These Nepo Babies Have Lived Incredibly Tragic Lives

Having famous parents is quite the double-edged sword, especially for nepo babies trying to carve out their own paths. Some celebrities born to already-established Hollywood figures have known lives of glamour, riches, and privilege. Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz's lavish lives are one prominent example, with the now-married couple coming from multi-millionaire families. With parents and family members who have already made a massive impact, nepo babies may have to prove themselves in the industry. But they have the automatic distinction of having their foot already through the door. 

As time and history have proven, however, famous folks can experience enough hardship and tragedy to last a lifetime, even with the resources at their disposal. These nepo babies may seem to have it all. But when the curtain is pulled back, whether through their own admission or by appearing in headlines, their life stories reveal some serious instances of struggle, heartache, and trauma.

Charlie Sheen was born on September 3, 1965, to actors Martin Sheen and Janet Templeton. Sheen's turbulent personal life has marred most of his professional career, with many infamous moments stemming from substance abuse. In 1998, for example, Sheen almost died from a cocaine overdose. In 2010, Sheen was forcibly removed from the Plaza Hotel after another cocaine-fueled night. These events, in part, led to his dismissal from the sitcom "Two and a Half Men."

Sheen's lengthy list of relationships, like his substance abuse, has been just as tumultuous. In 1990, his engagement to Kelly Preston was called off after she was hit by shrapnel when his gun accidentally went off. Sheen's marriage to Denise Richards produced plenty of messy moments, particularly when Richards accused him of looking at inappropriate material featuring underage women. Sheen's third marriage to Brooke Mueller similarly hit the fan. At one point, Sheen and Mueller were so unstable that their children ended up in Richards' custody. 

In 2015, Sheen announced that he was HIV-positive, although he did not have AIDS. Sheen told Today that he was diagnosed four years earlier, sometime in 2011, and had been facing extortion threats ever since. "I trusted them, and they were deep in my inner circle, and I thought they could be helpful. My trust turned to their treason," Sheen said. In December 2025, Sheen said that his HIV was well-managed. He also claimed that he tried an experimental drug that wasn't available for purchase. 

Born on April 4, 1965, Robert Downey Jr. is the son of director Robert Downey and actor Elsie Ford. Like Charlie Sheen, Downey's substance abuse derailed his career and almost ended it completely. In June 1996, Downey was infamously arrested for possession of cocaine, heroin, crack cocaine, and an unloaded gun. A month later, Downey broke into a neighbor's home while under the influence and fell asleep in a child's bed, leading to new charges. Downey was in and out of jail throughout the '90s.

Downey was introduced to drugs and alcohol as a child. In 1988, Downey claimed that his father initially supplied him with marijuana. Eventually, one thing led to another. "When my dad and I used drugs together, it was his way of showing love for me in the only manner he knew," he told People.

Downey has been sober since 2003, something he credits his second wife, Susan (née Levin), with. From 1984 to 1991, Downey was in a serious relationship with Sarah Jessica Parker that ended due to his addictions. Parker told The New Yorker in 2023, "I had given him stability and tried to create a steady heartbeat that allowed him to show up on time...that made me angry and embarrassed me." Downey's first marriage to Deborah Falconer ended for the same reason. Married in 1992, Falconer left Downey in 1996, although they didn't divorce until 2004.

Rumer Willis, born on August 16, 1988, is the daughter of retired actor Bruce Willis and his ex-wife, actor Demi Moore. Willis has faced addiction and mental health struggles throughout her life, which she has largely attributed to growing up in the public eye. In 2017, Willis announced her sobriety from alcohol on Instagram. Willis told American Addiction Centers, "I started having panic attacks with drinking. When I would feel hungover, it would be until 7:00 p.m. the next day."

Willis has shared complicated relationships with her parents over the years, although she's currently in a good place with both. In 2012, Willis witnessed Moore's own substance abuse relapse, which triggered a three-year estrangement. In 2023, Bruce was diagnosed with advanced frontotemporal dementia. He retired from acting in 2022 after originally being diagnosed with aphasia. Sadly, Rumer shared in November 2025 that Bruce struggled to recognize her.

Amidst her father's health battle, Willis has been candid about the harsh realities of being a single mother. Willis dated Derek Richard Thomas from 2020 to 2024, with their daughter born in 2023. In November 2025, Willis said in an Instagram Story (via People), "Just had a good cry in the woods...some days being a single mom is hard. She is not hard (ever), but some days doing everything alone can be."

Born on February 22, 1975, Drew Barrymore is the daughter of actors John Drew Barrymore and Ildiko Jaid Mako, also known as Jaid Barrymore. Barrymore was introduced to drugs, alcohol, and general debauchery as a child. Her mother regularly took her to Studio 54, which led Barrymore down a juvenile path of addiction. Barrymore attempted suicide when she was 14 years old; the same year, she became emancipated. "I really had a fear that I was going to die at 25," Barrymore revealed to The Guardian in 2015.

