Allison Williams starred in several well-received short films on YouTube before Judd Apatow played her in the critically acclaimed HBO series “Girls.” Thanks to this television series, created by Lena Dunham and starring in it, the young actress began to make a name for herself, and soon her career developed as she took on roles such as her villainous character in the Jordan Peels film “Away”. Although she enjoys being the center of attention, Williams is not the first in her family to become famous on television. The M3GAN star is the daughter of two famous people: Brian Williams, a news anchor, and Jane Gillan Stoddard, a journalist and news producer. Gallons of ink have recently been spilled about nepotistic children—New York Magazine even called 2022 the “year of the nepotistic baby”—and the “Perfection” actress talked about what she personally thinks about the nepotism debate and the fact that she has famous parents.
If you somehow managed to skip the conversation, nepo baby describes a famous person who is supposed to be where he is in his profession, thanks to relatives who paved the way for them — a la, nepotism. During a conversation with Wired about how she feels about the debate about the birth of non-remembering children as the daughter of parents who are public figures, Allison Williams frankly answered whether she belongs to this category. The star said that people’s perception of her shaped her work ethic, but did not “rid” her of a privileged position. Williams explained:
I didn’t want anyone to see me growing, learning, changing, changing. I definitely made sure that people understood that I was hardworking, as if that somehow freed me from this privilege.
The actress admits that this need to look like a finished product, even though she was new to the business, was how she first approached fame. However, over time, she realized that growth is a natural part of the human condition, and she felt less pressure after she got rid of the need to seem perfect. She continued:
This evolution is a part of humanity. As soon as I started thinking about it, I got rid of the need to seem perfect all the time.
Allison Williams has no problem acknowledging her privilege in life. She admits that her wealthy parents gave her a sense of relative comfort, which made it easier for her to accept the roles she wanted and reject those she didn’t like. She also fully trusts her skills as an actress. That is why, according to her, it is not difficult to recognize a certain degree of nepotism. Williams continued:
Admitting it doesn’t seem like a loss… if you trust your own skill, I think it becomes very easy to admit.
In Hollywood, connections matter and have their advantages. In the entertainment industry, no matter how complex and competitive it may be, having a relative who is the first to distinguish himself can play into your hands. However, labels such as “not remembering a child” can belittle a person’s achievements and talent. It is difficult for me to associate Allison Williams’ excellent performance with the audience with the product of having wealthy and famous parents.
Williams isn’t the only one being questioned or facing a debate about “the child is invincible.” Johnny Depp’s daughter, Lily-Rose Depp, got into hot water with Italian model Vittoria Ceretti over comments about nepotism. Others have also spoken out on this topic, for example, Kate Hudson (daughter of Bill Hudson and Goldie Hawn) and the self-proclaimed “nepo-baby” Jamie Lee Curtis. Curtis believes that the whole conversation is designed to hurt, and she said that not a day goes by that she is not reminded that she is connected with movie stars.
Whichever side you choose in relation to the discourse of the “non-remembering child,” it’s hard to deny the acting talent of Allison Williams. With just four films under her belt and a fifth on the way (the upcoming horror film M3GAN) in the ten years since she took the stage, she has been able to make a name for herself and become one of the actresses that people should keep an eye on.
Fans can catch a glimpse of Allison Williams when her 2023 film M3GAN hits theaters on January 6.
