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Paris Hilton | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Hilton in October 2021 | |
| Born | Paris Whitney Hilton February 17, 1981 New York City, U.S. |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1996–present |
| Works | |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Parent(s) | Richard Hilton Kathy Hilton |
| Relatives | Hilton family |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals |
| Labels | |
| Website | parishilton.com |
Paris Whitney Hilton (born February 17, 1981)[3][4] is an American media personality, businesswoman, socialite, model, singer, and actress. Born in New York City, and raised there and in Los Angeles, she is a great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton, the founder of Hilton Hotels. She first attracted tabloid attention in the late 1990s for her presence in NYC's social scene and ventured into fashion modeling at age 19, signing with Trump Model Management. After David LaChapelle photographed her and her sister Nicky for the September 2000 issue of Vanity Fair, Hilton was proclaimed "New York's leading It Girl" in 2001.[3] The reality television series The Simple Life (2003–2007), in which she co-starred with her friend Nicole Richie, and a leaked 2003 sex tape with her then-boyfriend Rick Salomon, later released as 1 Night in Paris (2004), catapulted her to global fame.
Hilton's media ventures have included the reality television series Paris Hilton's My New BFF (2008–2009), The World According to Paris (2011), Hollywood Love Story (2018), Cooking with Paris (2021), and Paris in Love (2021–present); the documentaries Paris, Not France (2008), The American Meme (2018), and This Is Paris (2020); the books Your Heiress Diary (2005) and Paris: The Memoir (2023); as well as the podcast, I am Paris (2021–present), on iHeartRadio. She has pursued film acting in House of Wax (2005) and Repo! the Genetic Opera (2008). As a recording artist, Hilton has recorded a line of standalone singles and released two studio albums, Paris (2006) and Infinite Icon (2024). She has also performed as a disc jockey since 2012.[5]
A polarizing and ubiquitous public figure, Hilton is said to have influenced the revival of the "famous for being famous" phenomenon throughout the 2000s.[6] Critics indeed suggest that she exemplifies the celebutante—a household name through inherited wealth and lavish lifestyle. Forbes included her in its Celebrity 100 in 2004, 2005, and 2006, and ranked her as the most "overexposed" celebrity in 2006 and 2008. Hilton has parlayed her media fame into numerous business endeavors. Under her company, she has produced content for broadcast media, launched 19 product lines, and opened 45 boutiques worldwide, as well as an urban beach club in the Philippines. Her perfume line alone has brought in over US$2.5 billion in revenue, as of 2020[update].[7][8][9] Variety named her its "Billion Dollar Entrepreneur" in 2011.[10]
Early life[edit]
Hilton was born on February 17, 1981, in New York City, to Richard Hilton, a businessman, and Kathy Hilton, a socialite and former child actress.[11][12] The oldest of four children, she has one sister, Nicky Hilton (born 1983), and two brothers, Barron Hilton II (born 1989) and Conrad Hughes Hilton (born 1994). On her father's side, she is a great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton, who founded Hilton Hotels, and granddaughter of Barron Hilton. Her maternal aunts are television personalities Kim and Kyle Richards. Hilton has Norwegian, German, Italian, English, Irish, and Scottish ancestry.[13][14][15] The family followed the Catholic faith.[16][17]
Hilton moved frequently in her youth, living in Beverly Hills, the Hamptons, and a suite in the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in Manhattan. Her relatives have described her as "very much a tomboy" who dreamed about becoming a veterinarian. Her mother recalled her saving money to buy monkeys, snakes, and goats, and once leaving "the snake out the cage [...] at the Waldorf".[18] Hilton was raised in a very "sheltered, conservative" atmosphere; her parents were particularly strict and she was not allowed to date, wear make-up or certain types of clothes, or go to school dances. Her mother enrolled her in etiquette classes with the idea of introducing her as a debutante, which Hilton was at first reluctant to do, as she did not find it to be "real" or "natural". She described it as "very proper, very prim, almost like a Stepford wife".[18] The family's social circle included figures such as Lionel Richie, Donald Trump, and Michael Jackson.[19][20]
Growing up in Los Angeles, Hilton attended the Buckley School and St. Paul the Apostle School, finishing elementary school in 1995.[21] Her freshman year of high school (1995–96) was spent at the Marywood-Palm Valley School in Rancho Mirage, California. In 1996, Hilton and her family left California for the East Coast.[22] At 15, she attended Professional Children's School.[20] She skated and played ice hockey while in high school.
