A pop culture icon and poster child of the aughts, Paris Hilton headlined tabloid gossip for years — but it turns out her public persona was heavily manufactured. In her documentary, “This is Paris,” the businesswoman spoke about how she’d curated her image as a “dumb blonde” for “The Simple Life” (via Buzzfeed). “I just created this brand and this persona and this character, and I’ve been stuck with her ever since,” Paris says in the trailer for “This is Paris.” Separately, she laments the fact “nobody really knows me,” and tells a cameraman, “Sorry, I’m so used to playing a character that it’s hard for me to, like, be normal.” When Paris is in public, she’s in character, speaking with a high-pitched, baby voice. However, in her private moments — for example, when she’s discussing a secret trauma with her sister Nicky Hilton — Paris’ voice is deeper and more mature.
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In an interview with Sunrise, Paris copped to her “dumb blonde” act, adding that she wanted the world to remember her for being so much more than just a pretty face. Explaining that the “real me is actually someone who is brilliant,” Paris said, “I don’t want to be remembered as some airhead. I want to be respected for the businesswoman I am.” Creating a persona that’s synonymous with the rich, dumb socialite may have been the first step in building Paris’ empire, but now that she’s a mogul with a brand of her own, that image no longer serves her.
