Is Being a Nepo Baby a Bad Thing? Delilah Belle Hamlin Doesn’t Think So

The internet loves a catchy label, and “nepo baby” might be the buzziest of them all. Scroll any timeline and you’ll see hot takes calling out celeb kids who step into the spotlight with a built-in fan base and famous last name. But does that silver spoon doom them to public scorn—or can it be the start of something authentically their own?

Model-singer Delilah Belle Hamlin, daughter of Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin, tackled the topic head on during her visit to Let’s Not Talk About The Husband. Over an hour of banter, Delilah didn’t run from the label. Instead, she leaned into it, unpacking the perks, the pitfalls, and why hard work still rules. Her candor is a welcome reminder that privilege and hustle can coexist—and that the conversation deserves more nuance than a thumbs-up or thumbs-down.

So, we have no choice but to ask: is being a nepo baby really so bad?

Delilah Hamlin owns the nepo baby label

Delilah wastes no time acknowledging the obvious. She calls the subject “an interesting topic because, obviously, I’m a nepo baby.” Her father tees up the conversation by noting public assumptions that a famous lineage “gives you a leg up,” and Delilah agrees, saying, “let’s be serious: it is going to be easier for someone to break into the industry if their parents are already in the industry.”

A leg up, but staying power is earned

While it’s certainly true that a recognizable last name can land the meeting, the audition, or the runway cast, Delilah is quick to add that “you do have to work hard to stay there.”

Her point echoes stories across Hollywood. Lily Collins parlayed father Phil Collins’ spotlight into Emily in Paris by auditioning like everyone else. Dakota Johnson took her third generation stardom and cemented it with a fearless turn in Fifty Shades of Grey. Maya Hawke traded red carpet baby photos for a scene-stealing role in Stranger Things. And Drew Barrymore, of course, is carrying on a family dynasty that first began in the Vaudeville days. 

Why the nepo baby conversation isn’t all bad

So, why the stink eye every time the term comes up? Delilah believes stigma lingers because peers sometimes assume she can “just have whatever [she] want[s]… if [she] just asks mommy and daddy.” But, she says, that term isn’t applied equally across the board.

Consider Zendaya’s frequent co-star Timothée Chalamet. He attended LaGuardia High with industry parents, yet he became a household name because audiences loved his work. The same goes for Angelina Jolie, who turned an early opportunity into two Oscars and a humanitarian résumé that outshines any family ties. So, legacy might spark interest, but sustained achievement earns respect.

Privilege plus purpose

Inherited access can feel unfair to outsiders grinding for the same dream, but Delilah ’s reflections show the story doesn’t end with a red carpet debut. Privilege opens a door; persistence, professionalism, and personality decide whether it stays open.

So, is being a “nepo baby”’ a bad thing? It depends on what you do with the head start. Delilah treats hers as an invitation to work harder, learn faster, and achieve more, while openly crediting the parents who gave her the opportunity. 

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