Paris Hilton was born on February 17, 1981, in New York, USA. Her great-grandfather was the founder of Hilton Hotels, her father Richard is a real estate agent, and her mother, Cathy, is a former actress. She and her sister, Nicky, are known as the "Hilton Sisters." She began modeling at a young age and signed with a major modeling agency at age 19. She appeared on the reality show "The Simple Life," which aired from 2003. Her outrageous, ladylike character gained her popularity and made her a hit in Japan. Since 2002, she has worked with her sister as a promotional model for Samantha Thavasa, and in 2004, she produced her own fragrance. In 2005, she starred in the horror film "House of Wax," for which she won a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actress. She also made her debut as a singer with the album "Paris" in August 2006. The TV show "Find Paris Hilton's Best Friend!" began airing in 2008. The show, in which 18 men and women live with Paris and compete for the title of "Paris's best friend," also has a British version.

She has attracted attention for her tumultuous private life and glamorous romantic history, including the scandal of her private video being leaked, her arrest for drunk driving, and her time in prison, but she says that the persona she presents to the media is merely "a character to create." She also never neglects to provide fan service, and when she visited Japan in 2006, she allowed photographers who visited the venue to take photos.