14 Celebs Who Are Only Famous Because Of Their Parents

The American Dream says that no matter who you are, you can achieve your dreams if you just work hard enough. Hollywood, however, knows that isn't true. In Tinsel Town, it's all about having connections, knowing the right people and making sure you're always on good terms with the who's who of show business. Some of the biggest stars in the biz right now got where they are thanks to the best connection you could have: your family. These stars benefit from good old fashioned nepotism - that is to say, they have a set of famous parents. A-list actors, producers, musicians and supermodels have used their many connections to get their kids through the door and head down the same path to stardom. The result is that now the next generation of superstars are all celebs with famous parents. Sometimes we get a real talent like Angelina Jolie (her father is actor Jon Voigt), and sometimes we get a not-so-talented star like Tori Spelling (daughter of legendary TV producer Aaron Spelling). Take a look at 14 young, famous and rising stars who owe all their fame and success to their even more famous and well-connected parents.

14 Gigi & Bella Hadid

It's an inarguable fact that the hottest models on the scene today are the Hadid sisters. The duo have walked Victoria's Secret, posed in the pages of Vogue, been named Model of the Year (Gigi in 2015, Bella in 2016) and dated super famous pop stars (Zayn Malik and The Weeknd, respectively). But where would they be without their well-connected parents? The girls are the offspring of Mohammed Hadid, a millionaire business developer, and Yolanda Hadid, a former model and star of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. I'm sure mom's connections from her modeling days had nothing to do with both sisters getting signed, right? It doesn't help that younger brother Anwar Hadid (16) is about to kick off a modeling career of his own, booking a Teen Vogue cover earlier this year. The Hadids have built themselves a modeling dynasty to much mocking and scorn from the industry: supermodels like Cindy Crawford and Rebecca Romijn have called out Gigi particularly for only getting where she is because of nepotism. Yikes!

13 Hailey Baldwin

Although she may be best known for being Justin Bieber's back-up girlfriend in between Selena break-ups, Hailey Baldwin is actually a successful model in her own right. Unfortunately, it seems like all the hot young models these days are only where they are because of their celebrity parents! The name Baldwin is pretty familiar, no? The acting family has been in Hollywood for decades, and Hailey's dad Stephen is one of the more successful of the Baldwin brothers. Her cousin Ireland Baldwin is another one benefitting from the family name - the daughter of Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger is also a model, surprise surprise. Hailey has been walking runways all across the globe for brands like Guess, Dolce & Gabbana, and Ellie Saab, while Ireland is currently the face of True Religion jeans. I wonder when the daughters of Daniel and Billy Baldwin will be making their runway debuts?

12 Dakota Johnson

When they first announced the super successful book series 50 Shades of Grey would be turned into films, fans were eager to see who would be cast as lead Anastasia Steele. Names like Kristen Stewart, future Oscar winner Alicia Vikander, and Oscar nominee Shailene Woodley were all up for the part, but in the end, it went a relative unknown: Dakota Johnson. Well, she was unknown to the public, at least, but Dakota is from a Hollywood dynasty. Her parents are Melanie Griffiths and Don Johnson, and her maternal grandparents are Tippi Hedren and Peter Griffiths. Just to recap: Mom's an Oscar-nominated actress, dad starred in a hit TV show for decades, grandma is Old Hollywood royalty and grandad was a Broadway star. It's no wonder Dakota was able to land such a sweet, career-making gig, even with only minor roles in The Social Network and 21 Jump Street on her resume.

11 Georgia May Jagger

When dad's one of the biggest rock stars in the world, and mom was a supermodel and fashion icon for decades, it's not hard to translate that into a modeling career of your own. Georgia May Jagger has been the face of beauty brand Rimmel for years (thanks to inheriting her dad's famous pout!) and has also modeled for fashion lines like Chanel, H&M, Miu Miu, Versace and Vivienne Westwood. In 2014 she was chosen to promote Thierry Mugler's perfume Angel, 19 years after her mom was the face of the fragrance. Georgia May even got a chance to in the Olympics! In the 2012 London Olympic Closing Ceremonies, Georgia May joined Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Lily Donaldson and Jourdan Dunn in a tribute to British fashion. None of the other models walking that Olympic runway had famous parents - wonder if they felt Georgia May Jagger really earned her spot?