In New York City, Hilton had a rebellious youth, regularly skipping classes and sneaking out to parties. On this period, Kathy remarked: "Let's put it this way—it got very out of control and I was scared for her. And my husband was very scared for her. And, you know, those nightclubs go on all night."[23] Her parents eventually sent her, then 16, to a series of boarding schools for emotionally troubled teens, including Provo Canyon School, where she says that she was mentally and physically abused by the staff. In her documentary This Is Paris, Hilton and other former students from Provo Canyon School recall the abuses they faced, including solitary confinement, forced medication, restraint, battery and strangulation. She attended Provo for 11 months and was released in early 1999, around the time she turned 18.[24][25][26][27] She then attended the Dwight School before dropping out a few months later. "She knew no one at [Dwight]", said her mother in an interview, while a classmate described her as "sort of more sophisticated. She was different from everybody else".[20] She later earned a GED certification.[28][29]
Career[edit]
Social scene and modeling (1996–2002)[edit]
With mother Kathy and sister Nicky, Hilton modeled as a child at charity events,[30] graced the May 4, 1988, cover of the weekly magazine Beverly Hills 213,[31] and made an uncredited appearance in the fantasy film Wishman (1992).
After relocating to NYC in 1996, Hilton developed a reputation as a socialite through appearances at nightclubs and high-profile events. She has recalled getting offers to show up in nightclubs as early as she was 16,[32][33][34] when she obtained a counterfeited identity document in order to gain access to events. Her antics and late-night persona soon started attracting the spotlight from local tabloids. After becoming familiar with Paris and Nicky's social circle, Jason Binn, publisher of Hamptons magazine, stated: "They're little stars. They've become names. To them it's like a job. I believe they wake up every morning and say, 'O.K., where am I supposed to be tonight?'."[35]
That lifestyle conflicted with her family's conservative background and proved too "rebellious" for the young Paris, whose parents sent her to a series of boarding schools until she turned 18. Hilton resumed public appearances shortly afterwards, and attended the NYC premiere of Cruel Intentions in March 1999 with Nicky.[36] A New Yorker profile by Bob Morris, published in October that year, described her and her sister as "the littlest socialites in town [...] Without even a smile, they can breeze past the velvet ropes at Moomba or get a seat at Le Bilboquet".[37] Businessman George J. Maloof Jr., for instance, flew Hilton in his private jet and paid her to attend the Palms Casino Resort opening in Las Vegas in November 2001.[32][38][39][40][41]
| External image | |
|---|---|
 Hilton's David LaChapelle-photographed Vanity Fair issue from September 2000 |
Inspired by designers Patricia Field and Betsey Johnson, Hilton decided to pursue modeling, signing with Donald Trump's agency, T Management, at age 19.[30] She modeled for Catherine Malandrino and Marc Bouwer, and posed alongside Nicky for David LaChapelle in a shoot that was featured in the September 2000 issue of Vanity Fair.[42] On her persona, LaChapelle stated: "Paris had a charisma back then that you couldn't take your eyes off. She would giggle and laugh and be effervescent and take up a room".[43] By 2001, Hilton had become "one of the biggest stars, off and on the catwalk," at New York Fashion Week, graced an advertising campaign for Italian label Iceberg, and appeared on magazines such as Vogue and FHM.[44]
In addition to modeling, Hilton ventured into screen acting, playing an ill-fated character in the independent teen thriller Sweetie Pie (2000),[20] and filming a cameo appearance as herself in the comedy Zoolander (2001), with Ben Stiller. In 2002, she appeared in Vincent Gallo's "Honey Bunny" video,[45] played a "strung-out supermodel" in the five-minute short QIK2JDG, and starred as a socialite in the straight-to-DVD horror film Nine Lives.
