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Madonna’s daughter, Lourdes de Leon, believes in hard work and in achieving things for yourself. The 24-year-old model and dancer says she often finds people judging her over her mother’s money, accusing her of nepotism.
Lourdes, who was recently featured in the cover of Vogue, spoke up about her history in the industry and the public’s perception of her. “People think I‘m this talentless rich kid who’s had everything given to her, but I’m not,“ she said.
Lourdes explained that she steers clear from the Hollywood lifestyle by living in Bushwick, the Brooklyn neighborhood, and that she paid for her college tuition herself.
The Vogue issue, titled “Generation America: The Models Changing an Industry,” features her alongside eight other models who, according to the publication, are making the moment. Lourdes appears on the cover alongside Bella Hadid, Kaia Gerber, Anok Yai, Precious Lee, Ariel Nicholson, Yumi Nu, and Sherry Shi. “Somethin must have been realll funny,” she captioned the post, referencing the smile on everyone’s faces.
Lourdes is Madonna’s daughter with her ex Carlos Leon, a personal trainer and fitness expert. Lourdes has been recently posting about Cuba and the ongoing political situation there. In one of her posts, she explained to her followers what is occurring in the country. “I am deeply concerned for the country my father came from. Please continue to spread awareness about the injustices these people face every single day.”
While Lourdes makes sure to keep her career separate from that of her mother’s, she does share several things in common with her, especially their love of dance. “A teacher of mine made me understand movement in a whole new way,“ she said. ”You‘re using your body to define the space around you — to change it. That’s a very naked form of expression.”
Lourdes’ career has lifted off over the past year, appearing in Marc Jacobs and Stella McCartney campaigns. She briefly dated Timothée Chalamet when they were in high school together. “I respect him a lot, we were a little item. My first boyfriend … or anything,” she said in an interview with Vanity Fair. She goes by the nickname of Lola and calls herself a “Latin from Manhattan.”