If you grew up in the United States during the early 2000s, it’s likely you know more about Paris Hilton than you care to admit. She’s been dubbed the “original social media influencer” for her years in the spotlight as a socialite, model, media personality and even DJ. Her signature blonde locks were seen weekly when she and friend Nicole Richie co-starred in one of the most iconic reality series ever—The Simple Life. Now with the release of her new documentary, Paris is showing a side of herself no one expected, not even her mom.
This Is Paris tells the untold story of one of the most traumatic moments in Paris’s life and its lasting effects as she rose through the ranks in the entertainment industry. The 39-year-old heiress has lived in the limelight for more than half her life, but it’s only now that fans are getting to know the real Paris Hilton. Here are five facts we learned after watching the documentary.
As a child, Paris began adopting and housing many different “pets.” A number of family videotapes included in the documentary show Paris interacting with a bunny, cat, dogs, and even penguins.
“Did she ever tell you about how she had a goat? A pet goat hidden in my grandfather’s tennis court?” Paris’s younger sister Nicky Hilton revealed.
Viewers learn the heiress’s passion for animals started at a very young age. She’d save up her money to buy monkeys, snakes, ferrets, and other non-traditional pets. She even accidentally let out a snake and a monkey on two separate occasions. Paris says she loves animals more than people.
“Looking back, I always thought that she was going to be a veterinarian,” Kathy Hilton, Paris’s mom, shared. “It was such a change from like, 13 to 15.” This was around the time Paris got a fake ID and began exploring the club scene in New York City.
Did you know Paris’s current goal is to become a billionaire? The entrepreneur, whose net worth is $300 million, revealed she hasn’t found the time to maintain a relationship or start a family because she’s constantly working. During a conversation with Nicky, Paris recognizes how her consistent traveling makes it difficult to find a partner that’s her equal.
“I will not stop until I make a billion dollars, and then I think I can relax,” she tells Nicky while filming for the documentary. “I know that sounds crazy. I don’t know, I just don’t want to have to worry.”
It’s fair to say Paris is a business-minded woman determined to achieve her expensive dreams. Part of how she preserves her extravagant lifestyle is with her many jobs and appearances.
If you don’t follow the world of raves and EDM concerts, then you might not know that Paris is actually a very skilled DJ. She’s so talented in fact that she was a featured DJ at one, if not the, biggest electronic dance music festivals. The film team documented Paris as she prepared to perform her set at the 2019 Tomorrowland festival in Belgium.
“Every summer, I’ve been wanting to come here,” Paris told the camera crew. “Tomorrowland is the most prestigious, like biggest festival in the world. There’s nothing that compares to it.”
This Is Paris viewers can see chaos and anxiety overwhelm the media personality as an argument breaks out between her and her then-boyfriend Aleks Novakovic. The situation between the two intensifies moments before Paris is about to perform, but she still delivers an exhilarating set.
Our third interesting fact about the heiress wasn’t covered in the documentary, but it does relate to her history as a reality star. In a recent episode of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, Paris confirms she was asked to appear on The Hills at least twice. The entrepreneur is approached a number of times with offers to join new reality shows. However, Paris says she has no interest in them because she’s focused on building her empire.
The biggest takeaway after watching the documentary is learning about the very real and extremely traumatic experience Paris endured while she was forced to attend a Utah boarding school. The media influencer finally tells the world about the abuse she experienced at the Provo Canyon School.
Paris is now a part of #BreakingCodeSilence. The movement was organized by survivors and activists as a way to raise awareness of the abuse inflicted within troubled teen institutions and industry. She hopes the documentary and her decision to open up about the experience, will help prevent other children and teenagers from enduring the same trauma.
It’s also important to acknowledge that the soft raspy and low voice associated with Paris isn’t how she actually speaks. It’s part of the facade developed by herself and the media over the past two decades. Paris has been seen as a ditzy, blonde socialite who only cares about glitter, glam, and pink. The image does a disservice to Paris as she’s actually very business savvy and intelligent. This Is Paris helps peel away the false narrative and provides a more in-depth look into who Paris Hilton really is, past the surface-level.
The official documentary premiered on Sept. 13 and is available to stream for free on YouTube. Comment down below what facts on Paris Hilton you learned from this article!
