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Singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams is firmly embedded in the Hollywood orbit as a ‘nepo baby’ - with the staggering wealth behind her famous parents now laid bare.
The 26-year-old Close to You singer has quickly become a fixture in the pop world, earning two Grammy nominations in as many years, opening for Olivia Rodrigo on the Sour Tour and joining Taylor Swift on the record-breaking Eras Tour.
She has also been romantically linked to Irish actor Paul Mescal, with the pair making their red carpet debut in 2026.
But beyond the chart success and celebrity circle, Abrams also comes from Hollywood royalty - her father is filmmaker J.J. Abrams and her mother is Bad Robot Productions CEO Katie McGrath.
Speaking on Thursday’s episode of The New York Times’ Popcast, Abrams addressed the ‘nepo baby’ label head-on.
‘The nepo stuff is obviously in the discourse appropriately,’ she said. ‘I think about the privilege there, and it's like, I had a safety net, and that allowed me the ability to experiment and to concentrate, and I had the gift of time to dedicate to doing this thing I loved.’
Singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams is firmly embedded in the Hollywood orbit - but she’s now addressing the conversation around how she got there; Above, in May
But beyond the chart success and celebrity circle, Abrams also comes from Hollywood royalty - her father is filmmaker J.J. Abrams and her mother is Bad Robot Productions CEO Katie McGrath; Above, in March
She added: ‘I wasn't growing up afraid financially, and that's the biggest deal.’
Indeed, she grew up with serious Hollywood money firmly in the background.
Her father - the talent behind Alias, Lost and Star Wars: The Force Awakens - is estimated to be worth around $300 million.
He first made his name creating shows like Alias, Lost, Fringe and Person of Interest before moving into major Hollywood directing and producing roles.
His films include Mission: Impossible III, Cloverfield, Super 8 and the Star Trek and Star Wars reboots, while his company Bad Robot cemented his status as one of Hollywood’s most bankable hit-makers.
He later signed a major overall deal with Warner Bros. Discovery reportedly worth around $250 million, covering film and TV development through his Bad Robot banner.
Her mother is also a major entertainment executive, with her role at Bad Robot placing her estimated personal fortune at between $30 million and $60 million.
Her mother is also a major entertainment executive, with her role at Bad Robot Productions placing her estimated personal fortune at between $30 million and $60 million.
‘The nepo stuff is obviously in the discourse appropriately,’ she said, adding, ‘I think about the privilege there, and it's like, I had a safety net, and that allowed me the ability to experiment and to concentrate, and I had the gift of time to dedicate to doing this thing I loved;' Above, in 2016
Gracie added: ‘I wasn't growing up afraid financially, and that's the biggest deal,' Above, in 2024
Gracie also said her privilege wasn’t limited to financial advantages.
'The specific household that I was born into, there is just this vocabulary that I'm so lucky to grow up with,' she explained.
'So like, when I see people pointing that out, it's like, I get it, hard-core. The jokes and things, I understand the tone of the Internet.'
Gracie also spoke about the title of her upcoming third album Daughter From Hell, saying it reflects her relationship with her mother and how it has evolved over time.
‘It felt like the first time I was able to write a song, but really write anything other than a text apologizing to my mom for being so brutal growing up,’ Gracie said.
She added that adolescence can be challenging for both parent and child, but said she and her mother are now closer than ever.
‘Obviously, adolescence is tough for the child and for the parent,’ Gracie said. ‘I think my mom and I, we earned the relationship we have now, for sure. She is like, my favorite person. We FaceTime. I call her like six times a day.’
In the same interview, Gracie also discussed her relationship with Mescal, revealing that the pair even collaborated on a song for the upcoming album.
Abrams and Mescal, 30, have been linked for around two years, first sparking romance rumors in June 2024 when they were spotted together in London.
Since then, they’ve kept things relatively private while still stepping out more publicly in recent months, including appearances at the 2026 BAFTAs, the 2026 Golden Globes, and the Vanity Fair Oscar Party.
Speaking about their joint track Imaginary Friend, Abrams said working alongside Mescal felt relaxed and organic rather than unusual.
'That was so fun to write together. That wasn't some groundbreaking event for us,' she explained. 'We have a very creative home with friends who are so good at what they do and everyone feels happy to share that with one another.'
She has also been romantically linked to Irish actor Paul Mescal , with the pair making their red carpet debut in 2026; Above, in March
She went on to describe the writing process as casual and unforced.
'Just home, just as it sounds," she said while mimicking strumming a guitar. "It's such a simple, short song and it was really just us f---ing around.'
The track was written mid-way through the album sessions and, according to Abrams, fitted naturally into the wider body of work.
'It just did feel natural,' she said. 'If you know how happy your experience was making something or how much you learned about yourself or your partner or whatever the thing is, it's like, no amount of hate or trolling or whatever could take that away.'
For Abrams, the collaboration also reflected the stability she finds in the relationship.
'That is a part of my life that brings me so much peace and joy,' she said.
English (US) ·