Melinda Messenger insisted her daughter is not a nepo baby as she weighed in on the ongoing discourse.
There has been a fierce debate on whether celebrity offspring have been getting an unfair leg up ever since the term nepo baby was coined by a Twitter user in 2022 who was shocked to learn their favourite actress had famous parents.
Taking to Instagram on Tuesday, former Fort Boyard host Melinda, 54, defended daughter Evie, 21, against nepotism claims as she praised the youngster’s ‘beautiful soul’.
She penned: ‘Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts about my daughter Evie ☺️. Just for the record though, she’s not a “nepo baby.” She’s a student, and in her own words, she spends in 20p’s (that’s pence, not pounds).
‘She isn’t a model, though, to be fair she could be if she wanted to, but I am her mum, so I might be a tad biased. More importantly, she’s a beautiful soul inside and out.
‘Evies not in the industry and not an influencer, unless you count influencing about 1,000 followers, which, let’s be honest, is a bit more “micro” than “mega” (no offence Evie).’
Melinda Messenger has insisted that her daughter Evie, 21, is not a nepo baby as she weighed in on the ongoing discourse surrounding celebrity children
Taking to Instagram on Tuesday, former Fort Boyard host Melinda, 54, defended daughter Evie, 21, against nepotism claims as she praised the youngster’s ‘beautiful soul’
Melinda added: ‘That said, for the record, Evie did mention she’s not opposed to being a “nepo baby” she just wouldn’t mind the “nepo pounds” to go with it!
‘Sending love Melinda x #proudmum #justsayin #nepobaby.’
Evie made headlines this week when she posted a sweet birthday message to her mother.
The fresh faced beauty shared a slew of snaps of her famous mum as she paid tribute to her on her birthday, writing: ‘Happy birthday to the best mum ever’.
While nepotism in Hollywood has been around for decades, it wasn’t until recently that the term ‘nepo baby’ took over the web.
New York magazine even proclaimed that 2022 had been the ‘year of the nepo baby’, with examples including Lily-Rose Depp, Kaia Gerber and Dakota Johnson.
Whether they did get special treatment or not, there’s no denying that since the phrase was popularised, more nepo babies than ever have popped up in Hollywood, taking over both the acting and modeling industries.
Mel B’s daughter Phoenix Chi Gulzar recently explored the issues in Channel 4 documentary Born in the Limelight – Nepo Babies: Untold.
Melinda said of her daughter: ‘Evies not in the industry and not an influencer, unless you count influencing about 1,000 followers, which, let’s be honest, is a bit more “micro” than “mega”‘
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As Phoenix Brown says nepo babies face 'so much hate', how life in the limelight is not all rosy
Phoenix, 25, claimed nepo babies have ‘never faced so much hate’ as she opened up about the struggles of having famous parents.
In the documentary, Phoenix warns that the levels of ‘hate’ for nepo babies has never been so high following public obsession with the concept.
She also questions why society has accepted the ‘ultimate nepo baby’ Prince William, while celebrity equivalents, such as Brooklyn Beckham, come under fire.
Speaking to Radio Times amid the documentary’s release, she said: ‘I can’t deny that having Mel B as my mum has opened a few doors.
‘However, there’s been rising anger in recent years with what appears to be more and more children of famous people making it in the entertainment industries.
‘Even when nepo babies are great at their job, they face a backlash fuelled by misunderstanding, jealousy or resentment. The issue has never before sparked so much hate or become so febrile and poisonous.’
In the documentary, she asks: ‘I wonder why society has accepted the ultimate nepo baby in the Royal family but not in the world of celebs?’
‘Nepotism is everywhere, no matter what area you work in. It’s just that the entertainment industry is very visible.
‘It’s clear there is a problem … but we will get nowhere by targeting nepo babies as individuals. We must explore the bigger societal issues.’
She argued that young aristocrats who receive money from trust funds are no different to celebrities’ children – but they manage to avoid scrutiny.
Mel B’s daughter Phoenix Chi Gulzar recently explored the issue of nepotism in Channel 4 documentary Born in the Limelight – Nepo Babies: Untold (pictured in 2022)