10 Jaden & Willow Smith

One of the most famous cases of Hollywood nepotism is the Smith kids. Will Smith is a superstar actor and musician who was one of the most successful stars of the 90s and 2000s, thanks to his TV show The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, movies like Men in Black and Independence Day, and hot songs like “Miami” and “Just The Two Of Us.” He and actress wife Jada Pinkett-Smith are doing their best to make sure their kids, Jaden and Willow, follow in their celebrity footsteps. Willow released her first album at the age of 10, which featured the song “Whip My Hair,” after a few small acting roles in films like I Am Legend (starring her dad, of course). Jaden Smith went straight into movies, starring opposite his dad (of course) in The Pursuit of Happyness and the massive flop After Earth. Jaden's managing to finally prove his chops, at least, on the Netflix show The Get Down.

9 Lily-Rose Depp

Johnny Depp's daughter is only 17, but she's already benefitting from his fame. She started modeling at age 15, and one of her first gigs was for the brand Chanel - forget about starting small! Lily-Rose is also pursuing an acting career. She made her debut in the Kevin Smith film Tusk, alongside her friend (and Kevin Smith's daughter) Harley Quinn Smith. Her dad Johnny Depp also had a significant role in the movie. The sequel, Yoga Hosers, has upgraded Harley and Lily-Rose to the main stars, and they're also set to appear in the sequel to that, Moose Jaws. She's also managed to book films opposite stars like Natalia Portman, and with world premieres at the prestigious Cannes and Venice film festivals. Not bad for a teenager with no formal training! It seems to be just a few of the perks of having a world famous actor for a father.

8 Domhnall Gleeson

Domhnall Gleeson has had a big few years: last year he appeared in three Oscar-nominated films (Ex Machina, The Revenant, and Brooklyn), as well as joining the new Star Wars series in The Force Awakens. The actor's got an impressive resume to his name already - but it's nothing on his dad's. Brendan Gleeson is a well known and respected Irish actor with Emmy, Golden Globe and BAFTA awards and nominations to his name. Brendan's been in major films like Cold Mountain, Gangs of New York and Braveheart, not to mention his turn as Mad-Eye Moody in the Harry Potter series - a film franchise where his son Domhnall also appeared as Bill Weasely. Domhnall's actually a pretty talented actor in his own right (he's been nominated for a Tony!), but there's no denying his actor dad has helped him a lot in his career. There's another actor Gleeson in the family as well: brother Brian acts mostly on the stage, and all three have performed together multiple times.

7 Scott Eastwood

Scott Eastwood, the youngest son of actor Clint Eastwood, knew that he'd be getting accusations of nepotism throughout his acting career since his dad is a four-time Oscar-winning actor and director. Scott decided to go by his mother's maiden name Reeves when he first started acting, but considering some of his early roles were in his dad's films Flags of Our Fathers and Gran Torino, the whole Reeves last name thing wasn't really necessary. Scott's breakout film came later in 2015 with The Longest Ride, where he not only fully embraced the Eastwood name, but also channeled his dad's most famous roles by playing a cowboy. Scott has also signed on for multiple action series, from a small role in last summer's Suicide Squad to joining the upcoming Fast and the Furious and Pacific Rim sequels. And no, he won't be going by Scott Reeves again anytime soon.

6 Alexander Ludwig

Vikings actor Alexander Ludwig was destined for this business in a big way: his mom was an actress in the 80s and 90s, and his dad is co-chairman of the board for one of the biggest movie studios in Hollywood. Talk about connections! Alexander's father, Harald Horst Ludwig, is one of the top dogs at Lions Gate Entertainment, which includes studios Summit Entertainment and Roadside Attractions. Lions Gate is behind major movie franchises like Twilight, The Expendables, the Divergent series and The Hunger Games films… where Alexander was cast as Cato, an adversary to Katniss in the first film. This was a breakout role for Alexander, winning the MTV Movie Award for Best Fight along with Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson, as well as the Teen Choice Award for Best Villain. Are we really supposed to believe his dad's influence and family name had no impact on how he got the role? Don't think so.

