‘F*** that system’: Michaela Coel says nepotism makes her feel ‘defeated’
‘I May Destroy You’ creator said it is ‘hilarious’ that some people believe that having familial connections doesn’t make a difference
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Michaela Coel has made her thoughts clear on nepotism, saying that thinking about the issue too much makes her feel “defeated”.
The writer, director and actor renowned for her groundbreaking 2020 consent dramaI May Destroy You was discussing the topic in light of the recent debate around “nepo babies” – the successful children or relatives of celebrities who have become established in the same industry.
“I don’t think it benefits a creator to think about it too much,” Coel told theEvening Standard in a new interview. “And it certainly doesn’t benefit me because it just makes me angry.”
She added: “If people don’t believe that [being] the child of someone, or the niece or nephew of someone, whatever [that relationship may be], has anything to do with their achievements, then that is hilarious.
“I find that very funny – that is a cute way for you to live, you carry on like that. The rest of us, we can’t think about this too much, because it’s going to make us feel defeated. You have to say, like, ‘F*** that system. I’m going to figure out a way to do my own thing,’ and you can stand adjacent to those people and know how you got there.”
She did caveat her comments with a recognition of how she might change her views if she started a family of her own.
“The other truth is if I continue on my path and have children I’m sure my opinion will evolve somehow,” Coel said.
Noel Gallagher, Tom Hanks and Zoë Kravitz are among the stars who have recently defended nepo babies.
And Hailey Bieber, who was recently labelled a nepo baby by New York Magazine due to her famous relatives and husband, recently made a statement about the title with a white T-shirt emblazoned with the words “nepo baby”.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments