It is widely acknowledged that Brooklyn Beckham has experimented with numerous professional directions throughout his young adult life. The 26-year-old has ventured into diverse creative fields, from an ill-fated photography book to a pandemic-era cooking series, often meeting with mixed reviews and public scepticism. This week, his dramatic public accusations against his famous parents have brought his past career efforts back into sharp focus, with social media users dissecting his professional journey with renewed vigour.
Social Media Reacts to Brooklyn's Statement and Career History
On Monday, Brooklyn Beckham unleashed a six-page Instagram statement, levelling serious allegations against his parents, David and Victoria Beckham. He described them as "controlling" and accused them of attempting to sabotage his marriage to Nicola Peltz Beckham. He declared he has no intention of reconciling with them, stating he is "standing up for myself for the first time in my life." This explosive revelation immediately triggered a wave of online commentary, with many users revisiting and ridiculing his various professional endeavours.
Some social media commentators have been unsympathetic, pointing to the substantial parental support he received. "Y'all not going to convince me that Brooklyn Beckham is a victim of his parents when they supported him in every one of his careers, especially when they financed his photography facet," argued one user on X. Another added, "Your parents not only supported you through this, Brooklyn, they also actively promoted it and publicly backed you being a photographer. That alone is unconditional love."
Conversely, others have defended his right to speak out, suggesting financial backing does not preclude toxic dynamics. "Just because they supported him financially doesn't mean they aren't horribly toxic," one person contended. "The second you try to break away from people like that, all hell breaks loose." As this debate rages online, a retrospective examination of Brooklyn's professional attempts reveals a pattern of ambitious but frequently criticised projects.
A Catalogue of Career Experiments
The Infamous Photography Phase
One of Brooklyn's earliest and most mocked ventures was his foray into photography. In 2017, at age 18, he released a book titled What I See through Penguin Books, featuring 300 personal photographs. The collection was launched with exhibitions in London and Los Angeles but was widely panned. Critics and the public alike singled out blurry, poorly composed images, such as shadowy elephants in Kenya and an out-of-focus restaurant crowd, which Brooklyn himself admitted he liked despite the lack of clarity.
He briefly enrolled in a photography course at Parsons School of Design in New York but departed after just one year. The legacy of this period remains a potent source of online humour. "Every time I see or hear about Brooklyn Beckham I just think about his awful photography," one user remarked this week, while another noted, "his photography book will never not make me laugh."
The 'Out of Touch' Culinary Chapter
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Brooklyn launched Cookin' With Brooklyn, a Facebook Watch series, in December 2021. Despite having no formal training, he aimed to share his passion for food. The series quickly attracted backlash for perceived elitism, notably when he used a £300 joint of beef and black truffle. Further controversy ensued when he filmed himself using seawater from a yacht to cook pasta and when he placed a wine cork in a Bolognese sauce.
In light of his recent family accusations, this career stint has been revisited with irony. "Brooklyn Beckham complaining about his upbringing, whilst claiming to be a chef and making a cheese toastie for his 15 million followers is peak irony," one critic tweeted. A supporter countered, "he's a chef and creates content consistently. That's work. Everyone's effort looks different."
Sommelier Aspirations and Hot Sauce Hustle
In late 2024, Brooklyn showcased an interest in vintage wine in an Instagram video for Sotheby's, discussing bottles like Petrus 1979 Pomerol. The reception was lukewarm at best, with one scathing comment reading, "Never before has one man made so much noise whilst knowing so little about so many things."
Shortly before that, in October 2024, he launched his hot sauce brand, Cloud23, named after his father's football jersey number. The line, featuring Sweet Jalapeno and Hot Habanero variants, was marketed as a luxury condiment. Brooklyn told Delish magazine he identified a gap in the market. Priced at $34.99 for a two-pack, the venture has also faced scepticism, with online critics questioning his work ethic and attributing any success to the Beckham name.
Brief Stylist Attempt and Personal Reflections
In 2023, Brooklyn appeared to test the waters as a stylist, discussing his wife Nicola's outfit in a Vogue video. Fans were quick to mock this as another transient career cosplay, with comments like "Dude is cosplaying a different career every other week." Brooklyn has previously addressed the ridicule surrounding his professional meandering. In 2022, he told Bustle that it's acceptable not to have life figured out in your mid-twenties, and a year later, he told Insider he had "more important things to worry about" than critics.
The Core of the Family Feud
Brooklyn's lengthy statement detailed deep familial fractures, tracing tensions back to his April 2022 wedding. He claimed his parents "endlessly tried" to ruin his relationship with Nicola and that his mother hijacked their first dance, leaving him "so uncomfortable and humiliated" that they renewed their vows privately in 2025 without his family present. He accused David and Victoria of controlling press narratives and valuing "public promotion above all else," asserting that being with Nicola has brought him "peace and relief" from anxiety.
As this very public family drama unfolds, the scrutiny of Brooklyn Beckham's professional path serves as a backdrop, highlighting the complex interplay between immense privilege, parental influence, and the struggle to carve out an independent identity in the shadow of global fame.
