Phoenix Chi Gulzar, 25, has made a Channel 4 documentary called Born in the Limelight: Nepo Babies.
In the programme she asks why Brooklyn, the son of David and Victoria Beckham, is pilloried for having career opportunities handed to him on a plate, while Prince William, whom she describes as “the most famous aristo nepo”, is not.
“I wonder why society has accepted the ultimate nepo baby in the royal family but not in the world of celebrities?” she asks.
The documentary includes analysis of social media posts about the two men, finding that 51% of references to Beckham’s career are negative compared with 35% of those about the Prince’s endeavours.
Beckham’s varied career includes working as a model, photographer and chef. He hosted an online cookery programme which reportedly required a team of 62 to film him making a sandwich. The 25-year-old currently describes himself as an “entrepreneur” and recently launched a company selling organic hot sauce for £29 (NZ$64).
The Prince spent two years working as a pilot for the East Anglian Air Ambulance service after serving in the RAF, before stepping down to concentrate on royal duties and charity work.
The Beckhams’ middle son, Cruz, 19, gave a bizarre response recently to jibes about his “nepo baby” status. The aspiring musician shared a taster of his new song on Instagram on Christmas Day and wrote: “Jesus was also a nepo baby.” He later deleted the comment.
Gulzar, a DJ and entrepreneur, is the daughter of Melanie Brown and her first husband, Jimmy Gulzar, who was a dancer with the Spice Girls. She argues in the programme that young aristocrats who receive money from trust funds are no different to the children of celebrities, but they avoid criticism by going under the radar.
Brooklyn Beckham is often criticised for his creative endeavours, from cooking to photography.
She meets Ollie Williams, a former Love Island contestant whose ancestors bore the title of Viscount Clifden, who explains to her the difference between old money and new money.
“You won’t always see the private jets and the helicopters and the Ferraris,” he says of the aristocracy. “You’re more likely to see tractors and old Land Rovers and labradors.”
Of the 90 or so nepo babies whom Gulzar approached to appear in the documentary only one – Jack Keating, 25, son of Boyzone star Ronan – agreed to take part.
Asked about his experiences of having a famous father, Keating said he was so used to travelling by private jet as a young child that the first time he went on a commercial flight he asked: “Dad, how come there are other people on our plane?”
He now works as a radio presenter and admitted that he was helped into the industry by his father’s connections. But he said he would not have sustained a career without talent.
Ciaran Keating (left), Jack Keating and Ronan Keating. Photo / Instagram
Gulzar said she was “working towards being a successful DJ and presenter” but “can’t deny that having Mel B as my mum has opened a few doors”.
She told Radio Times that the discourse around the children of celebrities had become “toxic”, “febrile” and “poisonous”.
“Even when nepo babies are great at their job – and many are – they face a backlash fuelled by misunderstanding, jealousy or resentment,” she said.
“To make this film, I had to put myself out there and face any criticism that might come my way. That was scary. I’m honest about the fact that nobody would be interested in what I have to say if it wasn’t for my mum.
“Nepo babes must acknowledge that we’re handed opportunities faster than most people … [But] nepotism is everywhere, no matter what area you work in. It’s just that the entertainment industry is very visible.”
In the documentary, Gulzar conducts an experiment in which she launches herself as an artist producing “deliberately terrible paintings”. Her debut show attracts press attention and celebrity guests, while an art valuer praises her talents and the works sell for more than £2000 (NZ$4429) each.
She and a recent Slade School of Art graduate, Betty Ogun, sent near-identical cover letters to prominent figures in the art world, asking for internships. Gulzar, who mentioned her famous mother in the letter, received several replies while Ogun received none.
Children of the rich and famous
Apple Martin
Apple Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow. Photo / @gwynethpaltrow
Parents: Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin
Karl Lagerfeld reportedly declared that Apple, 20, would be a “Chanel girl” after meeting her when she was 4 years old. By the age of 18 she had bagged a front row spot at Chanel’s couture show at Paris Fashion Week. She recently took the limelight at a debutantes’ ball in Paris, wearing custom-made Valentino.
Paltrow has criticised the nepo baby label, saying: “Nobody rips on a kid who’s like, ‘I want to be a doctor like my dad’.”
David Beckham, Victoria, Nicola Peltz and Brooklyn Beckham. Photo / Instagram
Parents: Victoria and David Beckham
Model, photographer, chef – is there no end to Brooklyn’s talents? The Beckhams’ precious firstborn, 25, has tried his best to launch several careers. His cookery guides included assembling a bacon, sausage and fried egg sandwich.
Acknowledging his nepo baby status, Brooklyn has said: “Obviously I am one. But I couldn’t help how I was born.”
Dakota Johnson
Dakota Johnson is the daughter of Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson. Photo / Youtube, @Architectural Digest
Parents: Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson
Johnson, 35, has forged a successful acting career with high-profile roles including Anastasia Steele in the Fifty Shades of Grey franchise. She has said that dad Don Johnson refused to give her an allowance when she started out in the business, but her mother “was the nice one” and helped her out when she couldn’t afford groceries.
She has called the nepo baby tag “incredibly annoying and boring”.
Lily Allen says the term "nepo baby" is sexist. Photo / YouTube @archdigest
Parents: Alison Owen and Keith Allen
The singer-songwriter, 39, currently co-hosting a hit podcast with lifelong friend Miquita Oliver, has claimed that nepo baby is a sexist term used mostly about women. She says it is never used about her brother, Game of Thrones actor Alfie Allen.
“It’s meant to be infantilising,” she said. “I actually don’t mind the nepotism thing, it’s the ‘baby’ that annoys me. I’m 40 years old nearly.”
Anais Gallagher
Parents: Meg Mathews and Noel Gallagher
The daughter of Oasis star Noel is a model, photographer and social media star. Anais, 24, admits it would be “tone deaf” not to acknowledge her privilege and is in on the joke: she was spotted driving a Mini Cooper with the bumper stick “Nepo Baby on Board”.
Her father hired her to make a video series about the making of his fourth album, saying: “It’s human to help your children,” but insisted that she was a talented director.