Although Barrymore managed to overcome her troubled childhood with professional help and an extended stay with musician David Crosby, she later went through three marriages that each ended within five years. Barrymore married 31-year-old Jeremy Thomas in 1994, when she was 19. The actual union lasted less than a month, although they weren't divorced until 1995. Barrymore's second marriage to Tom Green lasted only a year and a half. After her third divorce in 2016 from Will Kopelman, Barrymore told People that she would never marry again. 

Born on August 11, 2000, Rocco Ritchie is the son of pop star/actor Madonna and filmmaker Guy Ritchie. In the mid-2010s, Ritchie became the center of a high-profile custody dispute when he refused to leave his father's residence in the United Kingdom to stay with Madonna in New York. Despite orders that Ritchie return to the United States, he remained across the pond. 

Although Ritchie didn't comment about the dispute at the time, Madonna later remarked on the "On Purpose" podcast (via People), "Someone trying to take my child away from me was like...they might as well just kill me. That's really how I was thinking." Things eventually turned a tide, however. In December 2025, Ritchie uploaded a photo of himself with his parents on Instagram. "It's obvious why some people might hold [judgement] against me...However, I am proud to be who I am, [and] I'm even prouder to have both of my parents together in one room supporting me," he captioned.

In September 2016, around the time his parents finalized an agreement, Ritchie was arrested for possession of marijuana. The news was first reported by Entertainment Tonight in November after the Metropolitan Police in London released a late statement. Instead of being sentenced or dealt a harsher punishment, Ritchie got lucky and went through a Youth Offending Team Triage, a process designed to educate offenders and, hopefully, prevent additional arrests. 

Tatum O'Neal was born on November 5, 1963, to actors Ryan O'Neal and Joanna Moore. Although she won her first Oscar at just 10 years old, the tragic, true story of O'Neal is extensively heartbreaking. In 2004, O'Neal alleged in her first memoir, "A Paper Life," that her father physically and emotionally abused her. O'Neal reiterated these allegations in her second memoir, released in 2011, "Found: A Daughter's Journey Home." Despite attempts at reconciliation, O'Neal was left out of her father's will upon his death in 2023.

Like Drew Barrymore and Robert Downey Jr., O'Neal grew up surrounded by drugs and alcohol, which led her down the dark path of addiction. In 2008, O'Neal was arrested for possession of crack cocaine and was sentenced to just a few drug treatment sessions. In 2020, O'Neal suffered a drug overdose, which caused a stroke. O'Neal was left in a coma for almost two months. "I overtook my medicine, for sure. And that's it. I fell asleep," she told The Hollywood Reporter in 2023. 

O'Neal was married to former professional tennis player John McEnroe from 1986 to 1994; they welcomed three children in 1986, 1987, and 1991. O'Neal temporarily lost custody of her kids in 1998 due to her substance abuse issues. At the time, her drug of choice was heroin. "My biggest regret is ever trying heroin," O'Neal told People in 2015. "That stole so much of my life, but what I'm most proud of are my sweet children."

If you or someone you know may be the victim of child abuse, please contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or contact their live chat services.

Liza Minnelli was born to entertainer Judy Garland and director Vincente Minnelli on March 12, 1946. Like Garland, whose own real-life story ended in tragedy, Minnelli developed a drug and alcohol addiction in the 1970s. In her 2026 memoir, "Kids, Wait Till You Hear This!", Minnelli explained that things kicked off when she was prescribed valium after Garland's 1969 death. "It was a final gift, a genetic inheritance from Mama I could not escape," she wrote (via People). Minelli has been sober since 2015 after years in and out of rehab.

Outside of addiction, Minnelli's physical health has declined over the years. In 2022, Minnelli presented at the Oscars in a wheelchair, something she later claimed she was forced to do. In the years prior, Minnelli was diagnosed with an array of illnesses, including viral encephalitis in 2000, bronchial pneumonia in 2010, and an undisclosed condition in 2014. Minnelli was also unable to have children. 

Minnelli has been married four times, although each union ended in divorce. Her first marriage to Peter Allen, which lasted from 1967 to 1974, ended when Allen admitted that he was gay. From 2002 to 2007, Minnelli was married to her last husband, David Gest. After their separation in 2003, Gest accused Minnelli of abuse in a $10 million lawsuit that was later thrown out.

John Owen Lowe was born on November 6, 1995, to actor Rob Lowe and makeup artist Sheryl Berkoff. Like his father, whose own celebrity scandal rocked the 1980s, John Owen descended into alcoholism as his late teenage years progressed into early adulthood. In April 2024, he announced that he was six years sober on Instagram. "If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction, reach out. Ask for help. I did, and it changed my life," John Owen captioned the post.

In 2023 and 2024, the famous father-son duo starred in a Netflix comedy series, "Unstable." In July 2024, before the second season's premiere, John Owen told Andy Cohen (via Entertainment Weekly) that working with his father negatively affected his mental health. "Like two weeks into filming the first season, I had a legitimate little mental breakdown," he explained. "I was trying to become my own person and get distance away from him, and I [was] now his co-star." John Owen conceded that while "Unstable" helped advance his career, it was a detriment to his well-being. 

