Zooey Deschanel refuses to accept the label of “nepo baby,” despite her upbringing in a family entrenched in the entertainment industry.
The actress is renowned for her roles in notable comedies such as the Christmas classic “Elf,” the 2008 film “Yes Man,” and the popular FOX series “New Girl.”
Zooey, who is now 44 years old, has a family deeply involved in film and television. Her sister, Emily Deschanel, is known for her roles in the FOX series “Bones” and Netflix’s “The Devil in Ohio.” Their father, Caleb Deschanel, is a cinematographer with six Oscar nominations, and their mother, Mary Jo Deschanel, appeared in “Twin Peaks.”
The term “nepo baby” refers to someone who achieves success or opportunities through family connections, typically being the offspring of famous parents.
In an April episode of Lewis Howes’ podcast “The School of Greatness,” Zooey addressed these claims, stating she received “creative help” from her family, but still took a stand against the idea that her success was due to nepotism.
The actress, also a musician, discussed how she was allowed to pursue acting more seriously at age 16 once she could drive herself to auditions and get an agent. She emphasized that her pursuit of acting was bolstered by the “creative help” she received from her family.
Zooey mentioned to Howes, “I’m like no, my dad’s a Director of Photography (DP) like no one’s getting jobs because their dad’s a DP… definitely not.”
She did acknowledge that her father’s expertise in film and his creative talent were instrumental in her honing her skills, as he helped her with practicing lines.
Additionally, she praised her mother as a “great actor” who provided nurturing support and coaching when she didn’t have an acting coach. “They both would help me so much,” she said.
Despite Zooey’s assertions, many on social media remain skeptical of her stance on nepotism.
One user on X remarked, “Denial is not just a river in Egypt.”
Another user voiced, “There’s nothing wrong with being a nepo baby, especially when you’re talented but don’t act like your parents didn’t put you in a better position to succeed than others due to their connections in the industry.”
Conversely, a third individual commented, “People really only care about nepotism when the child has clearly no skills to back up why they got that job. She is a good actor and so is her sister. People are just jealous.”
Lastly, another user stated, “Nepo baby aside, she did well carrying her weight with her acting skills.”