Nicole KidmanandKeith Urban's "nepo" daughter,Sunday Rose, recently became the subject of intense online backlash following her appearance atNew York Fashion Weekon February 13, 2026.
The 17-year-old'smodeling gigat aCalvin Klein showleft social media reacting with distaste, as manymocked her runway walkand questioned her qualifications for high-profile modeling opportunities.
Many even suggested she secured the job solely because of her famous parents, with one user bluntly writing, "Remember when models were stunning, unique and natural? Notjust some celeb's child."
Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's teenage daughter, Sunday Rose, faced fierce criticism over her New York Fashion Week runway walk
Image credits:Stephane Cardinale – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images
In recent years, Sunday Rose has been actively pursuing a career in high-fashion modeling, making significant strides since her runway debut at age 16 in October 2024.
Ever since being thrust into the spotlight as a model, the teenager has faced online criticism over her qualifications.
However, Sunday has previously stated that she has "been wanting to do this for so long" and remains focused on improving with every job.
Image credits:Victor Boyko/Getty Images
She toldNYLONlast year, "Growing up, I went to my mom's photo shoots a lot and got to observe, which definitely led to my interest in exploring the modeling world."
However, her latest walk for Calvin Klein's Autumn/Winter 2026 presentation at NYFW reignited debate around privilege andgrowing up with famous A-list parentsin an industry that is otherwise known for ruthless competition.
Last month, Rose walked for the luxury fashion brand wearing an oversized beige trench coat paired with slouchy leather boots.
Image credits:Daniel Zuchnik/Getty Images
The look was accessorized with white gloves and a black leather clutch, while her hair was pulled back and left cascading down her back, complemented by minimal makeup.
Reportedly, her actress mother, Nicole Kidman, shared a clip of her runway walk on Instagram Stories, proudly gushing over her daughter with the caption, "New York, baby!"
A viral video of the 17-year-old walking for Calvin Klein was labeled "just stomping around," as many questioned her modeling skills
Image credits:sundayrose
But Sunday's walk failed to impress social media users, who appeared to disagree with Kidman's enthusiasm.
One critic noted, "Omg lol. This is a joke, right? She looks likeshe's stomping angrily around."
A second agreed, saying, "She walks like a pony! She's not a model! Without her parents' connections she would be helping the REAL models in and out of their runway outfits!"
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"I love love love Nicole.. but Sunday Roast looks kinda weird as a model," said one netizen, while another added, "I doubt she would be getting many jobs if it weren't for her family…I don't mean to be rude, but it is what it is."
"Oh my,this is truly awfuland makes Kate Moss' daughter look like a super model. I'm embarrassed for [Sunday]…" commented a third user.
Others wrote, "Well, of course she's a model. Celeb kids think it's so easy, you don't have to do anything, just wear clothes. Turns out even model have to do something."
Image credits:sundayrose
"Definitely not model material, but they seem to get a lot of modeling work simply because of their parents."
Summing up the general backlash targeting Rose, one user questioned, "Nepotism aside, if she was hired and paid to be a runway model, then she should do it well. A girl… who didn't walk well on the runway would be told they weren't good and probably be fired. Why shouldn't she be critiqued and treated the same way?"
One critic harshly reacted, "Oh dear. 100% nepo baby 0% model material. Delusional and indulged!"
Image credits:sundayrose
The latest criticism of Sunday's fashion walk came a year after she was blasted as a "nepo baby," with unhappy netizens writing, "Another rich kid getting what she clearly does not deserve."
When the 17-year-old was featured in Italian luxury fashion house Miu Miu's January 2025 campaign, pictured wearing a beige trench coat, a bright red zip-up sweater, and a white knee-length skirt, shesparked negative commentssuch as, "She wouldn't be there if they weren't her parents," "What is it with the daughters of famous parents always becoming 'models'?" and "You didn't get there from hard work, you got there because mummy or daddy helped you."
Image credits:Jerritt Clark/Getty Images
Many critics even suggested at the time that she give up modeling and explore another career path.
"Oh please, why be a model so many other things to do," one said.
"Try painting or acting instead. This is not for her," commented another user.
"Did she work hard for it? NO. Look at the young models who work so hard to get where she is…"
In the past, Sunday has candidly shared how she deals with negative attention and criticism by focusing on gratitude
Image credits:Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
Accusations ofnepotismand claims that celebrity children use their parents' fame for personal gain have long followed many star kids in the industry.
Addressing how she handles harsh criticism, Sunday toldNYLONin an interview last year, "Fashion is so subjective, and everyone has an opinion about everything."
"The biggest lesson I've learned from my experience is to enjoy each moment as it comes, be grateful for the opportunities as I get them, and focus on bettering myself each time I get hired."
"Just because she has famous parents doesn't make her model/actress/musician. She needs to get into the real world and get a proper job…" wrote one netizen
Since Kelly Clarkson was named the first-ever "American Idol" winner on Sept. 4, 2002, the singing competition show has helped launch the careers of Billboard-charting artists, singers who have helped define their genre, daytime TV personalities and precisely one EGOT winner (we're looking at you, J Hud).