5 Kristen Stewart

Kristen Stewart is a star who's had a lot of detractors, with people thinking she's a talentless or one-note actress. Those nay-sayers won't be surprised to hear her parents have been in show business for a long time, and might be the reason their daughter has such an illustrious career. While neither of her parents are actors, they're both long time industry professionals. Her mom, Jules, is a script supervisor and editor who has worked on TV shows like The Practice and The Sarah Silverman Program, as well as blockbuster movies like XXX and Crank. Meanwhile, Kristen's dad is a stage manager who has worked the Oscars telecast and red carpet countdowns for years. Having Hollywood insiders might have helped the actress get her foot in the door, but the fame, critically-acclaimed performances, and recent awards are all her. Sorry to the haters, looks like she's sticking around.

4 Zoe Kazan

Actress and writer Zoe Kazan has slowly been building a name for herself over the past few years, acting in indie films like What If, My Blind Brother, and The Monster, plus writing and starring in Ruby Sparks with her real-life boyfriend, Paul Dano. Zoe's following in the family business: both of her parents are Oscar-nominated screenwriters! Her dad wrote the film Reversal of Fortune, and her mom wrote both The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Memoirs of a Geisha. If a pair of successful screenwriter parents isn't enough of a boost for an up and coming writer/actress, she can also fall back on her grandfather's connections: Elia Kazan is Old Hollywood royalty, having directed On The Waterfront, East of Eden and A Streetcar Named Desire. Elia Kazan won the Oscar for Best Director twice, plus three Tony Awards, and four Golden Globes in his illustrious career. Hearing the Kazan name is a big deal in Hollywood, and it's certainly helped Zoe get where she is today.

3 Katherine Waterston

Did Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them star Katherine Waterston look familiar to anyone else? Maybe it's because the 36-year-old actress bears a strong resemblance to her famous actor dad, Sam Waterston. Sam is an Oscar-nominated actor who has been working in Hollywood and on Broadway for decades, but perhaps he is best known for his role as lawyer Jack McCoy on the long-running show Law & Order. Sam has worked with some of the best actors, playwrights, and directors working in the biz, and his daughter's career is surely benefitting from his insight. Katherine is taking after her dear old dad with a career on Broadway before transitioning to movies with supporting roles in prestigious films like Michael Clayton and Inherent Vice. Katherine's career is still growing, and aside from her foray into the Harry Potter universe, she's also joining another franchise with a role in Alien: Covenant coming in 2017.

2 Cara Delevingne

Cara Delevingne is a British model who's already managed to elevate her career to astronomical levels. She's walked in fashion shows around the world for brands like Burberry, Mulberry, Dolce & Gabbana, and Jason Wu. Now, Cara's moving into the acting world with appearances in films like the teen drama Paper Towns and the massive blockbuster Suicide Squad. How'd she manage to do it all? Well, she's got striking good looks on her side, but also a wealthy and well-connected family. Her dad is a successful property manager, and her grandparents were newspaper and media moguls. Her best connections, however, come from her godparents: actress Joan Collins and Condé Nast International president Nicholas Coleridge. Condé Nast is a major media company that owns magazines like Allure, GQ, Vanity Fair, W, and Vogue. Cara's first ever photo shoot was for Vogue Italia, which is either a wacky coincidence or proof that she used her family connections to kick start her career.

1 Eve Hewson

25-year-old Irish actress Eve Hewson is the daughter of U2's Bono, a fact that is less surprising when you realize her full name is Memphis Eve Sunny Day Hewson. Eve started acting in 2011 and has appeared in indie films like The 27 Club, about a musician that dies young, and This Must Be The Place, about an aging rock star becoming bored with retirement. Eve's certainly got a lot of experience with rock stars, and her insider knowledge and famous dad must have helped her with these roles! More recently, Eve has appeared in Bridge of Spies opposite Tom Hanks, and on the Cinemax show The Knick. Eve is the only one of Bono's four kids to join show business, as her siblings have all opted to stay out of the public eye - for now, anyway! They could end up being another celebrity family dynasty one day.