'She can retire at 15': Australia's surprising next generation of 'nepo babies'

Whereas most kids grow up dreaming of becoming rich and famous, the harsh reality is that for the majority of people this will never happen.

Unless you're a “nepo baby” that is. Short for nepotism baby, the internet has become obsessed with this phrase over the last week after New York Magazine revealed that so many of the world's biggest stars only got their big breaks thanks to their famous families and secret high-profile connections.

So we thought we'd look at Australia's next generation of “nepo babies” who are already making waves Down Under, usually with a little help from mum and dad.

Christian Wilkins

Christian Wilkins is a presenter, model, actor, reality star and fashionista – who also happens to be the son of Richard Wilkins, one of Australia's longest-standing TV and radio hosts. Although it'd be unfair to credit his entire career to his famous father, Christian certainly got his break in the industry as a result of being Dickie's son.

The 27-year-old first started to build a profile for himself in 2015 thanks to his incredible non-binary style on red carpets when accompanying his dad to high-profile events. Since then he's become a leading voice in the LGBTQIA+ community, competed on Dancing With The Stars, hosted the ARIAs red carpet coverage with his father and even become a Victoria Racing Club ambassador.

Willow Stefanovic

Karl Stefanovic and Cassandra Thorburn's daughter Willow, 17, made her modelling debut last year after signing with Precision MGMT – and acknowledges her famous parents for helping make this dream come true.

Speaking to Stellar in 2021, Willow said: "My family has always been supportive of my dreams and aspirations. Mum has been the one who put in the hard yards to get me to this point."

Away from modelling, Willow is also a budding influencer – boasting over 10,000 Instagram followers.

Pixie Curtis

She may still be in school, but that hasn't stopped Roxy Jacenko's daughter Pixie Curtis from achieving more than most adults will manage in their lifetimes. The 11-year-old entrepreneur has a multi-million-dollar toy and accessory empire, owns a $270,000 Mercedes-Benz GL and can retire at 15 – all thanks to her mum making her dreams come true.

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"So, I guess to me the biggest thing is her drive as an entrepreneur. Yes, I've enabled it, but she's still got it, which is for me the most rewarding part,' Roxy said in a joint Stellar interview with Pixie last year.

"You won't need to worry; you can retire at 15 the way you're going."

Roxy added that Pixie will earn $21 million over the next decade.

Billi FitzSimons

At just 24, Lisa Wilkinson and Peter FitzSimons’ daughter Billi has already followed in her famous parent's footsteps and achieved success as a prominent journalist.

Last year, Billi was announced as the editor of social first publication The Daily Aus after starting her career as an editorial assistant at Mamamia in 2018 and then working her way up the ranks as a writer there.

Proving how small the media world is, Mamamia was founded by Mia Freedman, who Billi's mum Lisa Wilkinson famously hired as an intern at Dolly magazine 30 years earlier.

“Thank you, Mum, for paving the way for the next generation and every generation to come. You are a leader and an inspiration for so many,” Billi wrote on Instagram in 2017.

Tammy Hembrow

Tammy Hembrow is known to most as one of Australia's most followed Instagram influencers, but what many people don't realise is she got her first taste of life in the limelight whilst growing up with a famous father.

The 28-year-old is the daughter of Mark Hembrow, an actor, writer, musician, producer and director who has worked in Hollywood. However, Mark proudly says Tammy and her sisters' success has nothing to do with him.

'Well, it's a whole new world... I see you all work hard. And, you're in professions like fashion, fitness with Tammy, Amy being, you know, such a good businesswoman,' he told his daughters in a YouTube video in 2018.

The Hewitts

With Lleyton and Bec Hewitt as parents, the power couple's children were always destined for big things, which became apparent in 2016 when Bec announced their eldest children, son Cruz, 7 at the time, and daughter Mia, then 10, had made their modelling debuts in a campaign together.

Since then, Woman's Day reported last year that Mia is keen to do more modelling and potentially try acting – whilst Cruz has followed in his father's footsteps, winning his first international tennis title in Fiji earlier this year.

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