks and tableware. Prince Harry’s mom may not have been able to do all that, but through him, her legacy lives on.
8.Maya Rudolph
Loving Maya Rudolph isn’t easy just because she’s beautiful. I love her because she’s talented, she’s hilarious, and she’s making her iconic mother, Minnie Riperton, proud.
Rudolph made her first on-screen appearance on CBS’ ’90s hit, Chicago Hope. She went on to build her catalog alongside actors like Amy Poehler, Amy Adams, and Patrick Dempsey over the years, but it was game over once she was cast on NBC’s SNL. And we can’t deny that her co-starring role in Bridesmaids really put her on the map.
Today, she’s a six-time Emmy Award winner, the voice behind some of your favorite animated flicks, like Turbo and Angry Birds, and the ultimate Kamala Harris impressionist. So like I said, she’s talented and beautiful.
9.Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston has always been a force —and forever will be (even if she’s not physically with us anymore)— but it was her mother, Cissy Houston, that introduced her to the biz.
For those who don’t know, Cissy was a prominent soul and gospel singer, so Houston was always focused on carrying on her legacy. But I don’t know if she ever imagined the impact she would have.
She has movies, awards, and an incredulous amount of notoriety under her belt —because yes, we all know The Bodyguard— but we can all agree she died too soon. Thankfully, her life wasn’t lived in vain. She acquired six Grammys, including Record and Album of the Year, and took home BET’s 2001 Lifetime Achievement Award. There’s no question she was loved, no matter how her life ended.
10.Charlie Sheen
Charlie Sheen is the son of Martin Sheen, you know, the man known as Capt. Benjamin L. Willard in Apocalypse Now and Queenan in The Departed. But when Hollywood’s second-generation Sheen became the face of CBS’ primetime hit, Two and a Half Men, it was game over.
Yes, he’s been the star of several hit shows, including Spin City, but his wild and charismatic role as Charlie Harper was next level. And yes, he had a very public meltdown after a series of bizarre, problematic, and rage-filled interviews, which led to a forced departure from the show, but he came out on top once he coined the ultimate hashtag: #winning!
Who are some celebs you feel eclipsed their parents' fame? Let me know in the comment section below!
