Hollywood’s Latest ‘Nepo Baby’ Caleb Moore Freundlich Faces Backlash Over ‘Terrible’ New Music Video
Hollywood’s newest “nepo baby,” Caleb Moore Freundlich, has found himself in the hot seat after releasing a music video that viewers absolutely tore apart online. Caleb, 27, is the son of Oscar-winning actress Julianne Moore and filmmaker Bart Freundlich, and he’s stepping out of his parents’ famous shadows to carve his own path as an indie musician — though the reception so far has been anything but kind.
Dropping his family’s last name, Caleb now goes by Caleb Moore in his musical career. His latest single, Comeback Kid, was recently accompanied by a one-shot music video showing him strolling down a city street while singing about a lover who only sees him as “a good time when you’re not asleep.”
Unfortunately for Caleb, the video quickly became the target of harsh criticism. Fans and viewers called it “terrible,” with many slamming the production quality, the “derivative” nature of the song, and his “weak” vocals. The ever-present shadow of nepotism wasn’t missed either — commenters joked about how lucky Caleb must be to have an Oscar-winning mom backing him up. One sarcastic viewer wrote, “Discovered by his mom! She should be a scout for a record label!” Others piled on with remarks like, “Just what we need… another nepo baby,” and “Why is he whispering?” Another bluntly declared, “There are millions of better musicians. Everything about him is mediocre.”
Even harsher critiques questioned the song’s authenticity and emotional impact: “Terrible production, not genuine or memorable,” one commenter said, while another exclaimed, “Wow… this is really, really terrible. Is it meant to be serious? Even his mom couldn’t help this succeed.”
Despite the negativity, Caleb took an auteur’s approach with Comeback Kid — writing, producing, mixing, and mastering the track himself. The song reportedly reflects a personal epiphany about his own “keep your chin up” attitude, which Caleb says he had pushed “almost to a fault.”
The music video’s New York City release party drew notable guests including Billy Crudup, who starred in After The Wedding, directed by Caleb’s father and featuring his mother. Caleb is also celebrating personal milestones, having recently gotten engaged to his girlfriend Kibriyaá Morgan — a joyous occasion that Julianne Moore commemorated with a party.
Caleb is just one of many rising stars born to famous parents navigating the complexities of building their own careers. The list includes Johnny Depp’s daughter Lily-Rose Depp, Andie MacDowell’s daughter Margaret Qualley, Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann’s daughter Maude Apatow, Cindy Crawford’s daughter Kaia Gerber, Madonna’s daughter Lourdes Leon, Heidi Klum’s daughter Leni Klum, and Elvis Presley’s granddaughter Riley Keough, among others.
The discussion around “nepo babies” exploded in December 2022 when New York magazine published a viral cover story highlighting the phenomenon, featuring stars like Dakota Johnson, daughter of Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith, and granddaughter of Hitchcock icon Tippi Hedren.
Amid the heated debate, veteran actress Jamie Lee Curtis, daughter of Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis, weighed in as the self-proclaimed “OG Nepo Baby.” She criticized the current conversation, calling it “designed to try to diminish and denigrate and hurt.”
As Caleb Moore Freundlich continues his journey in music, it remains to be seen how he’ll overcome the mixed reception and public skepticism. For now, the spotlight remains firmly on the challenges and expectations faced by Hollywood’s newest generation of star children.