Paris grew up in Beverly Hills, California for the most part. She attended a  private high school  with other celebrity teens such as Nicole Richie, daughter of legendary singer Lionel Richie. After graduation and not having a desire to attend college, Paris Hiltondecided to focus on her carrier.

First, she began to make a name for herself as a model. Paris modeled for such big-name designers as Marc Bouwer and Catherine Malandrino. She later completed an ad campaign for Iceberg, an Italian fashion company. She also posed for some major publications such as GQ, Vanity Fair and FHM. People magazine did a piece on her and her sister Nicky in 2003. Shes recorded a pop album that received luke-warm reviews. She also appeared in a few teen oriented movies. She can also be seen in the FOX reality show, The  Simple Life , which is based on Green Acres, and features Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie living on a farm. 

Some say that Paris is famous for being famous. Her scandalous relationships and the paparazzi had a huge part in her being on the front of supermarket tabloids almost constantly. She was thought to go out with Leo DiCaprio at some point and the guy who played the young kid in Terminator 2 opposite of Schwarzenegger Edward Furlong for a few months, and was later seen out and about with boxer  Oscar de la Hoya . Paris has also been linked with actor and Tommy Hilfiger model, Jason Shaw, as well as Sum 41 lead singer Derek Whibley. 

However, what made the biggest splash about Paris Hilton in recent times is the infamous home video that her ex boyfriend made public. Paris' partying habits tend to make matters orse. She is often photographed drunk and with very little or no clothes on. She has also danced on top of bar banquettes, gone topless for attention, and paraded around in  designer T-shirts  with slogans like, "Got Blow?" Yet Paris maintains that the bad press "sucks" and that "people are mean."