Oona Chaplin defends her career against nepo-baby claims, says she once considered changing her name

Oona Chaplin, a 39-year-old actress and the granddaughter of Charlie Chaplin, says she has pushed back against nepo-baby claims while revealing she once considered changing her name as she pursued acting. She never met her grandfather, who died in 1977, nine years before her birth, and she is the daughter of actress Geraldine Chaplin and cinematographer Patricio Castilla. Chaplin studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and has acknowledged that she briefly contemplated altering her surname, a step she ultimately did not take.

Speaking to The Sunday Times, Chaplin said that while doors have opened for her because of her famous lineage, that visibility can also create a sense of undeservedness. "It's been a journey to feel deserving, because I know that doors have opened for me that potentially wouldn't have opened if I wasn't associated with this brilliant man. It's definitely tricky to feel undeserving of the place you're in," she said. She noted that she decided to keep her surname after graduating from RADA, choosing to shift her mindset from guilt to gratitude by working hard and recognizing that her achievements are not a direct comparison to her grandfather's legacy.

Chaplin arrived on the red carpet to promote Avatar: Fire and Ash in London earlier this month, where she portrays a Na’vi leader named Varang. The premiere at BFI IMAX Waterloo drew a large crowd of television personalities, sports stars and models, underscoring the film's high profile in the wake of the ongoing Avatar saga.

Avatar: Fire and Ash marks the third entry in James Cameron's long-planned series, following the record-breaking original (2009) and the 2022 sequel Avatar: The Way of Water. In the film, Jake and Neytiri's family grapples with grief after Neteyam's death and encounters a new, aggressive Na’vi tribe—the Ash People—led by Varang, as the conflict on Pandora escalates and a new moral focus emerges.

Chaplin’s comments come as expectations rise for the Avatar franchise's expansion. Cameron, who is now 71, has outlined plans for Avatar 4 and Avatar 5, signaling that Fire and Ash is not the end of the saga. "The fire will be represented by the 'Ash People.' I want to show the Na’vi from another angle because, so far, I have only shown their good sides. In Avatar 3, we will do the opposite. We will also explore new worlds, while continuing the story of the main characters," Cameron said. "I can say that the last parts will be the best. The others were an introduction, a way to set the table before serving the meal."

Avatar: Fire and Ash hits UK cinemas on December 19, bringing Chaplin's involvement in a blockbuster franchise into sharper focus as the series edges toward its wider planned arc.