Australia’s famous nepo babies: Robert and Bindi Irwin, Christian Wilkins, Sunday Rose Kidman
Meet the young Aussies who are making a huge name for themselves, but are they being bankrolled by Mum and Dad or making it on their own merit. SEE THE VIDEO.
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America may be teeming with nepo babies like Patrick Schwarzenegger, Kaia Gerber and John David Washington – kids of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Cindy Crawford and Denzel Washington respectively – but Australia has its fair share too.
‘Nepo’ babies, which is short for ‘nepotism’ babies, are children of famous, wealthy or powerful people (sometimes all three) who have either followed in their parents’ career footsteps or acquired status through their well-known family.
While the term nepo baby is usually seen as derogatory because there is an assumption the person used their connections to break into the industry or be provided an opportunity, that doesn’t mean they aren’t talented in their own right or that they don’t work hard.
Here are some of Australia’s most famous nepo babies and what they’re known for.
ROBERT AND BINDI IRWIN
The children of Steve and Terri Irwin have not only followed in their late father’s footsteps as conservators of the Australia Zoo and an obvious love for animals, but they’ve inherited his on-screen charisma as well.
Robert, 21, is the co-host of reality show I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! alongside Julia Morris, and has made several appearances on American screens over the years.
He also broke the internet after modelling for Bonds.
Like his sister Bindi, 27, Robert will be appearing on the US version of Dancing With The Stars.
You may remember Bindi and her partner Derek Hough won season 21 of US Dancing with the Stars back in 2015. Bindi was only 17 at the time.
She has also written several books, and acted in film and television.
The only question is: Will Bindi’s four-year-old daughter Grace follow in her famous mum’s footsteps?
Crikey, you’d better believe it.
PIXIE CURTIS
The daughter of public relations maven Roxy Jacenko and husband Oliver Curtis actually retired at the ripe young age of 11.
Now 13, Pixie Curtis has been an influencer and public figure since she was a toddler, with Jacenko starting an Instagram account for her when Pixie was just three years old.
According to the AFR, the enterprising teen was making $85K a year from social media advertisements before retiring in February 2023.
She also closed down her successful multimillion-dollar accessories company, Pixie’s Bows, and her fidget spinner business, Pixie’s Fidgets.
Jacenko, who has been criticised for allowing Pixie to have such a public profile on social media, expressed regret to the AFR.
“As a parent who started with social media before seeing the effects of it, I now look at what I did very differently,” she said.
She welcomed the government’s social media ban for those under 16 years of age, saying, “With or without social media kids can be cruel – we as parents have a lot of work to do in order to teach our kids to be kind, accepting and inclusive.”
SUNDAY ROSE KIDMAN-URBAN
At just 16 years old, Sunday Rose Kidman-Urban – the eldest daughter of Aussie favourites Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban – has the kind of modelling career that up-and-comers could only dream of.
Sunday Rose made her runway debut at Paris Fashion Week in October last year, opening the Miu Miu Paris Womenswear Spring-Summer 2025 collection.
While many people on social media have been particularly critical of her career opportunities due to perceived favouritism, both her mum and dad have cheered her on, saying they are proud of their daughter.
Earlier this year, the teen landed another major campaign, once again with Italian luxury brand Miu Miu, becoming the face of the brand’s Spring/Summer 2025 ‘Duets’ campaign.
She also recently appeared in a promotion for Swiss luxury watch brand, Omega. Nicole has been a brand ambassador for Omega since 2005.
LUCIA HAWLEY
Staying within the Kidman family, Nicole’s niece Lucia Hawley, 27, already has the coveted role of entertainment reporter under her belt.
The daughter of Antonia Kidman and late businessman Angus Hawley was a red carpet reporter for Live From E! on 7Bravo for two years, and is now turning her sights to journalism like her mother.
She joked that she had not inherited her famous aunt’s acting skills and therefore had to opt for journalism instead.
“I wish I had that talent. I feel like that would have made things really great if I was an amazing actress, but unfortunately I have chosen a much, less lower paying profession,” she told The Daily Telegraph.
Earlier in the year, Lucia took to Instagram to explain why she quit the Bravo role.
“At the tail end of 2024, I experienced quite a few significant life changes, the main two being that I lost my grandma and left my role in TV,” she wrote.
“The culmination of these events sparked a massive desire for change in my life – a longing for something different. As many of you know, I spent the past two years working as an entertainment reporter – a job I had pined for throughout my adolescence.
“The experience opened up amazing opportunities, and I made friends for life with some of my colleagues. However, the work – while glamorous and exciting – did not completely fulfil me.”
Lucia writes regularly on her Substack and has now moved to London to pursue a journalism career.
CHRISTIAN WILKINS
Christian Wilkins has never shied away from his famous surname.
The 29-year-old son of veteran TV entertainment reporter Richard Wilkins said he is very close to his dad but would also like to step out from his shadow.
“I think people look at me and are like, ‘Oh, there actually is a place for him as an individual.’ It’s not just being someone’s son. I have something to provide for myself and I think that is really exciting. I find that very rewarding,” he told Stellar.
Since bursting out on the media landscape, Christian has made a name for himself as a model, actor, reality TV star, influencer and queer advocate.
His individual sense of style and refusal to conform to gender norms has also made him a favourite fashionista.
After moving to the Los Angeles to pursue an acting career, Christian has scored roles in film and television, and has said his surname means nothing in the States.
“I feel very grateful to be my dad’s son and if that’s what being a nepo baby is, then whatever,” he told the Daily Mail. “And I can tell you this much though. The Wilkins name unfortunately doesn’t carry the same weight in Los Angeles, so I don’t necessarily feel like a nepo baby over there.”
WILLOW STEFANOVIC
The daughter of Today co-host Karl Stefanovic and his ex-wife Cassandra Thorburn announced she was pursuing a modelling career back in 2022.
The 20-year-old, whose first name is Ava but who prefers to go by her middle name Willow, has signed with Australian talent agency Precision MGMT.
A career in film and television might be on the cards for the future, as the model has previously told Stellar she has a keen interest in the medium.
“I’m fascinated by what goes on behind the scenes to create something so magical,” she said. “I have loved television and film for as long as I can remember, and being able to work in the industry would be another exciting field I hope to explore.”
Willow is also passionate about education, and is currently studying fashion at the prestigious University of the Arts London.
TAMIE AND JESS INGHAM
Cousins Tamie and Jess Ingham are heirs to the billion-dollar Ingham poultry business.
Tamie, 39, famously partnered with friend Jasmine Stefanovic (Karl’s wife) to launch their shoe business Mara & Mine.
In 2023, she married celebrity chef Guillaume Brahimi in an event dubbed the “celebrity wedding of the year”.
Attendees included Erika Packer, Shannon Bennett, and the Stefanovics of course.
Fellow socialite Jess, 36, wore a custom Vera Wang dress for her own wedding to Roger Zraika in 2021, with an estimated cost of $20K.
Australia’s chicken heiress Jess Ingham is now a mother of two, a son, with her now husband Roger Zraika, and a daughter from her previous marriage to Alex Macris.
Mr Zraika is a major building developer and the nephew of jailed drug dealer Hassan Zraika who made headlines following his affair with Parklea Correctional Centre prison guard Tara Brown in 2019.
Ms Ingham frequently jets around the world with her young family, and tells her fans where to buy the exact outfits via a link to her profile on the LTK ‘shop the look’ app.
DEBORAH SYMOND O’NEIL
Socialite and influencer Deborah Symond O’Neil runs her high-end fashion retailer Mode Sportif, after stepping out of the shadow of her father, Aussie Home Loan founder and rich lister John Symond.
Ms Symond O’Neil is married to Ned O’Neil, who runs major property developer AddenBrooke, founded by his father Denis O’Neil.
The two hosted a glamorous wedding in April 2018, making national headlines. Since then, she has carved her path as a savvy entrepreneur and founder of Mode Sportif which sells designer, contemporary clothing.
With a strong instinct for trends and an omni-channel vision for growth, Ms Symond O’Neil continues to evolve the brand as a stocker of curated local and international labels.
After launching online, the brand quickly gained traction and opened its first physical store in Sydney’s Paddington just two years later.
The brand now has a boutique in Double Bay.
Ms Symond O’Neil is also an ambassador for The Royal Hospital for Women.
MIRANDA AND GRACIE OTTO
Award-winning actor Miranda Otto, 57, once shrewdly said, “[Having a well-known surname] might give you a chance to launch yourself in some way, but if you don’t deliver, people are very quick to move on. It’s not going to support people who don’t have the goods, and maybe in some families it just does run in the family. They’re just built that way.”
The Otto family definitely has the goods.
Miranda’s parents Barry and Lindsay Otto are well-known actors, while her paternal half-sister Gracie Otto, 38, is a celebrated filmmaker and director.
Miranda began her acting career at 18 and has appeared in several film and television shows since then, most notably in The Lord of the Rings trilogy and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.
Sister Gracie has directed several productions, including the TV series The Clearing which Miranda featured in.
SAMARA WEAVING
While Samara Weaving’s father is a filmmaker, it is her uncle Hugo Weaving who most people would recognise.
Like many Aussie actors, Samara rose to fame on longrunning soap drama series Home and Away.
But it was her role in 2017’s The Babysitter on Netflix that brought her to global attention.
Since then, the 33-year-old has been in a raft of interesting and varied projects such as Picnic at Hanging Rock, Ready or Not, SMILF, Bill & Ted Face the Music and Babylon.
The Weaving name may have opened doors, but it’s obvious Samara has the acting chops to stand on her own.
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Originally published as Australia’s famous nepo babies: Robert and Bindi Irwin, Christian Wilkins, Sunday Rose Kidman
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