Top 10 Nepotism Babies Who Were Financially Cut Off

Born to the legendary Jackie Chan, Jaycee Chan followed in his footsteps, forging a career in the Hong Kong film industry. However, he’s still overshadowed by his famous dad, as his films haven’t quite hit the mark. But if Jaycee thinks he can fall back on Jackie’s estimated $400 million net worth, he’s in for a surprise. The martial arts star has made it abundantly clear: his kids need to find their own way without his money or connections. He drove this point home in 2014 when he refused to use his influence to help Jaycee out of a drug possession case in China. In 2021, the younger Chan launched his own tequila brand, so it appears he’s finding his own way after all.

On his cooking shows, Gordon Ramsay is famous for his no-nonsense attitude and blunt honesty, and he’s just as straightforward with his family. The celebrity chef has raised his kids not to expect a penny of his fortune. He gives them a modest allowance and makes sure they do not fly first class. His daughters, Tilly, a chef and TV personality herself, and Holly, a fashion designer and blogger, know they’ll have to earn their own money because daddy has no plans to hand over his. However, while he may be cutting them off financially, Ramsay is quick to defend his kids. In 2021, he swiftly clapped back at a radio DJ who body-shamed Tilly after her appearance on “Strictly Come Dancing.”

Country singer Glen Campbell led a life as colorful as his music, with four marriages and eight children. He passed away in 2017, six years after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Shortly after his death, it was revealed that three of his children had been surprisingly omitted from his will. Kelli, Travis and Wesley Campbell, who were products of the singer’s second marriage, were specifically cut off from benefiting from Campbell’s estate, which was initially pegged at $50 million. However, this fortune was later revalued to just over $400,000. The three children contested the will anyway, arguing that their dad had been unduly influenced to cut them off. They later dropped their case, ultimately leaving empty-handed.

Arrowverse actress Katie Cassidy was born to ‘70s teen heartthrob David Cassidy and fashion model Sherry Williams. After the relationship between her parents ended, Cassidy was raised by her mother and stepfather, and remained largely estranged from her famous father for years. Although the two seemed to patch up their relationship later in life, David specifically excluded Cassidy and any of her descendants from his will, leaving his $150,000 estate all to his son Beau. This emerged after the actor and musician died in November 2017 of organ failure. But it doesn’t seem like the actress was after her father’s fortune anyway. She still took to social media to pay tribute to him after his passing.

Oscar-winning actress Joan Crawford adopted five children throughout her lifetime. Following her death in 1977, her eldest daughter Christina stirred up controversy with the release of her memoir, “Mommie Dearest,” alleging mistreatment by her famous mother. Although this book was published after Crawford’s death, she was reportedly aware that Christina was writing it before she passed away. Hence, many believe this was the reason she decided to make a last-minute amendment to her will, excluding Christina and her brother Christopher from inheriting a share of her $2 million estate. However, Christina and Christopher disagreed with this omission. They contested Crawford’s will in court and were eventually awarded a combined $55,000 settlement.

Tori Spelling grew up in the lap of luxury as the daughter of prolific film and TV producer Aaron Spelling. She later gained popularity for her role on the TV show “Beverly Hills, 90210,” which was produced by her father’s company. However, when he passed away in 2006, Spelling received an inheritance that surprised many. Of his staggering $500 million fortune, her father left her only $800,000. While that is still a considerable sum, it amounted to a mere 0.16% of his total wealth. The reasons behind this surprising decision aren’t quite clear, but it might be linked to Spelling’s lavish spending habits, which might have given her father pause about entrusting her with more cash.

When he passed away in 2010, veteran Hollywood actor Tony Curtis was buried with some of his favorite possessions, including his iPhone, an Armani scarf and a Stetson hat. He may have stopped short of taking his entire fortune to the grave, but he clearly had no intention of leaving it to his kids either. Mere months before his death, Curtis rewrote his will, explicitly naming and cutting off all his children. One of those children was Jamie Lee Curtis. Although the Oscar-winning actress gave the eulogy at her father’s funeral, she and her siblings were totally blindsided by the decision. Instead of his kids, Curtis chose to leave his $60 million estate to his sixth wife.

Gwyneth Paltrow was born to two pretty influential individuals in the film industry. Her father, Bruce Paltrow, directed and produced shows like “The White Shadow” and St. Elsewhere,” while her mother, Blythe Danner, is a Tony- and Emmy-winning actress. Sure, Paltrow got a leg up thanks to her parents’ influence, but once she turned 18, they cut her off completely. No more money, no more help. According to the actress, she had to fend for herself, taking a job as a restaurant hostess while chasing her acting dreams. While he may not have provided financial help, Paltrow still remembers her dad fondly as someone who always helped her stay grounded.

Today, Dakota Johnson is a well-known actress, following in the famous footsteps of her parents, actors Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith. After graduating high school, Johnson chose to pursue acting instead of going to college, a decision that came at a cost. In her family, skipping college meant losing any financial support from her parents. Despite this, Johnson was willing to take the risk. She was left to find her own way, but her gamble ultimately paid off. Not long after she ditched the college route, Johnson landed a role in the 2010 film “The Social Network,” which marked the start of her professional career in the industry.

In January 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stunned the public when they announced that they would be stepping down from their roles as members of the British royal family. As part of their exit deal, Harry agreed to become financially independent of the royal family, though his father, King Charles, pledged to support him privately for a year while he found his feet. However, during the now famous interview with Oprah Winfrey, Harry revealed he was completely cut off financially in early 2020 and had to rely on funds left by his late mother, Diana. A spokesperson for the King refuted this claim, stating that Harry was given a “substantial sum” to ease the transition.

What do you make of these cases? Do you think some of these nepo babies still had a leg up regardless? Let us know in the comments below.