Kaia Gerber says growing up in the public eye has shaped both her career and her sense of self — from relentless comparisons to her supermodel mother to the way tabloids have tracked her love life. In a new cover story for Vogue with co-star Homer Gere, the 24-year-old actor and model described how scrutiny has affected her body image, relationships and approach to opportunities in Hollywood.
Fighting the mirror of fame
Gerber told Vogue that constant commentary about her appearance has been difficult to navigate. Raised beside Cindy Crawford’s high-profile image, she says comparisons have followed her since childhood and contributed to struggles with disordered eating at times.
Rather than dismissing criticism, she described how public remarks about her looks often intensified personal challenges instead of helping. Gerber framed those experiences as a reminder that hostile commentary rarely helps someone recover.
Scrutiny over relationships
Her romantic life has also attracted disproportionate attention. Gerber — who has been linked in the past to Pete Davidson, Jacob Elordi and Austin Butler and is now dating Lewis Pullman — said being defined by who she dates, especially as a young woman, has been frustrating and often framed in sexist terms.
She criticized the labels that followed her and said those judgments can feel limiting, noting that one of the few things a public figure can try to protect is personal privacy. At the same time, Gerber emphasized that she aims to keep her identity intact within partnerships.
“The goal for me,” she explained, “is to stay myself, not to constantly switch between versions of me depending on where I am.”
Reclaiming the ‘nepo baby’ tag
On the topic of privilege, Gerber acknowledged the advantages that come from being the child of a famous parent. She accepts the label nepo baby and uses it as a spur to prove herself, while admitting she also judges peers who rely on family ties rather than merit.
That stance shaped how she approached working with Homer Gere, whose father, Richard Gere, was briefly married to Crawford. Gerber said her own experience of growing up in the spotlight made her sympathetic to Gere’s concerns about audience perception.
Passing on tough truths
When the two first confronted the odd fact that their parents had once been married, Gere said Gerber brought it up directly and the conversation moved on quickly. Beyond the anecdote, Gerber said she warned him that being part of a famous family can alter how viewers and critics receive a performance.
- Public scrutiny can exacerbate mental-health struggles; unkind commentary rarely helps recovery.
- Being labeled a nepo baby is both an advantage and a motivator for Gerber to work harder.
- Young public figures, especially women, remain vulnerable to gendered judgments about dating and character.
- Actors with famous relatives often have to manage perception as much as performance.
Gerber’s comments arrive as she and Gere promote their new project, and they touch on broader debates about mental health, privilege and how audiences assess newcomers in Hollywood. For readers, the conversation underscores how celebrity culture can shape — and sometimes distort — the personal lives of those it elevates.
