‘F*** that system’: Michaela Coel says nepotism makes her feel ‘defeated’

Michaela Coel has made her thoughts clear on nepotism, saying that thinking about the issue too much makes her feel “defeated”.

The writer, director and actor renowned for her groundbreaking 2020 consent dramaI May Destroy You was discussing the topic in light of the recent debate around “nepo babies” – the successful children or relatives of celebrities who have become established in the same industry.

“I don’t think it benefits a creator to think about it too much,” Coel told theEvening Standard in a new interview. “And it certainly doesn’t benefit me because it just makes me angry.”

She added: “If people don’t believe that [being] the child of someone, or the niece or nephew of someone, whatever [that relationship may be], has anything to do with their achievements, then that is hilarious.

“I find that very funny – that is a cute way for you to live, you carry on like that. The rest of us, we can’t think about this too much, because it’s going to make us feel defeated. You have to say, like, ‘F*** that system. I’m going to figure out a way to do my own thing,’ and you can stand adjacent to those people and know how you got there.”

She did caveat her comments with a recognition of how she might change her views if she started a family of her own.

“The other truth is if I continue on my path and have children I’m sure my opinion will evolve somehow,” Coel said.

Noel Gallagher, Tom Hanks and Zoë Kravitz are among the stars who have recently defended nepo babies.

And Hailey Bieber, who was recently labelled a nepo baby by New York Magazine due to her famous relatives and husband, recently made a statement about the title with a white T-shirt emblazoned with the words “nepo baby”.