The year 2021 will be looked on as the moment celebrity kids (Gen Z) got their time in the spotlight. Many of them have been waiting through the long pandemic to emerge on their own — out from under their parents’ shadows to show us all their talents. The names are familiar to us: Kaia, Lourdes, Zaya, Shiloh and Ireland, but they are now making a name for themselves.
One look at the 2021 Met Gala red carpet and that should have been enough for us to realize that a new generation has emerged in Hollywood and they are here to stay. Kaia is embracing the fact that she looks like her mom, Cindy Crawford, but is bold enough to remind us that her “mom’s the one with the mole” if you can’t tell them apart. NBA star Dwayne Wade’s daughter, Zaya Wade, has become an LGBTQ+ hero at the age of 12 and finding her voice as a transgender girl.
Even the ones who prefer their privacy over the glare of the spotlight, like Hazel Moder and Bigi Jackson, discovered a way to make waves in 2021. They might be testing the waters for a bigger run in 2022, but they did a great job of introducing themselves to the public this year — and it makes us excited for what is ahead.
Find out who made our list for 2021, and take notes on the celebrity kids we should all be following in 2022, because the next generation in Hollywood is a force to be reckoned with.
Lourdes Leon
From her stunning Met Gala appearance to her recent Paper magazine spread in 2021, Lourdes Leon is proving she’s a force to be reckoned with just like her mama, Madonna. Mom calls her “way more talented” than she ever was, so we can’t wait to see what the 12 months holds for this 25-year-old model/dancer.
Kaia Gerber
Even though Kaia Gerber is called Cindy Crawford’s twin, she stepped out from her mother’s supermodel shadow this year. Magazines like ELLE and Vogue came calling for cover shoots and mom couldn’t be prouder — Gerber doesn’t mind the lookalike comparisons at all.
“As I get older, it happens even more, and it’s not just a visual thing: It’s everything from our mannerisms to our voices,” she explained to Vogue. “It used to be that I didn’t see it at all, but now I will look at a picture and have to take a moment before realizing which one of us it is. But the biggest compliment is when someone says I act like my mom.”
D’Lila Star Combs, Chance Combs & Jessie James Combs
Sean “Diddy” Combs might have had the cover story for Vanity Fair, but it was Chance Combs, 15, from Sean’s relationship with Sarah Chapman, and twins D’Lila Star Combs and Jessie James Combs, 14, from his long-term partnership with the late Kim Porter, who stole the show. The proud dad is educating his daughters to “inherit the keys to his kingdom” along with his sons, so there is a second-generation Combs’ empire coming our way.
Shiloh Jolie-Pitt
All of the Jolie-Pitt kids have a huge presence any time they step on the red carpet, but Shiloh looked so grown-up this year, while touring with mom Angelina Jolie to promote her latest movie, Eternals. And rumor has it that her recent appearances have drawn interest from the fashion industry and Angelina is ready to “guide her as best she can” if that is what Shiloh decides to pursue.
Valentina Paloma Pinault
Valentina Paloma Pinault has been by her mom’s side every step of the way this year — from the Eternals press tour to Salma Hayek’s recent Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony. The 14-year-old looks ready for her close-up and we are curious if she will follow in Hayek’s acting footsteps.
Ava Phillippe
Now that 22-year-old Ava Phillppe is a college graduate, we’ve seen her blossom as a model and social media influencer (helping promote Ivy Park — no big deal). She’s also her mom, Reese Witherspoon’s, No.1 fan, recently supporting her on the red carpet of Sing 2.
Casie Colson Baker
Machine Gun Kelly was all over the red carpet with girlfriend Megan Fox this year, but when she was busy, he started to bring daughter Casie Colson Baker as his plus one. The 12-year-old handled the spotlight like a total pro at the American Music Awards — and it’s obvious dad is proud to bring her to such high-profile events.