23. Lee DeWyze (2010): Despite his affable personality and gruff coffeehouse croon, DeWyze lacked the undeniable spark and grit of Crystal Bowersox, the Janis Joplin incarnate who outrageously only placed second that season." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
21. Laine Hardy (2019): The Louisiana native, who in 2022 was arrested and charged with secretly recording an ex-girlfriend, rose through the "Idol" ranks with his Elvis Presley-style croon and stage persona.
19. Taylor Hicks (2006): Given the top three talent pool of Season 5 – which also included Katharine McPhee and Elliott Yamin – it's still a bit stunning that the overwrought Alabamian prevailed. But the "Soul Patrol" proved a mighty engine and Hicks successfully parlayed his win into a platinum-selling self-titled debut album in 2006, a Broadway stint and tour (playing the Teen Angel in "Grease") and a modest residency in Las Vegas." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
18. Kris Allen (2009): Some were shocked when the innocuous Allen triumphed over the bold flamboyance of Adam Lambert during Season 8 of "Idol" – not that it hindered Lambert's future. But more than Allen's couple of hits ("No Boundaries," "Live Like We're Dying"), his win ushered in the era of nondescript male singer-songwriters armed with guitars and crooked grins." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
17. Trent Harmon (2016): Harmon's boyish face and soft-spoken demeanor masked a deceptively brawny set of pipes, which were put to best use on an enchanting cover of Sia's "Chandelier." Harmon signed to Big Machine Records (Taylor Swift's former label) post-"Idol," finding minor success on the country charts with singles "Falling" and "There's a Girl."" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
15. Caleb Johnson (2014): Johnson was the typically staid competition's closest answer to Whitesnake and AC/DC, with squalling vocals and head-banging dynamism that have made him a hit with the legacy rock crowd in the years since his victory, touring with Trans-Siberian Orchestra and taking over singing duties from Neverland Express, the touring band of the late Meat Loaf." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
13. Phillip Phillips (2012): A soft-spoken guitar strummer who in his pre-"Idol" life worked at his family's pawn shop in Leesburg, Georgia, Phillips earned a significant bona fide: His coronation song, the Dave Matthews Band-esque "Home," is the bestselling single in the show's history, with more than 5 million sold. A spate of other hits ("Raging Fire," "Gone, Gone, Gone") preserved his momentum." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
10. Nick Fradiani (2015): It felt like the buff singer was the next breakout star after his victory song, the catchy singalong "Beautiful Life," dented the charts. But his 2016 debut album, "Hurricane," fared poorly and an independently released EP in 2017, "Where We Left Off," also failed to produce liftoff.
9. Jamal Roberts (2025): His room-brightening smile and cool style were instantly appealing magnets, but the P.E. teacher from Mississippi truly captured hearts and votes with his creamy voice, an instrument that can soar through soul ballads and dig into gritty gospel with equal potency.
8. Scotty McCreery (2011): The resident male country star to graduate from the "Idol" laboratory – like Season 6 winner Jordin Sparks, at only 17 – the North Carolina native with a molasses-hued voice that belies his unassuming demeanor remains a prominent chart presence more than a decade after his Season 10 win.
7. Candice Glover (2013): Whether she was covering Ben E. King, Aretha Franklin, or The Cure (on tearful standout "Lovesong"), the Beaufort, South Carolina, native brought unmatched vulnerability and powerhouse vocals to every single performance. Her recording career post-"Idol," too, is filled with stirring ballads that have been sadly ignored by radio." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
6. David Cook (2008): With his pleasantly raspy voice and a knack for melody and unearthing lesser-known versions of hits to cover on the show (e.g., Whitesnake's "Day Tripper," Chris Cornell's "Billie Jean"), the Season 7 winner – over angelic David Archuleta – skyrocketed to success.
5. Ruben Studdard (2003): Studdard's smooth, velvety vocals were the perfect complement to runner-up Clay Aiken's earnest pop theatrics, with standout performances of Stevie Wonder and Dionne Warwick classics, and a respectable career as a gospel/R&B hitmaker in years to follow." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
4. Jordin Sparks (2007): The show's youngest winner at 17 (by two months compared to McCreery), the sweet-smiling Sparks found immediate success a few months after her victory with a pair of Billboard top 10 hits: "Tattoo" and "No Air," her duet with a pre-scandal Chris Brown. Broadway ("In the Heights") and film ("Sparkle") expanded Sparks' reach, but in recent years she's concentrated more on motherhood with a few career moves – the 2020 holiday album "Cider & Hennessey," her 2021 participation in "The Masked Dancer" – sprinkled in. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
3. Fantasia Barrino (2004): Barrino's sultry, soulful rendition of George Gershwin's "Summertime" might be the all-time greatest performance to ever hit the "Idol" stage. The R&B artist's elastic vocals and deep well of emotion have continued to serve her well, as she reprised her role as Celie from the Broadway musical "The Color Purple" for the star-studded movie adaptation." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
2. Carrie Underwood (2005): It feels like 100 lifetimes ago that a pouffy-haired Underwood blasted us off our couches with her rendition of Heart's "Alone" during her Season 4 run to the top.
1. Kelly Clarkson (2002): The Texas native is so effortlessly charming and in control of her instrument, with an outsized personality and even larger voice that bring all the ferocity and drama you want from a top 40 hit (of which she has nearly two dozen). Frankly, our lives would suck without Clarkson, who is the brightest star "Idol" has – and will likely ever produce." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />