Zooey Deschanel, Daughter Of 6-Time Oscar Nominee, Weighs In On Nepo Baby Debate

Zooey Deschanel is the daughter of a six-time Oscar nominee, but she still doesn’t quite believe that makes her a nepo baby.

“It’s funny because people are like, ‘Oh, nepotism,’” the “New Girl” star said on an episode of “The School of Greatness” podcast with Lewis Howes last month. “I’m like, ‘No.’ My dad’s a DP [director of photography]. No one’s getting jobs because their dad’s a DP.”

Despite Deschanel’s denial, she comes from a very famous family. Her father, cinematographer Caleb Deschanel, has been nominated for six Academy Awards over the years.

Her mother, Mary Jo Deschanel, appeared on the cult hit show “Twin Peaks” and in the movie “The Patriot.” And her older sister, Emily Deschanel, is best known for starring on the Fox drama show “Bones.”

Still, Zooey Deschanel did admit that she “can’t possibly emphasize enough how much creative help I had from my family unit.”

“My dad is a great creative mind and like, such a talented person. So incredible. Like, knows everything about film,” she said on the podcast. “My mom is a great actor and is so nurturing. My mom would coach me — like, when I didn’t have an acting coach, she would coach me, she would help me, read lines with me. She’d be so supportive.”

“I’d have so many great discussions about film and filmmaking with my dad. They both would help me so much. My dad would also read lines with me and give direction,” she continued. “And then having a sister who’s an actor. It just makes you automatically have a community… that’s so important to keeping going.”

“Nepotism babies,” often shortened to “nepo babies,” has become a term to describe the children of industry insiders who benefit from their parents’ fame or connections. And although some, including Kate