Star-Studded ‘Roommates’: Netflix’s New Film Features Hollywood’s Rising Nepo Babies Like Sadie Sandler and Bella Murphy

A significant portion of the cast in Netflix’s Roommates comprises the offspring of well-known Hollywood celebrities. If any film could be dubbed a “nepo baby movie,” this would be a prime example!

Leading the charge is Sadie Sandler, the eldest daughter of Adam Sandler, who stars in this Happy Madison-produced coming-of-age comedy. She plays Devon, a college freshman on a quest to find a best friend. Initially, she believes she’s found her match in her new roommate, Celeste, portrayed by Chloe East, a former child star and not a product of nepotism. However, their budding friendship soon spirals into a psychological battleground.

Adam Sandler has been featuring his daughters, Sadie and Sunny Sandler, in his films since their appearances in 2010’s Grown Ups. Recently, the sisters have moved from minor roles to taking center stage. Sunny showcased her charm in the delightful You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah in 2023, and now Sadie shines with humor and relatability in the R-rated college comedy, Roommates, which just debuted on Netflix.

With Chandler Levack at the helm and a screenplay penned by Jimmy Fowlie and Ceara O’Sullivan, Roommates offers a quirky and entertaining look at the complex, often tumultuous dynamics of young adult female friendships. Not all young actors in the cast come from famous lineages; notable exceptions include Storm Reid, Ivy Wolk, Billy Byrk, Aidan Langford, and a surprise appearance by Megan Thee Stallion.

However, several supporting cast members do boast famous parents, including the children of Eddie Murphy, Martin Scorsese, Laura Dern, and Chris Rock.

Near the end of the film, Roommates offers a wink to its status as a “nepo baby movie” with one perfect joke. Devon gets her revenge on her terrible roommate, Celeste, by revealing to the student body that Celeste didn’t grow up poor, as she claimed. In fact, she’s the daughter of the CEO of Staples. Upon hearing this one of the students—played by SNL writer and avowed nepo baby Martin Herlihy—stands up, outraged, and shouts, “You’re telling me she’s a f–king nepo baby?”

In that spirit, let’s go over who in the Roommates movie cast is “f–cking nepo baby.”

• Sadie Sandler, Adam Sandler’s daughter, as Devon

  Again, Adam Sandler has put his daughters, Sadie and Sunny Sandler, in over 20 of his movies by this point. But though she had a supporting role in You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah, this is the older Sandler daughter first time as the lead. Honestly, she crushed it! I really felt for poor Devon. And though he produced the movie via his Happy Madison productions company, Adam Sandler doesn’t actually appear in the film. So, Sadie was flying solo… alongside all her fellow nepo babies, that is.

• Laura Dern’s daughter, Jaya Harper, as Olivia

  Oscar-winner Laura Dern—who is herself a nepo baby, as the daughter of Bruce Dern—has two children with her ex, Grammy-winning musician Ben Harper. One of those children, 21-year-old Jaya Harper, appears in Roommates as a fellow college freshman named Olivia who befriends Devon and Celeste. For her showcase, Olivia demonstrates knocking down a controversial statue on campus. (It turns out the statue is not actually a Confederate soldier—he’s just riding a horse.)

• Eddie Murphy’s daughter, Bella Murphy, as Emma

  Bella Murphy—one of ten children belonging to superstar comedian Eddie Murphy—appears in Roommates as Olivia’s roommate, Emma. Olivia (aka Laura Dern’s daughter Jaya Harper) and Emma become a foursome with Devon and Celeste, despite the fact that they have very uncool twinkle lights and Polaroids hanging in their dorm room.

• Tim Herlihy’s son, Martin Herlihy, as Christian

  You know Martin Herlihy—who plays a fellow student and Frisbee golf enthusiast named Christian—as one third of Please Don’t Destroy, a sketch comedy group who are currently working as writers (and, in Ben Marshall’s case, a cast member) on Saturday Night Live. You might not know Herlihy’s father, Tim Herlihy, as a household name, but there’s no doubting his status as a nepo baby—Tim Herlihy is a former SNL writer-producer himself, and a longtime comedy partner of Adam Sandler, aka the guy who produced this movie.

• Martin Scorsese’s daughter, Francesca Scorsese, as Ellie

  Perhaps you recognized Francesca Scorsese—daughter of legendary, Oscar-winning filmmaker Martin Scorsese—from her hilarious TikTok videos she likes to make with dear old dad. In Roommates, she plays Ellie, the leader of the college freshman orientation, which involves high ropes courses, scavenger hunts, and more.

• Chris Rock’s daughter, Zahra Rock, as Lola

  The youngest daughter of stand-up comedian Chris Rock, Zahra Savannah Rock, briefly appears in Roommates as another college freshman named Lola. Notably, she gets kicked in the “titty” by Devon on the high ropes course during orientation. It’s extra cute that her name is Lola in the film, as that’s the name of Zahra’s older sister, Lola Simone Rock.