Actresses You Didn’t Know Were Nepo Babies
Hollywood has always been a family business, and that’s not new. What is new is how openly people now talk about it—how a famous last name can open a door, and how second-generation performers navigate the expectations that come with it. Plenty of actors still grind and study and audition for years; some just happen to do it with a parent who’s been on the call sheet before.
Below is a fact-checked tour through 15 actresses with notable family ties. For each, you’ll see who their parents are and a quick snapshot of how their careers took shape—so you can connect the dots between the family tree and the filmography.
Jamie Lee Curtis
Jamie Lee Curtis is the daughter of actors Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh; her early life and parentage are documented in major profiles and reference entries.
Curtis became widely known through ‘Halloween’ and later starred in titles including ‘True Lies’ and ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’. She publicly embraced the “nepo baby” label in a SAG Awards speech acknowledging her parents.
Dakota Johnson
Dakota Johnson is the daughter of actors Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith and the granddaughter of Tippi Hedren; she first appeared on screen in ‘Crazy in Alabama’, directed by then-stepfather Antonio Banderas.
She later showed up in ‘The Social Network’ and led the ‘Fifty Shades’ films, building a steady résumé across studio and indie projects.
Riley Keough
Riley Keough is the daughter of Lisa Marie Presley and Danny Keough and the eldest grandchild of Elvis and Priscilla Presley.
She moved from modeling to acting with roles in ‘The Runaways’, ‘Magic Mike’, and ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’, establishing her own career beyond the Presley legacy.
Zoë Kravitz
Zoë Kravitz is the daughter of musician Lenny Kravitz and actress Lisa Bonet; her upbringing between her parents is covered in bios and interviews.
Her credits span ‘Big Little Lies’, ‘High Fidelity’, and ‘The Batman’, with recent coverage also touching on family decisions during her childhood.
Maya Hawke
Maya Hawke is the daughter of Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke; she has spoken directly about the “nepo baby” conversation in recent interviews.
Hawke broke out on ‘Stranger Things’ and has since worked in films and music, including collaborations with her father on ‘Wildcat’.
Maude Apatow
Maude Apatow is the daughter of filmmaker Judd Apatow and actress Leslie Mann; her early appearances included playing her mother’s daughter in her father’s films.
She went on to roles independent of her parents, most prominently as Lexi in ‘Euphoria’, while continuing film and stage work.
Margaret Qualley
Margaret Qualley is the daughter of actress Andie MacDowell and former model Paul Qualley; profiles outline her family background and dance training before acting.
Her work includes ‘The Leftovers’, ‘Fosse/Verdon’, and ‘Maid’, alongside film roles that broadened her range across auteurs and genre pieces.
Bryce Dallas Howard
Bryce Dallas Howard is the eldest child of director-actor Ron Howard and Cheryl Howard; she has described growing up on sets in interviews.
Howard starred in films like ‘The Village’ and ‘Jurassic World’ and has directed episodes of ‘The Mandalorian’, with ongoing coverage noting her family’s filmmaking roots.
Kate Hudson
Kate Hudson is the daughter of actress Goldie Hawn and singer Bill Hudson and was raised primarily by Hawn and longtime partner Kurt Russell.
Her breakout in ‘Almost Famous’ led to a long run of film and TV roles, with profiles often framing her career within the Hawn-Hudson-Russell family.
Lily Collins
Lily Collins is the daughter of musician Phil Collins and Jill Tavelman; biographical coverage tracks her childhood split between the U.K. and Los Angeles.
She moved from early supporting roles to leading parts in projects like ‘Mirror Mirror’ and the series ‘Emily in Paris’, while continuing film and producing work.
Billie Lourd
Billie Lourd is the daughter of actress Carrie Fisher and talent executive Bryan Lourd and the granddaughter of Debbie Reynolds.
Her screen work includes ‘Scream Queens’, ‘American Horror Story’, and the ‘Star Wars’ sequel trilogy, frequently discussed in the context of her family’s multigenerational Hollywood ties.
Eve Hewson
Eve Hewson—born Memphis Eve Sunnyday Iris Hewson—is the daughter of U2 singer Bono and activist Ali Hewson.
Hewson’s roles span ‘The Knick’, ‘Bad Sisters’, and ‘Flora and Son’, with recent coverage noting her steady move from indie projects to high-profile streaming titles.
Allison Williams
Allison Williams is the daughter of journalist Brian Williams and TV producer Jane Stoddard Williams; both parentage and early biography are well documented.
Williams gained attention with ‘Girls’ and continued with films like ‘Get Out’ and ‘M3GAN’, with reporting often situating her media-industry upbringing alongside her acting and producing credits.
Tracee Ellis Ross
Tracee Ellis Ross is the daughter of singer Diana Ross and music executive Robert Ellis Silberstein; standard references outline her family background.
Ross led ‘Girlfriends’ and ‘Black-ish’ and has expanded into producing and business, with profiles frequently noting the Motown connection in her family history.
Sosie Bacon
Sosie Bacon is the daughter of actors Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick; her first role was in ‘Loverboy’, and she later appeared on ‘The Closer’.
As an adult, Bacon has appeared in ‘13 Reasons Why’, ‘Mare of Easttown’, and the horror hit ‘Smile’, with biographies tracking her path from family-adjacent projects to broader work.
Tell us which names surprised you—or who else belongs on this list—in the comments!
