Jamie Lee Curtis Criticizes Controversy Over Nepotism And Defends Work Ethics
Jamie Lee Curtis is the latest critic of the viral child favoritism controversy.
The phrase “kids of nebo,” short for nepotism or the practice of preferring friends and family over careers, gained traction among social media users as they used the term with both fascination and distaste after rising stars learned a helping hand entering show business. The rhetoric broke out again in Vulture’s cover story, “The Year of Nebo’s Baby,” earlier this week.
Curtis, the daughter of Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, has starred in a handful of hit films, launching her acting career at the age of 19 and identifying herself as “OG Nepo Baby” in a lengthy Instagram post on Friday.
“I never understood, nor will I, what qualities made me hire me that day, but from my first two lines at Quincy as a contract player at Universal Studios to my most recent amazing creative year 44 years later, there is not a day in my career that goes by without me I remember being the daughter of movie stars.”
In her post, Curtis, 64, acknowledges the privileges of her parenting, but defends herself from the false assumption that all children of kin are automatically untalented or unworthy of their fame.
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“The current conversation about newborns is only designed to try to diminish, distort and harm,” she says. “I have spent 44 years with the advantages that associated and mirrored fame has brought me, and I do not pretend to be nothing, trying to tell me that I have no value on my own. It is strange how we immediately make assumptions and snide remarks that one person is related to another who is famous in his field With his art, he would somehow not have any talent at all.”
In fighting the stigma, the “Halloween Ends” star describes it as “appropriate and showing up for all different kinds of work with thousands of thousands of people and every day I’ve tried to bring integrity, professionalism, love, community, and art to my work.”
She concludes in her post, saying, “I am not alone.” “There are many of us. Dedicated to our profession. 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 the Oscar Buzz
Along with Curtis, another celebrity offspring slammed the controversial baby nepotism identity. Maude Apatow of Euphoria (daughter of Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann) said the label made her “a little sad” in a September interview because “I’m going to spend my whole life trying to prove myself as an individual.” Rose Depp (daughter of Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis) echoed those sentiments last month.
“People will have preconceived notions about you or how you got there, and I can definitely say that nothing will help you other than being fit for the part,” Depp, who stars in HBO Max’s “The Idol,” said in November.
“You might get your foot in the door, but still get your foot in the door. There’s a lot of work that comes after that.”
Contributing: Elise Briscoe
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