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In recent years, the topic of “nepo babies” has sparked widespread discussion, with actress Lily-Rose Depp among the many celebrities labeled with the term.
Lily-Rose, the daughter of A-list actor Johnny Depp and French model and singer Vanessa Paradis, made her acting debut in 2014 in the movie Tusk when she was just 15 years old. She has since starred in several movies and shows, as well as appearing in many modeling campaigns for top brands. In a 2022 interview with Elle, Lily-Rose talked about the topic and said, “I can definitely say that nothing is going to get you the part except for being right for the part.”
She added that so-called “nepo babies” may get their “foot in the door” but they still have to do the work after getting opportunities. Other celebrities who have been accused of having their careers handed to them include models Gigi and Bella Hadid, Dakota Johnson, Willow and Jaden Smith, and Zöe Kravitz, among others. Lily-Rose received backlash after that comment, with many saying that she’s out of touch and doesn’t acknowledge the fact that her status as the child of famous parents has contributed to her career.
In 2023, the actress and model said she became more “careful” about her words following the criticism. She explained how Johnny and Vanessa gave her the most “normal childhood” they could have given her despite their celebrity status, and said she’s aware that what she considers normal isn’t the same as everybody’s version. Now, ahead of the Nosferatu remake, Lily-Rose, who plays the role of Ellen Hunter, has once again spoken out about her critics and her insecurities as a celebrity with famous parents.
She’s determined to succeed
Lily-Rose admitted to struggling with impostor syndrome and questioning herself at times. It comes from the feeling she has that people don’t want to see her succeed in her chosen career.
“I feel like people have been ready to see me fail, in a way, since I was a kid. That has made me only want to work harder and prove people wrong. Not in a vindictive way at all, but just in a sense of, like, fuel to my fire.”
Seeing the work her father Johnny and mother Vanessa did while she was growing up, Lily-Rose is determined to find her own identity that’s separate from being the daughter of her famous parents, especially when some detractors are saying she doesn’t deserve to be where she is. In response to that, Lily-Rose says the only thing she can do is work extra hard and give it her all because she loves what she’s doing.
“If people still want to talk s**t or see me in a certain way, then that’s not my problem. I’ve had to grow into that feeling as well.”
Working with Nosferatu director Robert Eggers was one of Lily-Rose’s dreams, and the director was blown away by her audition via Zoom. “Her audition was shocking, she just totally went for it,” Eggers said. He praised the young actress further by sharing that some of the scenes in the film that many thought were CGI, particularly Lily-Rose’s body contortions, were in fact, all her. Nosferatu — which also stars Bill Skarsgard, Nicholas Hoult, and Willem Dafoe — will be released in theaters on Dec. 25, 2024