Bailee Ann DeFord, professionally known as Bailee Ann, is the daughter of rapper/singer Jelly Roll. At the time of Ann's birth on May 22, 2008, Roll was incarcerated for drug dealing. In 2025, Roll explained on the "SmartLess" podcast (via People) that when he got out of jail, Ann's mother, Felicia Beckwith, denied him visitation because "[he] was rightly so a f*****g criminal." While Roll eventually turned things around for himself and was pardoned in 2025, Beckwith has struggled with substance abuse throughout Ann's life. 

In 2024, Ann detailed her traumatic upbringing in an episode of her stepmother Bunnie Xo's podcast, "Dumb Blonde." Ann described growing up in a neglectful environment, having to help raise her younger cousins, and her eventual descent into addiction after she reconnected with Beckwith as a teenager. "I did drugs for months straight, and nobody knew except my mother, who manipulated and convinced me," Ann admitted. After eight months, Ann sobered up, went no-contact with Beckwith, and received professional help.

Angelina Jolie was born on June 4, 1975, to actors Jon Voight and Marcheline Bertrand. Throughout her childhood and early adulthood, Jolie struggled with mental illness, which led to substance abuse and self-harm. In 2001, Jolie told IMDb (via LADbible) that at one point, she tried to hire a hitman to kill her. The plan ultimately fell through. "He was a decent enough person and asked if I could think about it and call him again in two months," Jolie explained. 

Throughout the years, Jolie has had a strained relationship with her father. There have been times when Voight has supported his daughter. However, there are many others in which he has criticized various aspects of her personal life, including her three-year marriage to Billy Bob Thornton. "I never had the feeling that they were going to make it because of both of their serious problems...I never really held out any hope," Voight described in 2002 (via SouthCoast Today). 

Although Jolie and Brad Pitt were once Hollywood's "It" couple, Brangelina's relationship went down in flames in 2016. After Pitt allegedly abused Jolie on a flight, a permanent and contentious rift formed between Pitt and the rest of the family. Jolie and Pitt's divorce took eight years due to their high status, hefty assets, and a tense custody battle, with things finally finalized in 2024. 

If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.

Chet Hanks, the son of actors Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, was born on August 4, 1990. Before Hanks got sober in the early 2020s, he publicly struggled with substance abuse. Hanks, who was introduced to cocaine as a teenager, has shared many anecdotes about his addiction. In 2024, for instance, he told Bradley Martyn on the "Raw Talk" podcast (via Page Six) that he did so much cocaine that "the cokeheads" would tell him, "Yo, chill, bro." Hanks also revealed that he decided to sober up for good after a scary three-day drug bender in Las Vegas.  

Hanks has experienced his fair share of tumultuous relationships over the years, largely because of his drug use. Although he gets along with his parents, Hanks felt ashamed of his privileged upbringing. This led to a period of contention as his parents expressed tough love. From 2019 to 2021, Hanks dated Kiana Parker. After they broke up, Hanks sued Parker for alleged theft and physical assault. Parker countersued Hanks for $1 million, citing alleged physical and verbal abuse. 

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues or may be the victim of domestic violence, contact the relevant resources below:

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

Born on February 9, 1945, Mia Farrow is the daughter of director John Farrow and actor Maureen O'Sullivan. Farrow had overcome enough tragedy by the time she became an adult: Farrow contracted polio when she was 9 years old, although she managed to recover without permanent side effects. Farrow's brother, Michael, died in a plane crash when she was 13. Four years later, Farrow's father died from a heart attack.  

Nowadays, Farrow is best known for her tumultuous conflicts with ex-boyfriend Woody Allen and her adopted daughter, Soon-Yi Previn. Allen and Previn married in 1997 and constitute one of Hollywood's most alarming age-gap relationships. Allen, Farrow, and Previn have all thrown out various accusations of abuse, manipulation, and alienation over the years. Naturally, Farrow and Previn have been estranged for decades. 

Sadly, Farrow has also had three of her other adopted children predecease her. Tam Farrow died of an overdose in 2000; she was 17. Lark Previn died at 35 in 2008 from HIV/AIDS complications. In 2016, Thaddeus Farrow, who was 29, died by suicide. In 2021, Farrow addressed their deaths on Twitter and wrote (via NBC News), "Any other speculation about their deaths is to dishonor their lives and the lives of their children and loved ones."

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

Presley Gerber was born on July 2, 1999, to model Cindy Crawford and businessman Rande Gerber. Although he has followed in his mother's professional footsteps as a model, he's more recognized for his turbulent personal life. Gerber has openly admitted to struggling with depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. In December 2025, he revealed on Instagram (via People) that he was on Xanax, valium, and other opioids to combat panic attacks. He mentioned, "Unfortunately, I've had a lot of loss in many different forms recently, so that is not an excuse, but it's the reason why I am where I'm at now."

Gerber's mental health isn't the only thing that's kept him in the headlines over the years. In December 2018, he was arrested for DUI after getting pulled over for speeding. In 2020, Gerber got the word "misunderstood" tattooed on his face. "You don't know how I feel. You're not in my head...I don't feel very understood, I guess," he explained (via People). Gerber removed the tattoo in 2021.

If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.