Paris Hilton

Who is Paris Hilton?

There are a lot of answers to that question. Paris Hilton is a celebrity. She’s the millionaire heiress to the Hilton Hotel empire. She’s a businesswoman, socialite, model, actress, singer, and reality TV star. 

Those things are all true, but who is Paris Hilton, really?

Until recently, the world had no idea. To most of us, Paris Hilton was an internet influencer and celebrity face. But now, she’s ready to show the world who she truly is. And the truth is, Paris Hilton is a human being just like you and me.

In her new documentary, This Is Paris, Paris is finally sharing her experience with abuse at boarding school that has shaped most of her adult life. Paris Hilton isn’t historically associated with mental health and vulnerability, but for the first time, she’s peeling back the layers of her public façade to be vulnerable — And that’s a scary experience.

“It’s exhausting having to pretend to be this Barbie Doll who has no brain all day long, when in the back of my mind I know exactly what’s happening.” – Paris Hilton

I’m so excited to have Paris on The School of Greatness today. She is a fascinating person to talk to, and I’m so inspired by her bravery and willingness to share her story of trauma and ongoing healing with the world.

Those of you who have been here a while know that I told my own story of childhood trauma here on the show, and sharing that story publicly was one of the scariest experiences of my life. I know how challenging that kind of public vulnerability can be, so I genuinely admire Paris and her courage. Let’s get started.

Who Is Paris Hilton?

Paris Hilton wears many hats. She’s the great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton, the founder of Hilton Hotels, and the heiress of the Hilton empire. She’s also a businesswoman in her own right. With over a dozen product lines, 50 boutiques worldwide, a resort hotel, and a $3 billion perfume line, she’s the definition of business success.

But for all her other success, Paris is probably best known as the original social media influencer. For much of her adult life, Paris has worn a carefully crafted public persona. She’s known as a “dumb blonde party girl,” and she’s played that character in a long list of reality TV shows, movies, and internet platforms. But Paris’ public persona is just that: a persona. It’s a character she’s played, but it’s not who she really is.

Before her days of stardom — before her modeling career, business success, and reality TV stardom — Paris Hilton attended boarding school. There, she was subjected to verbal, physical, and emotional abuse. When she finally escaped that situation, she felt the need to hide. So, she carefully crafted a mask. She hid behind the “dumb partying heiress” character for many years, all the while wishing she could show the world who she really is.

Now, she’s doing just that. The documentary This Is Paris is different from any other project Paris has been a part of. It’s raw, honest, and real. It gives audiences the opportunity to see Paris as she truly is. I know you’re going to want to check it out!

But make sure you listen to this episode first, because Paris and I are going deep. We’re talking about her childhood trauma and how it’s shaped the person Paris is today. We’re also talking about the future and what Paris wants her legacy to be. This interview is inspiring and powerful, friends. Let’s go!

Overcoming Trauma: Paris’ Story

Paris’ whole life changed one night when she was just 16 years old. She was forced from her home and taken to a boarding school in Utah.

“Traumatizing. I had no idea who these people were — Just these two big men coming into my room in the middle of the night and literally grabbing me and carrying me from my bed. … I thought that I was being kidnapped. It was like something from the movie Taken. It [was]  terrifying.” – Paris Hilton

For years, Paris suffered from nightmares related to that experience. And to make matters worse, as I mentioned before, she was abused by the leaders at the school she attended. Paris struggled to cope with her circumstances, so she started visualizing the future she wanted to create for herself. She pictured herself living the life of a famous, successful, wealthy business owner, and as soon as she escaped school, she began creating that life for herself.

“The only thing that kept me going and not losing my sanity was just thinking about who I was going to become when I got out of there. And I think I just built kind of this Barbie doll, Disney princess, perfect life, just so I wouldn’t have to think about all the just horrible things that I went through. … It was like a distraction.” – Paris Hilton

That Barbie doll character served Paris for many years. She built her empire playing the picture-perfect party girl, but eventually, the mask started to feel heavy. She realized that she was struggling to connect with people and that some of her toxic relationships needed to be cut loose. Paris knew she had to step out from behind the mask of her public character and finally tell the truth. She told her story to the camera in This Is Paris. She worked through her past trauma and came out the other side feeling stronger than ever before.

“I think everything in life happens for a reason, and I wouldn’t be the strong woman I am today if I had not [gone] through those things.” – Paris Hilton

Since telling her story, Paris hasn’t had a nightmare. She’s in a healthy, happy relationship, and she’s spending her time and energy building businesses she’s proud of. Paris is proof that it is possible to overcome trauma and create a beautiful life for yourself.

Are you hiding behind a mask? What trauma have you experienced? Friend, I want to encourage you today. You can do the hard internal work you need to do to heal and move on with your life.