Emma Roberts is facing backlash from fans following her assertion that being a “nepo baby” — having Hollywood ties through her renowned actor father, Eric Roberts, and even more illustrious actress aunt, Julia Roberts — ironically led to her losing a few roles, contrary to popular belief.
Critics argue that her remarks on nepotism reveal a striking lack of awareness, with some labeling her perspective as “absurdly disconnected” and “out of touch” with reality. In a Flaunt Magazine interview published last month, the Scream Queens actress, 33, told the outlet: “I’ve lost more jobs than I’ve gained from being in the business.”
Emma Roberts Says Being Considered A 'Nepo Baby' Led To Her Losing 'A Couple Jobs'
Roberts continued: "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."
The Holidate star also made a reference to a 2022 edition of New York Magazine, which showcased a striking image that merged the faces of various celebrity "nepo babies" with those of actual infants. Notably, her own face did not appear in this illustration.
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Fans On TikTok Slam Emma Roberts' Recent Comments On Nepotism
"Should I be offended?" Roberts said. “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.”
Soon after Roberts' comments appeared in the "Via Issue 193, The Gold Standard Issue" of Flaunt Magazine, many fans and critics headed to TikTok to share their thoughts. Beneath one video from creator @popculturebrain about Roberts' recent quotes, one user wrote: "insane take by her." Another replied: "the disconnect is absurd."
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Someone else noted: "the fact that she's even in THE POSITION is because she's a nepo baby." One other added: "she wouldn't have a career in the first place without nepotism. Nepotism is literally the only reason anyone knows who she is." An additional user agreed, sarcastically quipping: "I didn't get picked because of my name for things I was only being considered for because of my name."
Although Roberts has not yet addressed this fresh criticism from fans, this isn't the first occasion she's broached the subject of nepotism and the persistent "nepo baby" debate on social media. This controversy revolves around the children of famous celebrities who, much like her, ascend to starring roles in major blockbusters.
@popculturebrain Emma Roberts says being a nepo baby had the opposite effect of what you’d expect (Source: Deadline, Flaunt, Table for Two podcast) #emmaroberts #nepobaby #juliaroberts #spacecadet #movietok #filmtok ♬ original sound - Alex | Pop Culture Brain
During her recent appearance on Bruce Bozzi's podcast, Table for Two, Roberts delved into the topic of nepotism. The Unfabulous alum highlighted a striking double standard, pointing out that men who benefit from familial connections are frequently regarded as rightful heirs, whereas women in the same position are unjustly criticized.
"Why is no one calling out George Clooney for being a nepo baby?" Roberts asked during her podcast segment last month. She added: "[His aunt] Rosemary Clooney was an icon."
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Roberts continued: "I feel like young girls get it harder with the nepo-baby thing. I don’t really see people calling out sons of famous actors.
She went on: "Not that they should be called that. I don’t think anyone should be called out wanting to follow their dreams. People only see your wins because they only see when you’re on the poster of a movie. They don’t see all the rejection along the way."
