Emma Roberts says nepotism caused her to lose jobs in Hollywood

Emma Roberts has suggested that her family's connections in Hollywood have been more of a hindrance than a help to her career, addressing the ongoing discussion about "nepo babies."

In a recent interview with Flaunt magazine, the 33-year-old “Nancy Drew” actress stated that she has “never gotten a job” because of her famous father, Eric Roberts, or her aunt, Julia Roberts. Instead, she mentioned that their reputations have caused her to miss out on numerous opportunities.

“People have opinions and sometimes maybe they’re not good opinions of people in your family. I’ve never gotten a job because of it, I know I definitely have lost a couple of jobs because of it,” she shared with the publication. “I’ve lost more jobs than I’ve gained from being in the business.”

She also criticized New York Magazine's 2022 "Nepo Baby" feature, describing it as “a cheap shot to put all the celebrity kids on the cover of a magazine on babies’ bodies, … it was kind of this viral hating-on-people thing.”

In a previous interview on Bruce Bozzi's "Table for Two podcast," Roberts criticized what she perceived as a double standard in how women are portrayed in discussions about Hollywood nepotism.

“I always joke, ‘Why is no one calling out George Clooney for being a nepo baby? [His aunt] Rosemary Clooney was an icon,'” she told the hosts.

The star of "Scream 4" also highlighted the other side of being connected to famous celebrities: “There’s two sides of the coin. People like to say, ‘You have a leg up because you have family in the industry,’ but then the other side to that is, you have to prove yourself more.”

Roberts herself rose to prominence at the age of 13 when she landed a role in the 2004 Nickelodeon series "Unfabulous." She also appeared alongside her aunt, Julia Roberts, in the romantic comedy "Valentine's Day" (2010)