Emma Roberts Says Being a Nepo Baby Has Downsides, Too

Another nepo baby has bravely waded into the nepo-baby discourse. According to Emma Roberts — the niece of actress Julia Roberts and daughter of actor Eric Roberts — it’s not as easy to “make it” as the relative of famous people as it looks. In an appearance on the podcast Table for Two, Roberts said she related to Elle Woods in Legally Blonde. “People think you’re one thing and won’t give you a chance to be something else.”

Roberts also shared some more downsides of the nepotism experience. “You have to prove yourself more,” she said. “Also, if people don’t have a good experience, maybe, with other people in your family, then you’ll never get the chance. Everybody loves the overnight-success story, so if you’re not the girl from the middle of nowhere that broke into Hollywood, there’s an eye roll.” Referencing George Clooney’s iconic aunt Rosemary Clooney, she also said the nepo-baby label is more often placed on young girls, but that regardless of gender, she doesn’t think anyone should be called out for “wanting to follow their dream.”

She emphasized that even for nepo babies, it’s not a straight shot to fame and acclaim. “People kind of only see your wins because they only see when you’re on the poster of a movie. They don’t see all the rejection along the way,” she told host Bruce Bozzi. “That’s why I’m always very open about things I’ve auditioned for and haven’t gotten the part for. I think it’s important to talk about, otherwise people just think everything’s been so great and linear and easy, and no, it’s not at all. But, of course, it looks like that to the outside perspective or to the naked eye.”

Roberts’s career started when she was 9 years old with a role in the 2001 film Blow. Last year, in an appearance on Live With Kelly and Mark, she said it was the first role she auditioned for. “I was 9 years old, and I begged my mom to audition,” she said. “I remember the casting director walked me out of my audition. My mom was like, ‘What did you do?’ They’re like, ‘Can she come back tomorrow?’ And my mom’s like, ‘This is not how this was supposed to go.’” But, true to her word, she did go on to recount losing a role in I Am Sam to Dakota Fanning because she was too old for the part.

Personally, I’m just grateful for her contributions to a true work of cinematic excellence, Aquamarine. Still waiting on that sequel, Emma!