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Keeping it in the family: Britain’s ultimate nepo babies rise to the top
The Guardian
|December 20, 2025
“I don’t like the nepo baby term,” said Kate Winslet in an interview with BBC News last week to promote her directorial debut, Goodbye June - the Christmas movie written by her 21-year-old son that would definitely still have been made had his parents both worked in insurance.
(His dad is Sam Mendes).With this in mind I tip my hat to Rocco Ritchie, who this week posted a photo on social media in which he is seen flanked by his famous parents at the launch of his new art show in London. “It’s obvious why some people might hold judgment against me,” he wrote, gracefully. “I don’t blame them. However, I am proud to be who I am, but I’m even prouder to have both of my parents together in one room supporting me.”
That’s how to do it! Further recognition in this area goes to True Whitaker, daughter of the Oscar-winning actor, Forest Whitaker, currently appearing in the TV show I Love LA as nepo baby, Alani - anepo baby playing anepo baby to such winning and hilarious effect that it entirely neutralises the term nepo baby.
Meanwhile, at the less reality-based end of things, “these kids are not getting a leg up”, insisted Winslet. “There are lots of people in the world whose children go into the family business, whether it’s being a judge or a lawyer or a doctor.” The difference, I guess, is that to become a lawyer or a doctor you still have to study for years, even if your mum sits on the high court. But assuredly you can become Kate Hudson by having no further qualification or apparent aptitude - I don’t know if you saw her in Bride Wars? - than being the child of Goldie Hawn.
This story is from the December 20, 2025 edition of The Guardian.
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