Backlash as 'nepo baby' Kaia Gerber lands major role in Hollywood's most anticipated TV series
Kaia Gerber could be Hollywood's next big thing after landing a major role in the highly-anticipated TV adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis' The Shards.
The 23-year-old, who is the daughter of supermodel Cindy Crawford, is the first star named for the project, which is being developed by FX and is based on American Psycho author Ellis' novel, which came out in 2023.
The sexually-charged thriller, which is set in 1981 and loosely based on elements of Ellis' life, follows a group of privileged prep school teens as they navigate sex, drugs, and a serial killer in Los Angeles during their senior year of high school.
Ryan Murphy is producing the series while his frequent collaborator Max Winkler will direct.
Murphy has been a major player in pushing Gerber's acting career, with the famed director casting her in two seasons of his popular American Horror Story franchise.
From there, she went on to star in Apple TV's Palm Royale and can currently be seen in Amazon's hit teen dramedy, Overcompensating.
Despite her rising profile in the acting world, some fans have taken issue with Gerber scoring a spot in The Shards, which is currently one of the most buzzed about projects in Hollywood.
'Has she had acting lessons? Because she was awful in American Horror Story,' wrote one.
'And who will do the acting?? This nepo baby Kaia Gerber can't act to save her life,' added another.
A third wrote, 'Ryan Murphy with his obsession with non-talented nepo babies like Kaia Gerber and Kim Kardashian.'
However, most of the backlash towards the project seemed to be aimed at Murphy himself.
Before FX and Murphy took over The Shards, HBO and Oscar-nominated director Luca Guadagnino were attached to turn Ellis' hit novel into a series.
After Guadagnino left the project, acclaimed Norwegian filmmaker Kristoffer Borgli signed on to direct and executive produce, with Ellis set to write all the episodes.
Borgli left the series for unknown reasons, and then Murphy rescued it from 'development hell,' according to World of Reel.
Ellis expressed on his self-titled podcast that he'd been 'frustrated' by the process.
A source told World of Reel that Ellis would be 'far less involved' in The Shards now that FX and Murphy had taken over the series.
Fans on social media expressed disappointed over the changes in production, with one writing, 'The Shards originally being Luca Guadagnino's on HBO and now it's Ryan Murphy's on FX... beyond upset.'
'Wasn't going to drink tonight but Ryan Murphy is turning The Shards into a TV show and I want to die,' added another.
An adaptation of The Shards has been garnering buzz in Hollywood since 2023, when Ellis' book was first released.
Despite her rising profile in the acting world, some fans have taken issue with Gerber scoring a spot in The Shards, which is currently one of the most buzzed about projects in Hollywood
Not only was the semi-autobiographical novel a commercial success, it was also one of the legendary writer's most acclaimed books in years.
Many of Tinseltown's hottest young stars have been thrown around as potential cast members, although Gerber is currently the only name officially attached so far.
Meanwhile, Murphy's currently planning to release his next series - a legal drama led by Kim Kardashian.
The reality star, 44, takes on her first leading role as a ruthless divorce lawyer in the new Murphy drama All's Fair - and landed top billing over Oscar nominees Glenn Close and Naomi Watts, as well as established stars Niecy Nash, Sarah Paulson and Teyana Taylor.
All's Fair follows a team of high-powered female attorneys who leave their firm to start their own company - with American Horror Story: Delicate star Kardashian taking on the role of Allura Grant.
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