LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 04: (L-R) A$AP Rocky, wearing Gucci, Kathy Hilton, Kim Kardashian, and Paris Hilton attend the 2023 LACMA Art+Film Gala, Presented By Gucci at Los Angeles County Museum of Art on November 04, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for LACMA)
Kathy Hilton recently shared insights into her long-standing friendship with the Kardashian-Jenner family, tracing its origins back to before the rise of their reality television fame. On the July 23, 2023 episode of “Call Her Daddy,” Hilton, 66, discussed her relationship with Kris Jenner, revealing that they had been friends for many years, even when their daughters were young.
“We had done some charity things together, and so Caitlyn [Jenner], Kris, my husband Rick, and I — we would go on trips together and go to New York, Las Vegas… you name it,” Hilton explained. She emphasized that as the adults grew closer, their children formed bonds as well. Hilton and Rick are parents to daughters Paris and Nicky Hilton, while Kris and Caitlyn became stepparents to Kim, Kourtney, Khloe, and Rob Kardashian when they wed in 1991. The couple, who divorced in 2014, later had daughters Kendall and Kylie Jenner.
The friendship among the families flourished, but life eventually took the children in different directions. When Paris received an offer to star in “The Simple Life” alongside her friend Nicole Richie, Kathy saw an opportunity to involve Kim Kardashian. “I called Kris one day and said, ‘Paris is starting this TV show, and she needs somebody that can be with her and organize her,’” Kathy recalled. “I just wanted Paris to have someone.”
Kathy’s suggestion was met with enthusiasm from Kris. “We kind of set up this playdate, and she said, ‘I love it!’ So the girls ran around the world together and had a blast,” Hilton noted, highlighting the early collaborative spirit between the two families.
Kim Kardashian later acknowledged the pivotal role Paris played in her career. In a 2019 interview with E! True Hollywood Story, Kim expressed gratitude, stating, “I am really grateful for my experiences with her. She’s a huge, huge reason [for] my success.”
Despite their success as a duo, the friendship between Kim and Paris appeared to wane as they pursued their individual paths. However, the two reunited in 2014 at designer Riccardo Tisci’s birthday party. This encounter rekindled their friendship, with Kim sharing a nostalgic Instagram post featuring a throwback photo. “Reminiscing about the 1st time we went to Ibiza in 2006! @parishilton it was so good to see you & catch up!! Loves it lol,” she wrote.
Since that reunion, Kim and Paris have rekindled their friendship, frequently appearing at various events together, including holiday gatherings and Paris’s wedding to Carter Reum. The enduring connection between these prominent families underscores how early relationships can evolve and adapt over time.
