Jamie Lee Curtis criticises 'nepo baby' debate as 'designed to diminish and hurt'

Jamie Lee Curtis has weighed into the "nepo baby" discourse by branding it "designed to try to diminish and denigrate and hurt".

The Halloween actor, 64, has spoken out following the rise in criticism of "nepo babies" (ie. celebrities whose careers were aided by nepotism) online.

Read more: 'Halloween Ends': Why Jamie Lee Curtis 'stays away' from Michael Myers on set (exclusive)

This discussion was only fuelled by a New York Magazine article which declared 2022 "The Year Of The Nepo Baby", coming with the tagline "She has her mother's eyes. And Agent."

Curtis has made no secret in the past about how her parents – Psycho star Janet Leigh and Some Like It Hot's Tony Curtis – gave her a helping hand in establishing her own career in the industry.

In 2019, she acknowledged she may have won her defining role in Halloween over another actor as a result of being her mother's daughter, as it would be a talking point in the press when it came to promoting the movie in 1978.

Read more: Cooper Hoffman and other young Hollywood stars with very famous parents

However, Curtis believes the renewed debate around those deemed "nepo babies" was intentionally hurtful to those who have worked hard in the industry, even if it was aided by their parental connection.

Sharing childhood photos on Instagram, Curtis wrote: "I have been a professional actress since I was 19 years old so that makes me an OG Nepo Baby.

"I've never understood, nor will I, what qualities got me hired that day, but since my first two lines on Quincy as a contract player at Universal Studios to this last spectacular creative year some 44 years later, there's not a day in my professional life that goes by without my being reminded that I am the daughter of movie stars."

Read more: Jamie Lee Curtis bids tearful farewell to Laurie Strode with 'Halloween Ends' (exclusive)

"The current conversation about nepo babies is just designed to try to diminish and denigrate and hurt," she continued.

"For the record I have navigated 44 years with the advantages my associated and reflected fame brought me, I don't pretend there aren't any, that try to tell me that I have no value on my own. It's curious how we immediately make assumptions and snide remarks that someone related to someone else who is famous in their field for their art, would somehow have no talent whatsoever.

"I have come to learn that is simply not true. I have suited up and shown up for all different kinds of work with thousands of thousands of people and every day I've tried to bring integrity and professionalism and love and community and art to my work."

Read more: Jamie Lee Curtis reveals her 25-year-old child is transgender

"I am not alone," Curtis continued. "There are many of us. Dedicated to our craft. Proud of our lineage. Strong in our belief in our right to exist.

"So, in these difficult days of so much rage in the world can we just try to find that quiet voice that the brilliant movie, EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE reminds us and as my friend [Rob Reynolds] reminds us, NOTE TO SELF: BE KIND, BE KIND; BE KIND."

Her comments come after declared "nepo babies" have spoken out against the article.

Model Lottie Moss, younger half-sister of supermodel Kate Moss, has deleted her Twitter after speaking out against the term, saying "life isn't fair" and she shouldn't be blamed for being born into a famous family

"I’m so sick of people blaming nepotism for why they aren’t rich and famous or successful," the 24-year-old wrote.

"Obviously it’s not fair that people who come from famous families are getting a leg up because of that, but guess what? Life isn’t fair.

"If you put your mind to something you can accomplish anything! So instead of being negative about other people's success, go and try and create your own."

However, others like Eve Hewson, the actor daughter of U2's Bono, has seemingly made light of the discourse, and joked: "Omg please can all the Nepo babies unite and dress up as giant babies for Halloween."

She also wrote: "Gonna get Nepo Baby tattooed on my ass" before encouraging people to watch her new series, Apple TV+'s Bad Sisters.

WATCH: Jamie Lee Curtis feels good in her skin, and her mind at 63