Zooey Deschanel denied being a “nepo baby,” stating that her family connections in the film industry didn’t aid her acting career. Her remark prompted significant backlash on social media, with people highlighting her parents’ notable achievements within the show-biz industry.

The New Girl star recently appeared on The School of Greatness podcast, where she attempted to debunk her speculated privileges in Hollywood.

She told podcast host Lewis Howes: “It’s funny because people be like, ‘Oh, nepotism,’ I’m like, ‘No.'”

“My dad’s a DP [director of photography, another term for cinematographer].

“No one’s getting jobs because their dad’s a DP. It’s definitely not.”

Zooey Deschanel recently denied being a nepo baby despite admitting her father was a cinematographer and her mother was an actress

Image credits: Jamie McCarthy/WireImage

Zooey’s father, Caleb Deschanel, is an American cinematographer and director of film and television who has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography six times.

He is a member of the National Film Preservation Board of the Library of Congress, representing the American Society of Cinematographers.

Caleb has been credited for his photography work in Titanic and The Godfather, as well as being a cinematographer for The Lion King and The Passion of the Christ, in addition to a handful of other accolades.

Zooey did admit that she had benefitted from her family in a creative sense, saying: “My mum is an actor, and my dad is a cinematographer and a director.

“I can’t possibly emphasize enough how much creative help I had from my family unit.

“My dad is a great creative mind and such a talented person. 

“My mum is a great actor and is so nurturing. 

“My mum would coach me when I didn’t have an acting coach, she would help me, read lines with me. She’d be so supportive.”

Image credits: Lewis Howes/The School of Greatness

Mary Jo Deschanel, Zoey’s mother, is an American actress who notably appeared in the 1983 film The Right Stuff and the television series Twin Peaks between 1990 and 1991.

The 44-year-old alleged non-nepo baby continued: “I would have so many great discussions about film and filmmaking with my dad.

“They both would help me.

“My dad would also read lines with me and give directions.

“Then having a sister who’s an actor.

“It just makes you automatically have a community, and how much our communities help us – whether it’s our families or our found communities.”

Zoey’s father, Caleb Deschanel, was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography six times

Image credits: Jesse Grant/Getty Images

Emily Deschanel, Zoey’s older sister, is a famous actress who played Dr. Temperance “Bones” Brennan in the popular crime series Bones from 2005 to 2017.

Zoey’s comments about her family connections in Hollywood sparked some backlash, as a YouTube user wrote: “Her dad was a 6 time Oscar nominated cinematographer.. she most definitely had advantages.. she definitely worked hard to get where she’s at and is a great actor. 

“But don’t be fooled.”

Another person commented: “Imagine saying you had no advantages then explaining all your advantages.”

A separate individual chimed in: “…but she is a nepo baby?”

You can watch Zoey’s controversial statement below:

Image credits: Lewis Howes/The School of Greatness

Nepo baby is short for nepotism baby, which is a term referring to celebrities whose parents have succeeded in the same careers.

The implication is that because their parents already have connections in the industry, the nepo baby has the privilege to use those connections to build a career in that industry.

According to a 2002 article published by The New York Times, Zooey was brought up in Los Angeles, USA, spending her early years on the sets of her father’s films, like The Right Stuff and Being There.

She attended Crossroads, a private Los Angeles prep school, where the high school pals included Hollywood progeny like Jake Gyllenhaal, The Times reported at the time.

Bored Panda has contacted Zoey’s representatives for comment.

Zoey’s claims continued to ignite negative reactions

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