Meriem Derradji couldn’t help but feel a twinge of betrayal when she discovered that one of her favorite actresses on “Euphoria” was not the self-made up-and-comer she thought her to be.
“She seemed like a regular girl,” said Ms. Derradji, 24, who works in technical support in Montreal. Except for one thing: Her parents, Leslie Mann and Judd Apatow, are Hollywood stalwarts.
In other words, Maude Apatow is a “nepotism baby.”
For centuries, children born into rich, famous and otherwise powerful families have had a leg up in life, inheriting monarchies, business empires, wealth and star power. In some cases they’ve surpassed their parents’ status. This is what most parents wish for their children. It’s also often how power works, especially in Hollywood.
Now, a new generation is finding out that their favorite celebrities, talented as they may be, have benefited from a system that is not strictly meritocratic.