Despite growing up taking part in various modelling stints and slowly making a name for herself through cameo roles in popular movies, Hollywood socialite Paris Hilton only really exploded into the public eye following the release of a certain video tape that had been recorded during intimate moments she spent with then-boyfriend Rick Salomon.
Whether or not Paris truly didn't want the video tape to be released to the public, there's no question that it gave interest in her upcoming television show, The Simple Life, due to be aired a week later, a significant boost. Viewer figures soared and so did public interest in Paris Hilton, raising her status from humble heiress and small-time socialite to hugely famous and recognisable the world over.
It wasn't just the apparition of the aforementioned video tape that secured Hilton's fame, however; a closer look at her career choices and behaviour in the public eye makes it clear that fame is something the star has worked hard for. From appearances in films, however small, to attaching her name to any product she recognised had potential, Paris Hilton has proven herself to be a very keen businesswoman as well as a celebrity. Realising that her name carries a certain star quality, Hilton smartly took on jobs advertising clothing lines and perfume, as well as making public appearances at openings, awards and night clubs and ended up heading home with a fat cheque to reward her for her troubles. She has also gained jobs through wit, intelligence and charm - such as her stint with the Guess fashion line, where she impressed the CEO with her knowledge of the company, as well as her part playing Amber Sweet in horror musical Repo: The Genetic Opera simply by meeting the director in person after he had already turned her down.
Now with many impressive credits under her belt, including her very own studio album with another in the pipeline, her own range of perfumes and her very own clothing range, Paris Hilton appears to only keep going from strength to strength as she jets to and from various Hollywood hotels and it isn't too difficult to see what the future holds for the world's favourite heiress - much more of the same, if she has her way! If she continues utilising that keen business sense alongside her alluring personality traits, the chances are that that'll be exactly what this Hollywood princess gets.