In the last 20 years, Paris Hilton has turned her hand to a number of ventures to help her remain a household name. Originally rising to as the daughter of Conrad Hilton, the founder of Hilton Hotels, Paris has since been a New York Times Best Seller, a DJ, socialite, co-star of her own TV show, fashion designer, singer, businesswoman, and more.
However, one infamous home video has plagued her career since it was leaked all the way back in 2003. The tape - which was filmed with then-boyfriend Rick Salomon - was leaked onto the internet shortly after the debut episode of The Simple Life.
In 2013, Hilton told TMZ that she never made any money from the tape, saying: "[I] never made a dollar. I make enough money in nice ways. My fragrance makes enough, I don’t need to worry about that."
It has been more than 15 years since the tape hit the internet, and now the 38-year-old has spoken to the Los Angeles Times about her career and that infamous tape.
Paris has made many rivals over her career, and she's not afraid to throw shade when she needs to:"It’s not something that I would ever want to be known for," Hilton revealed. The entrepreneur then spoke how, in the #MeToo era, she would never be shamed for a leak like the one she endured in 2003.
"Thank God," she said, "Back then, people were acting like I was the bad person or the villain […] Today, if that happened, whoever did that to the person would be [vilified]."
Hilton revealed in the 2018 documentary, The American Meme, that the scandal caused her to contemplate suicide. In the documentary, she says:
"As a little girl, I always looked up to Princess Diana and women like that who I respected so much. And I felt that when that man put out that tape, it basically took that away from me because, for the rest of my life, people are going to judge me and think of me in a certain way just because of a private moment with someone that [I] trusted and loved."
Paris threw one lavish party for her 38th:
But Hilton explained her parents taught her to take the high road when it came to public narratives:
"My mom and my dad always told me, 'Never dignify something with a response.' Back then, there was no social media. So I couldn’t just go on there [and set the record straight] […] I never stuck up for myself or said anything because my parents said, 'You’re just going to draw more attention to something. Even if it’s a lie, just don’t pay attention to it. Your family and your friends know the real you.'"
Now single, Hilton revealed she has spent the last year soul searching:
"I’m getting to know myself better and am becoming more confident I’ve always been such a people pleaser - always saying ‘Yes’ to everything and I’ve [recently] learned the power of ‘No'.
"When you let people in and you’re nice, you’re going to attract certain people who don’t have the right intentions or just want to use you. So I’ve learned to make my circle of people I trust smaller instead of trusting and letting everybody in. I just don’t let that type of negative energy around me anymore. It’s toxic. I only want good people around me who have big hearts who love me for me."
If you or someone you know are experiencing suicidal thoughts, call 911, or call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741.