Both born in 1981, Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie were two California rich kids who, from an early age, became best friends and confidantes. They went to school together. They played together. They did dress up together.
By the time they were in their teens and early 20s, things got more complicated. They hit the club scene hard, together and had substance abuse issues that ran side by side. Paris was arrested for DUI and Nicole did a stint or two in rehab.
This was in the era of their hit reality show The Simple Life. From 2003 to 2007, the girls hit the road side by side to wait on tables and clean bathrooms and the like. But the cracks in the relationship were already appearing.
Nicole was reportedly jealous of the media attention Paris received. Paris, as always, only worried about being the center of attention. By the time of the "big feud" of 2005, the relationship was dying a death.
These days? The girls, now nearly 40, have moved on. Nicole Richie is a wife and mother. And Paris is still trying to hog the spotlight. Here is what we know about Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie's relationship and the feuding that brought it to an end.
15 Both Brought Up In The Lap Of Luxury
Paris Hilton was born into the mega-rich Hilton Hotel dynasty some 39 years ago. She was born with the proverbial silver spoon in her mouth. Nicole? She was the daughter of a musician who worked for the Commodore's Lionel Richie. When the guy and his wife decided they couldn't cope financially, Richie adopted Nicole. So, she landed on her feet!
14 Besties From Childhood
As children, Nicole and Paris hung out together, went to school together, and rapidly became BFFs. As the girls matured, their interests changed and they went from sleepovers to boyfriends before you knew it. That was one thing they didn't share if they could help it! That was when the problems started.
13 Liked To Play Dress Up Together - A Taste Of Things To Come
From an early age, the two girls enjoyed playing dress-up together. Later, they were to become fashion icons. So, perhaps the early dress-up gigs were a rehearsal for the real thing. This "fairies in the garden" shot is a little bizarre but cute. By the time they hit their teen years, things got a little more complicated, with Nicole reportedly being jealous of all the media attention Paris received.
12 Hitting The Club Scene Together
With the teen years behind them, the girls started to get really, really serious about clubbing, parties, dancing, and of course, guys. Wild shots such as this one did much to give the girls the reputation as airhead party-hard rich-witch types. More and more, media attention focused on Paris.
11 The Troubles With Drugs And Alcohol Started Early For Both
In the early 2000s, the Internet buzzed with news of Paris and her DUIs and the fact that Nicole Richie had entered rehab for drug and alcohol abuse. Paris at one point was sentenced to jail. Both girls seemed unhappy, out of control, and self-destructive. As always, they were in it together, for better or worse.
10 2003: The Simple Life
The premise for The Simple Life was, well, simple. Two poor little rich girls go out on the road and do low-paying jobs like cleaning, waiting tables, and farm work. It didn't help that rumor had it that Nicole was the second or third choice of Paris as her other half in the series. The show was panned by the critics but was generally given the thumbs up by audiences.
9 2004-2007 - The Simple Life: Too Much Togetherness?
Life on the road was sometimes tough. Paris and Nicole spent a lot of time together. By then in their early twenties, the girls were already moving apart. Paris seemed to steal the spotlight at every opportunity. Reportedly, the two began arguing more and more. Perhaps The Simple Life was just too much togetherness. The cracks in the relationship began appearing.
8 2005: The Feud Begins As Paris Bombs On Saturday Night Live
Why on earth would Saturday Night Live invite Paris Hilton to host the show without the funnier and wittier Nicole Richie at her side? Nicole probably wondered that as well. In 2005 Paris bombed out on SNL. Meanwhile, rumor has it that Nicole held a party that night to monitor Paris' performance. The feud between the two was about to take off in earnest.
7 Was It THAT Tape That Set The Feud Alight?
So, everybody knows about the Paris Hilton "tape". Rumor has it that Nicole, jealous and upset, screened the unedited version of the tape for the partygoers that fateful night when Paris had a monumental fail on SNL. Neither girl has come right out and said so. But many think that was the beginning of the open warfare phase of the relationship.
6 Paris To The World: "Nicole Knows What She Did"
So, it didn't take long for the world to realize the two girls were on the outs. Gossip sites were gleefully spilling all the unflattering details of the "feud" between the two former besties. In a typical Paris moment, she dumped all the blame on Nicole, merely saying "She knows what she did." Most assumed that was a reference to the tape.
5 2005 Nicole To The World: Get Over It. We Just Grew Apart
Nicole clapped back, saying that there was no big drama and that she and Paris had merely grown apart. Nicole later began hanging out with another rehab alum, namely one Lindsay Lohan. Many thought that was a mistake on Nicole's part. Whatever happened, the former BFFs were barely speaking. It made filming The Simple Life a bit awkward.
4 2010: Paris Gives Nicole's Wedding A Miss
The turning point for Nicole Richie was meeting and marrying Good Charlotte band member Joel Madden. They married in 2010. Reportedly, Nicole invited Paris. But did she show? No. She merely mumbled somethings about "prior commitments". For many, it was a sign that the two, for whatever reasons, were no longer friends.
3 Nicole Has Kids While Paris Breaks Off Engagement
At 39-years-old, Nicole Richie has been married for 9 years and has two kids with Joel Madden. Her life if getting onto "normal". Reportedly, the marriage to Madden and having children has had a renewing effect on Richie. And Paris? At the same time, she was breaking her engagement to actor Chris Zylka and moving on to billionaire boyfriend Carter Reum.
2 They Still Chat - Now And Then
The body language says it all. This is not a shot of two besties getting together. It is a shot of two "acquaintances" running into one another, in this case, at a fashion show. The relationship has to all good effect ended. Richie is happy and settled and Paris is, coming up to 40, trying desperately hard to stay in the media spotlight. The two have nothing in common anymore.
1 The Future? Reboot Of The Simple Life? Don't Hold Your Breathe
It is a sign of their relative maturity levels, that Paris Hilton reportedly would consider a reboot of The Simple Life, while Nicole just shakes her head and says, look, at nearly 40, with two kids, it just ain't going to happen. Maybe to save face, Paris has subsequently posted saying she is too busy "running her empire" to reboot the show. Empire?
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