International stardom (2003–2007)[edit]
Hilton's breakout came in 2003, when she starred with her childhood friend and socialite counterpart Nicole Richie in the Fox reality series The Simple Life, in which they lived for a month with a family in the rural community of Altus, Arkansas. The show was initially pitched to both Paris and Nicky Hilton. Paris was convinced to come on board; however, Nicky, being somewhat shy to the limelight at the time, opted out.[46] The series premiered on December 2, 2003, shortly after the leak of Hilton's sex tape,[47] and was a ratings success. Its first episode attracted 13 million viewers, increasing Fox's adult 18–49 rating by 79 percent.[48] The high viewership was attributed to the exposure Hilton received for the homemade tape,[49] while she became known for her onscreen dumb blonde persona.[50][51]
By 2004, Hilton had taken on a number of supporting and guest-starring roles in feature films and scripted television series such as Raising Helen and The O.C., signed on to appear in a series of advertisement campaigns for Guess,[52] released an autobiography co-written by Merle Ginsberg, Confessions of an Heiress: A Tongue-in-Chic Peek Behind the Pose,[53][54] which was seventh on The New York Times Best Seller list,[55] and introduced a lifestyle brand (with a purse collection for the Japanese label Samantha Thavasa, a jewelry line sold on Amazon.com,[56][57] as well as a perfume line in collaboration with Parlux Fragrances).
Originally planned for a limited release, high demand for her first fragrance choked supplies but led to increased availability by December 2004. Its introduction was followed by a 47-percent increase in Parlux sales, primarily of the Hilton-branded perfume.[58] After this success, Parlux has released numerous perfumes under her name, including fragrances for men.[59]
In February 2005, Hilton hosted NBC's Saturday Night Live, with Keane as the musical guest,[60] and in May, the slasher film House of Wax—her first major film role[61][62]—was released in theaters,[63] to mixed reviews.[64] Writing for View London, Matthew Turner remarked that Hilton "does better than you might expect",[65] while TV Guide called her "talentless".[66] Her role earned her the Teen Choice Award for Best Scream, the 2005 Razzie for Worst Supporting Actress,[67] and a nomination for Best Frightened Performance at the 2006 MTV Movie Awards. House of Wax grossed over US$70 million worldwide.[68] In May 2005, Carl's Jr. aired a television advertisement, promoting its Spicy Burger product, which featured Hilton in a provocative swimsuit soaping up a Bentley automobile.[69] By November 2005, she had published her second book, Your Heiress Diary: Confess It All to Me.[70]
The Simple Life was canceled by Fox in 2005 after three seasons following a dispute between Hilton and Richie. Neither Richie nor Hilton spoke publicly about their split, although it was speculated that they fell out after Richie showed one of Hilton's homemade sex tapes to a group of their friends.[71] They reconciled in October 2006.[72] After The Simple Life was cancelled, other networks (NBC, The WB, VH1 and MTV) were interested in obtaining the rights for new seasons of the show.[73] On November 28, 2005, E! announced that it had picked up The Simple Life, ordering the production of a fourth season and obtaining the rights to repeat the first three seasons. Shooting for the new season began on February 27, 2006.[74] The fourth-season premiere of the show was a ratings success for its new network.[75]
Hilton released her self-titled debut album, Paris, on August 22, 2006. The album reached number six on the Billboard 200, and sold over 600,000 copies worldwide.[76] Its lead single, "Stars Are Blind", found global success. It was played on more than 125 pop stations in the United States,[77][78] and reached the top ten in 17 countries.[79] Critical reception was generally mixed,[80] but AllMusic called the album "more fun than anything released by Britney Spears or Jessica Simpson".[81]
In 2006, Hilton top-billed as vain, dumb blonde characters in the comedy films Bottoms Up and National Lampoon's Pledge This!, both of which received DVD releases in North America. Australia's Urban Cinefile described Bottoms Up as a "crass, low-brow comedy" with "little merit" except for "some Paris Hilton curiosity value".[82] She reportedly snubbed the Cannes Film Festival premiere of Pledge This! to protest the addition of several nude scenes,[83] which resulted in Worldwide Entertainment Group suing Hilton in August 2008, at the Miami District Court, alleging that she did not fulfill her contractual agreement to provide "reasonable promotion and publicity" for the film, despite receiving a US$1 million fee for the role.[84] Hilton licensed her name to Gameloft for their 2006 mobile video game Paris Hilton's Diamond Quest.
