Nepo Siblings: The New Wave of Relatives Making It on Their Own

A Daily Mail analysis by Dolly Busby has spotlighted a newer trend in pop culture: nepo siblings. The piece ranks brothers and sisters of famous actors, athletes and musicians who are leveraging their kin’s fame to forge careers in their own right, while also flagging those who still appear to be riding on the coattails of more celebrated relatives. The resulting list, circulated widely in entertainment coverage, places a spectrum from genuine self-made success to individuals who critics say remain defined by their siblings’ names. In Busby’s framing, nepo siblings are not simply aspirants living in the shade; some are building brands, audiences and portfolios that stand apart from their family ties, while others struggle to escape the perception that the family name is the main draw.

Tommy Fury leads the A-list in Busby’s ranking. The 26-year-old, who rose to prominence during Love Island in 2019 for his relationship with influencer Molly-Mae Hague, has since carved out a dual career path as a professional boxer and a social media entrepreneur. He has cultivated lucrative endorsements with Diesel, Marks & Spencer and a luxury watch label, with an estimated fortune around £3 million and a following of about five million on Instagram. He and Hague, who commands substantial reach in Gen Z circles with close to nine million Instagram followers, share a two-year-old daughter, Bambi. The couple’s public appearances and engagements continue to fuel coverage of their potential media deals, including possible rights to their wedding narrative. Busby notes that Fury initially entered Love Island to revitalize his boxing career, signaling a strategic pivot toward media exposure as a means to expand boxing opportunities rather than a pure entertainment pursuit.

Gemma Styles, the older sister of global pop phenomenon Harry Styles, is presented by the piece as a model of a different path: she has built a credible career as a mental health advocate and consultant rather than pursuing a reality-tinged fame route. Styles, who holds a teaching degree and studied medical genetics, has launched a high-profile platform through her Good Influence podcast and social channels, where she discusses anxiety and depression and shares wellness strategies. Her work has resonated with a wide audience, reflected in a ten-figure follower count across platforms and a bestselling book on mental health, Why Am I Like This?. A Vogue photoshoot with Harry further elevated her profile, though she has forged a distinct identity away from the spotlight of her brother’s music career. The emphasis on authentic advocacy sets Styles apart in a field where sibling fame often defines the initial entry into public life.

Sam Thompson, a younger sibling of reality TV star Louise Thompson, is highlighted as another example of a nepo sibling who built momentum beyond the original on-screen draw of his sister. Thompson’s trajectory, from a long-running reality series to a broader media presence, includes hosting roles and a booming online following. Busby notes that Sam’s pivot to stage productions based on his Staying Relevant podcast—done with Pete Wicks—has amplified his reach and helped him amass a substantial Instagram audience. He has also leveraged a high-profile family moment—Louise’s public discussions of birth trauma and her advocacy work—to anchor his own narrative in relatable, real-world themes. In short, his rise reflects a broader pattern in which siblings of famous figures parlay personal stories and humor about the pursuit of fame into broader media opportunities.

The piece also features a cluster of siblings who sit on the cusp of mainstream recognition, categorized as B-list in the article. Joe Sugg, for instance, is cited for his ascent from a YouTube origin story to a broader entertainment footprint. The younger brother of Zoe Sugg (Zoella), Joe parlayed initial viral fame into television appearances, including a high-profile run on Strictly Come Dancing that brought him into households that might not have followed his sister’s channel. Today, he remains a visible presence on the show’s social media ecosystem and is expanding behind the scenes with his own talent management firm and a production company. The dynamic portrayed here underscores a recurring element of nepo-sibling narratives: while initial fame can be inherited, long-lasting impact often requires diversification beyond the original platform.

Lottie Tomlinson, Louis Tomlinson’s younger sister, is likewise recognized in the B-list tier. She began by leveraging her brother’s One Direction-era momentum, landing early opportunities through contacts in the team around Louis’s touring and media presence. Lottie has since established herself as a beauty influencer and entrepreneur, building a brand portfolio and a public exhibiting of personal milestones, including her engagement to former professional tennis player Lewis Burton and their ongoing home renovations. Her path illustrates a hybrid model—using a family platform to access opportunities in beauty, endorsements and media, yet developing a distinctive brand voice and product range that is not solely tethered to her brother’s music fame.

Sam Holland, Tom Holland’s younger brother, is portrayed as another example of a nepo sibling who has found ways to integrate family connections into a broader media career. The 26-year-old TV chef has leveraged his proximity to Hollywood’s “in” circles—famously counting Zendaya among his brother’s partner—and has used his platform to publish a cookbook and to grow a following across social channels. Holland’s openness about his brother’s status and his own ability to cultivate a dedicated audience have helped him translate casual recognition into tangible media projects, including book sales and appearances on cooking-focused programs.

Finn Cole, Joe Cole’s younger cousin, is included as part of the discussion around nepo siblings in heavyweight acting circles. The Peaky Blinders alum has spent months lobbying for an opportunity to join the show’s cast, ultimately securing a role that allowed him to demonstrate range beyond the familial association with Joe Cole and their shared acting ecosystem. Rumors of dating Florence Pugh also swirl around Finn, a reminder of how personal narratives and public interest can converge to elevate a performer who has secured a solid foothold in television and film.

The list would be incomplete without noting the D-list tier, which highlights siblings who, while notable for their connections, face greater scrutiny around whether their achievements stem from personal talent or the leverage of kin. Dua Lipa’s younger sister Rina Lipa is described as someone who has pursued music and modeling with a distinct eye on fashion and performance, but observers say she frequently leans on her sister’s immense reach to create opportunities. Rina has modeled for high-end houses such as Miu Miu and Versace and has discussed her admiration for Dua, a dynamic that fans and industry watchers describe as “dining out” on a sister’s fame. The emphasis rests on the fact that Rina’s path, while legitimate in its own right, is often measured against Dua’s extraordinary ascent in pop.

Zoe Rae, Molly-Mae Hague’s older sister, is another example in this tier. A former Army medical corps member turned influencer, Rae has sought to carve a niche in wholesome fitness and family content but has faced backlash for content that critics deemed tone-deaf. Her reported follower counts—roughly 151,000 on TikTok compared to Molly-Mae’s tens of millions across platforms—highlight the challenge many nepo siblings face: balancing the advantage of visibility with the pressure to deliver authentic, distinct content that resonates with audiences beyond the family name. Rae herself has acknowledged the harsh realities of trolls that accompany online life and the personal toll of striving for a unique voice in a saturated digital landscape.

The overarching takeaway from Busby’s piece is not simply a ranking, but a snapshot of how a modern entertainment ecosystem treats kin-based entry ramps. In years past, “nepo babies” were the shorthand for children who leveraged their parents’ fame to gain initial traction. The current discourse focuses on a broader category—nepo siblings—where the challenge is to move beyond the initial seed of recognition and cultivate a stand-alone career that can weather public scrutiny and the fast-moving currents of online culture. Some subjects emerge as truly independent artists, entrepreneurs or performers, with substantial followings of their own and portfolios that demonstrate sustainability. Others, while undeniably active in the public eye, are still navigating a path that many observers say remains inseparably connected to a famous relative.

The piece underscores a cultural shift in how audiences understand fame and how industry insiders assess longevity. It also raises questions about the pressures on siblings who step into the spotlight with a built-in audience and a ready-made brand. In practice, the nepo sibling phenomenon reflects a broader trend in which talent, opportunity, timing and personal branding converge in new and evolving ways across music, film, television and digital media.