Emma Roberts has entered the conversation surrounding the “Nepo Baby” debate, sharing her unique perspective on the topic. As the 33-year-old niece of Julia Roberts and the daughter of actors Eric Roberts and Kelly Cunningham, Emma’s thoughts on the influence of her famous family on her career are particularly insightful.
In a recent interview with Flaunt, Emma revealed that having a well-known family hasn’t always been advantageous. Contrary to what some might assume, she explained that her connections have sometimes hindered her career prospects. “I’ve lost more jobs than I’ve gained from being in the business,” she admitted. “People have opinions, and sometimes maybe they’re not good opinions of people in your family. I’ve never gotten a job because of it, I know I definitely have lost a couple of jobs because of it.”
Despite the challenges, Emma has managed to carve out a successful career for herself. She attributes her achievements not to her family’s fame but to her own hard work and resilience. “Determination and grit,” she cited as key factors. Reflecting on her journey, she added, “I look back, and it’s not that I was the best actress or the prettiest or the smartest. And it never is. You kind of have [that tenacity] or you don’t. And I think that that’s kind of what makes certain people sustain. That’s just what I’ve seen, I’m open to other suggestions.”
Emma’s comments shed light on the complexities of navigating Hollywood with a famous last name. While some might believe that having a well-known family opens doors, Emma’s experience suggests that it can also close them. The preconceived notions and biases of others have, at times, worked against her.
The “Nepo Baby” debate reached a fever pitch last year, particularly with the infamous New York Magazine cover that featured celebrity children depicted on babies’ bodies. Emma had her own take on the viral moment. “It was a cheap shot to put all the celebrity kids on the cover of a magazine on babies’ bodies. It’s like maybe the ‘Nepo Baby’ conversation would’ve been a more interesting article written intelligently in Vanity Fair with nuance, but instead, it was kind of this viral hating-on-people thing,” she remarked.