The Simple Life finished its run with its fifth season, which debuted on May 28, 2007, and ended on August 5, 2007. That year, Hilton introduced her DreamCatchers line of hair extensions with Hair Tech International,[85] signed a licensing agreement with Antebi for a signature footwear line (Paris Hilton Footwear, featuring stilettos, platforms, flats, wedges and a sports collection),[86] and launched a line of tops, dresses, coats and jeans at the Kitson Boutique in Los Angeles.[87] She also posed nude (covered with gold paint) to promote "Rich Prosecco", a canned version of the Italian sparkling wine,[88][89] traveling to Germany to appear in advertisements for the wine,[90] and modeled for 2 B Free.[91]
Screen and business ventures (2008–2011)[edit]
The romantic comedy The Hottie and the Nottie (2008), in which Hilton starred,[92] was a critical and commercial failure.[93] She appeared in the My Name Is Earl episode "I Won't Die with a Little Help from My Friends".[94] A documentary about Hilton, Paris, Not France, was screened at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival.[95] The gothic rock musical Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008)[96] featured Hilton as Amber Sweet, the surgery and painkiller-addicted daughter of a biotech magnate. After screening at the San Diego Comic-Con International, the film received a limited release.[97] Horror.com described it as "by far Hilton's best role",[98] but Jam! Movies called her a "hopeless twit as an actress".[99] At the 29th Razzie Awards, she won as Worst Actress for The Hottie and the Nottie and as Worst Supporting Actress for Repo!.[100]
Hilton starred in a MTV reality series, Paris Hilton's My New BFF, about her search for a new best friend,[101] which premiered on September 30, 2008.[102] The series was a hit and topped all other cable shows in its time slot.[103] That year, she also appeared in two viral Funny or Die videos, Paris Hilton Responds to McCain and Paris Hilton Gets Presidential with Martin Sheen,[104][105] and inspired by her love for dogs, created a canine apparel line, Little Lily by Paris Hilton.[106]
As a result of the American version's success, Paris Hilton's British Best Friend debuted on ITV2 in England on January 29, 2009,[107] the second season of Paris Hilton's My New BFF premiered on June 2, and Paris Hilton's Dubai BFF was internationally broadcast on MTV in April 2011.[108] She guest-starred in the fifth episode of Supernatural's fifth season, which aired on October 8, 2009.[109][110] In 2009, Hilton also released a sunglasses line[111] and a range of hair products that included shampoos, conditioners and vitamins.[112] She won the Female Celebrity Fragrance of the Year Award at the 2009 Fifi Awards.[113]
In February 2010, Hilton participated in an advertising campaign for the Brazilian beer Devassa Bem Loura, whose slogan roughly translates into English as "very blonde bitch".[114] As part of the campaign, she rode the brewery's float in the Rio Carnival.[115] The critically acclaimed documentary Teenage Paparazzo, in which Hilton appeared, aired on HBO on September 27.[116] She had her first voice-over role in the ABC made-for-television film The Dog Who Saved Christmas Vacation.[117][118] The film aired on November 28, 2010[118] and attracted a respectable 2.611 million viewership.[119] That year, Hilton launched a footwear line in Las Vegas[120] and her motorcycle racing team in Spain.[121][122] Her driver, Maverick Viñales, won the final race and finished third overall in the 2011 125cc Grand Prix motorcycle racing championship.[123]
On June 1, 2011, Hilton returned to reality television in Oxygen's The World According to Paris.[124] Focused on her daily life,[125] the series bought in lackluster ratings amid a controversial promotional campaign,[126] which was attributed to her then-fading popularity in North America.[127] Alessandra Stanley, for The New York Times, described her as an "attractive woman with proven talent for marketing and self-promotion, though as a reality heroine she seems a little passé [...] it's hard to see how she can recapture the kind of audience she enjoyed in her heyday—even by streaming her premiere live on Facebook".[128]
In 2011, Hilton modeled for Triton during Brazil Fashion Week and for Andre Tan during Ukraine Fashion Week, and continued her endorsement and retail endeavors,[129] introducing a mobile application, which became available for iPhone and iPod touch,[130] and footwear collections in Mexico City[131][132]