Jamie Lee Curtis, 'OG Nepo Baby,' says the label is designed to 'diminish' and 'hurt'
Jamie Lee Curtis is the latest critic of the viral nepotism baby debate.
"Nepo babies," short for nepotism or the practice of favoring friends and family for jobs, has gained traction among social media users as they've used the term with both fascination and repulsion after learning up-and-coming stars might've had a helping hand in entering show business. The discourse was sparked once again in Vulture's cover story, "The Year of the Nepo Baby," earlier this week.
Curtis, the daughter of Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, has starred in an array of successful films, starting her acting career at the age of 19 and identifying herself as an "OG Nepo Baby" in a lengthy Instagram post Friday.
"I've never understood, nor will I, what qualities got me hired that day, but since my first two lines on Quincy as a contract player at Universal Studios to this last spectacular creative year some 44 years later, there's not a day in my professional life that goes by without my being reminded that I am the daughter of movie stars."
In her post, Curtis, 64, acknowledged the privileges of her upbringing, but defends herself from false assumptions that all nepotism babies are automatically untalented or undeserving of their fame.
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"The current conversation about nepo babies is just designed to try to diminish and denigrate and hurt," she says. "I have navigated 44 years with the advantages my associated and reflected fame brought me, I don't pretend there aren't any, that try to tell me that I have no value on my own. It's curious how we immediately make assumptions and snide remarks that someone related to someone else who is famous in their field for their art, would somehow have no talent whatsoever."
Fighting back against the stigma, the "Halloween Ends" star describes having "suited up and shown up for all different kinds of work with thousands of thousands of people and every day I've tried to bring integrity and professionalism and love and community and art to my work."
"I am not alone," she concludes in her post. "There are many of us. Dedicated to our craft. Proud of our lineage. Strong in our belief in our right to exist."
More: Jamie Lee Curtis says goodbye to 'Halloween Ends' and hello to Oscar buzz
Along with Curtis, other famous offspring have criticized the controversial nepotism baby identity. "Euphoria" 's Maude Apatow (daughter of Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann) said the label made her a "little sad" in a September interview because “I’m gonna spend my whole life trying to prove myself as an individual." Lily Rose Depp (daughter of Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis) echoed these sentiments last month.
“People are going to have preconceived ideas about you or how you got there, and I can definitely say that nothing is going to get you the part except for being right for the part,” Depp, who is starring in HBO Max's "The Idol," said in November.
"Maybe you get your foot in the door, but you still just have your foot in the door. There’s a lot of work that comes after that.”
Contributing: Elise Brisco
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jamie Lee Curtis criticizes nepotism baby debate, defends work ethic