Adele Gianopoulos
Adele Gianopoulos understood the assignment by stepping out with her mom all pretty in pink at the American Ballet Theatre’s Fall Gala in New York City. Molly Ringwald hasn’t rushed into showing her 12-year-old daughter any of her John Hughes movies yet — for a good reason. “My 12-year-old daughter Adele is the most woke individual that you’ve ever met,” she shared with SiriusXM’s Radio Andy. “And I just don’t know how I’m gonna go through that, you know, watching it with her and [her] saying, “How could you do that? How could you be part of something that?”‘
Zaya Wade
At the age of 12 years old, Zaya Wade became a transgender icon by letting dad, former NBA player, Dwyane Wade, talk about coming out as a transgender girl.
This year, Zaya has proudly walked the red carpet with her dad and stepmom Gabrielle Union-Wade, dressed in the colors of the genderqueer flag. Dwayne posted an Instagram photo of their fashionable looks and shared an important message with his followers, “Everyone allow her to re-introduce herself her name is Zaya Wade,” he wrote. “She has emerged as one of the young faces and voices for the LGBTQ+ community.”
Ella Travolta
Ella came into her own as an artist this year — not only as an actress, but as a singer. She wrapped her first big starring role in the film, Get Lost, an Alice in Wonderland-inspired story and the 21-year-old also shared her musical talents on Instagram, revealing that she has an EP coming in 2022.
Leni Olumi Klum
Leni Olumi Klum stepped out onto the runway in a big way in 2021. After mom Heidi Klum made her wait until she was 16 years old to model, Leni is quickly making up for lost time. She walked in Berlin Fashion Week, debuted her own fashion line and stepped out on the red carpet with dad, Seal.
Hazel Moder
Julia Roberts and husband Danny Moder aren’t red carpet regulars, but when Danny brought 16-year-old daughter Hazel Moder to the Cannes Film Festival, everyone was shocked. The notoriously private family might be gearing us up for the next generation of performers in their household — we already love that she shares her mom’s laid-back fashion vibe.
Lila Moss
Lila Moss is another daughter following in her mother’s supermodel footsteps. Her photoshoot for Perfect Magazine earlier this year proved that she’s a spitting image of her mom, Kate Moss. At 19 years old, she’s sure to take the fashion world by storm in the coming year.
Gia Lopez
Mario Lopez knew who the perfect person was to play the role of his niece in his Christmas movie, Holiday in Santa Fe: daughter Gia Lopez. The 11-year-old got rave reviews from dad for her work ethic on set. “She’s a ham and she’s wanting to do more [acting], but she’s just as busy with her other activities,'” he told Parade. “So it made it all the more special because she’s in it. I thought she did a really nice job.”
Ireland Baldwin
While this was not the easiest year for the Baldwin family, Ireland Baldwin starred in the holiday lingerie campaign for BCBG Max Azria in partnership with Cosabella. According to Diane Bekhor, senior vice president of BCBG Group, Ireland was chosen for being “very outspoken about body positivity” — making her the perfect spokesperson for the collection.
Bigi Jackson
We’ve seen older siblings Prince and Paris Jackson enjoying the spotlight for years, and in 2021, it was Bigi Jackson’s turn. Over Halloween weekend, he helped host a charity event at the Jackson family home to provide educational opportunities to the Los Angeles youth.
In his interview wtih Good Morning Britain, he talked about his dad and his spirit of giving. “That’s what he was all about,” explained Bigi. “That’s what each of us want to do and make things that people can enjoy and hopefully benefit their lives.”
Dylan Penn
Dylan Penn had a major breakout year in Hollywood after starring with her dad in Flag Day. If it wasn’t for the encouragement of dad Sean Penn and mom Robin Wright, she might never have pursued an acting career.
“When I was young, I told my parents I wanted to direct,” she explained to Vogue. “On separate occasions, both of them advised that I should know what it’s like to act before I direct, so I’d know what it’s like to be in the actor’s shoes.”
Clara McGregor
The 25-year-old daughter of Ewan McGregor was another celebrity kid finding their modeling career heating up in 2021. Clara McGregor starred in Bluebella’s holiday lingerie campaign and dabbled in acting after fighting to follow in her dad’s footsteps for years.
“I just didn’t want to do what my dad did, so I was, ‘I’m going to be a photographer. I’m going to be behind the camera,'” she told the Daily Record. “Then the acting bug got me and I had to stop denying myself that, just because my dad was doing it too.”
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