Los Angeles, California - On the heels of the recent exposé that viciously dragged several celebrities due to their familial ties, many are torn on whether so-called nepo babies deserve the success they've had in their careers.

On Monday, A-list actors such as Lily-Rose Depp, Zoë Kravitz, John David Washington, and Jack Quaid were mercilessly torn apart by New York Magazine's latest cover story.

The ground-breaking cover featured these and a few other celebrities' faces pasted on babies' bodies with the glaring title The Year of the Nepo Baby and a short blurb that read, "She Has Her Mother's Eyes. And Agent."

Ouch.

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Now the word "nepotism" has become a trending topic and hot-button issue – but what does it mean?

Per Merriam-Webster, the term means "favoritism (as in appointment to a job) based on kinship."

While one can see why this particular phrase has rubbed a few feathers among famous folks, is it fair to accuse these up-and-coming entertainers of having only earned their success thanks to their famous parents?

Let's face the facts: Hollywood is a tough business to get into.

That being said, if Academy Award-winner Denzel Washington just so happens to be your dad, why wouldn't you do whatever you can to use this to your advantage?

Now, this isn't the case for every nepo baby named in the scathing article.

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For instance, John David has expressly stated how hard he's worked to escape comparisons to his father.

Elsewhere, Lily Allen, whose parents are actor Keith Allen and film producer Alison Owen, defended her fellow nepo babies on Twitter.

"The nepo babies y'all should be worrying about are the ones working for legal firms, the ones working for banks, and the ones working in politics, If we're talking about real world consequences and robbing people of opportunity. BUT that’s none of my business," the 37-year-old singer wrote.

Another nepo baby, Lily-Rose Depp, caught some serious heat for her own criticisms of the label last month.

The 20-year-old called the term "weird" in an interview with ELLE Magazine.

"The internet cares a lot more about who your family is than the people who are casting you in things," Depp said.

She's certainly not wrong – TikTok, where the term first gained traction, is filled with videos revealing "celebs you didn't know were nepo babies" and subsequent outpourings of shock and awe in the comment sections.

As you might imagine, Depp's comments added fuel to the already burning dumpster fire that is TikTok discourse. Creators swiftly branded her "delusional" for not acknowledging the immense privilege her parentage has undoubtedly granted her.

While social media grapples with the sheer number of nepo babies that exist (which has been helpfully mapped out by Vulture as well), the discussion is bringing about new questions regarding the label's true impact.

Many on social media have pointed out that not every nepo baby has the same leg up, nor do they all share the same talent.

After all, the stars in the article range from the sons of A-list actors to the daughters of set builders.

While there are undoubtedly some level of perks to both, there is a substantial difference in the opportunities these parents can grant their kids.

Many of the celebs highlighted in the article, like Washington and Kravitz, have been recognized for their obvious natural talents in their chosen fields.

While their parents more than likely played a significant role in helping them get their foot in the door, the label of "nepo baby" won't necessarily haunt these stars forever. Laura Dern, Jamie Lee Curtis, and many, many more stars we now consider "true" celebrities are, by definition, also nepo babies.

Celebs like Hailey Bieber (and perhaps also Depp) fall into the stereotypes associated with the label, boasting the enviable status of "famous for being famous" as they cash in on their name recognition without much tangible work to show for themselves. Meanwhile, others have proven their worth as they work to grow out of their parents' shadows.

Any good parent will take the opportunity to help their children succeed, and in the uber-competitive world of Hollywood, young actors still need all the help they can get.

What matters most, in the end, is whether they can stand on their own two feet when their parents are no longer holding their hands.