June 2005 By Philip Berk
Could Paris Hilton one day be more famous than the hotel chain or the city of lights?
If you were to ask her, she’d probably say Yes.
Yet when she arrives at her press conference for her movie, House of Wax, she’s all alone, no bodyguards, no hair and makeup people, just her personal publicist.
Only last week she dumped her best friend Nicole Richie from her hit show The Simple Life
And apparently she’s done the same to her famous pet Chihuahua, Tinkerbell.
Cradling a very small Chihuahua in her arms, she introduces him, “This is Bambi, Tinkerbell’s new little boyfriend.”
Isn’t Tinkerbell somewhat jealous?
“She gets really jealous, and she bites him when I’m holding both of them. So now Tinkerbell sleeps with me at night, and Bambi hangs out with me all day.”
So tell us about House of Wax?
How did it happen?
“I got a call from (producer) Joel Silver, and that was very exciting. He’s a legend and everything he does turns to gold, so I knew it was going to be a hit. I saw the finished product — it’s a really scary great movie — and I’m happy to be part of it.”
Did she mind that they poke fun of her “image” in the movie?
“With any character you can put a little of yourself into it and make fun of it. The audience likes that, and people like it if you can laugh at yourself.”
Is it true there’s a new man in her life, also named Paris?
“Paris and I live together. We have for the past five months, and we’re very serious. I don’t go out anymore. I’m too busy working. We’re very serious and I definitely want to settle down and have kids in the next two or three years.”
But she’s not pregnant ?
“Not yet. There’s not a baby yet.”
So how did The Simple Life changed her life?
“Since it came out two years ago, it’s just been a whirlwind. It’s been amazing. So much has happened. I just thank God for this opportunity.”
And she’ll continue with somebody else?
“I’m not sure who yet; we’re looking at some people, to see who’s going to be the most fun.”
It must have been devastating ending a friendship of so many years.
How is she dealing with it?
“I don’t really want to talk about her. I just hope she’s happy and healthy. I had a great first three seasons, and I want the fourth to be even better, and I know it’s going to be better. I’m bringing on one of my friends who’s going to be gorgeous and hysterical.”
But you can’t say who?
“No, because I really love my show and I want it to be the way it should be.”
Everyone’s guess is it’ll be Rod Stewart’s daughter.
How much input does she have on the show?
‘Well, I’m the producer so a lot of it is what I think up. Season 4 is planned as a totally real show, so it’ll be a lot of fun.”
And they’ll be shooting in Maui?
“Somewhere where I can wear bikinis. No more cold places for me.”
How serious is she about acting?
“I love acting. It’s my passion. I’ve been wanting to do it my whole life. I am not doing it for money or fame or anything. I do it because I love it.”
So wouldn’t she better off concentrating on a movie career and forget the simple life?
“I love The Simple Life. I’m the producer. I helped create it. It’s really important to me, and so much fun to do. It’s like going on an adventure with a friend. We get in trouble because people think we’re bad. But we’re not like that all the time. It’s all in fun. I love making people laugh. So many people come up to me and say they’re obsessed with the show. I get thousands of letters. I read all my fan mail. And if I can bring that to people’s lives, why not?
She’s been accused of shameless self promotion?
Isn’t she scared the media will eventually tire of her?
“When I was younger it used to hurt my feelings when I read those stories because they weren’t true I quickly learned to say, ‘Hey, this person doesn’t know me. They’ve never met me or my friends. My family knows me, They know what’s true or not. So I just stopped reading those stories.”
So she’d be a lot happier if the media just went away?
“A lot of the time it’s hard. You want privacy but you have none. That’s why sometimes I just stay home and cry. I wish everyone would leave me alone, Even if I wear a disguise people still know who I am. So I stay close to my family and my friends, and not allow Hollywood get to me.”
Known for her spending habits (she has three cars, a diamond-studded Farrari, a Bentley, and a Road Ranger) does it ever worry her that one day it might all be gone?
“That’s a stereotype I got. People said I got my first credit card at thirteen. That’s nor true. I was seventeen, and I was begging my parents to allow me to act, to be a model, and they said, ‘No, finish high school.’ I finished high school. I moved to L.A, and I said I don’t want your money. I want to do it on my own. I lived in a small apartment with one of my girl friends. I had nothing, and then I started modeling, taking acting classes, and then I started booking things and getting endorsement deals all around the world. So now I’ve built this empire which is growing and expanding and turning into this huge brand, and it’s all me. It’s just Paris. It’s not Hilton Hotels hotels related.”
How much does the Hilton family name mean to her?
“Obviously I’m proud of my great grandfather who started as a bellboy and built this hotel empire, but I have ambition too. But I have nothing to do with Hilton Hotels. I’m doing everything on my own. I have my Paris Hilton Corporation, which is my brand, my business that I’ve built, and like my great grandfather I want to build my own name. I would rather be just Paris. I don’t care about my last name.”
Could she see herself as another Martha Stewart?
“I think she’s just a great businesswoman, and she’s built an amazing brand, and people love her product. I have a different audience obviously but I’d like to do the same.”
What can she tell us about the other Paris, and is he her fiance?
“No, my boyfriend”
How old is he, and what does he do?
“He’s only twenty-two. He’s in college, and he’s studying to be a movie producer.”
She doesn’t mention his last name; it’s Latsis, Greek.
Who are her favorite actresses?
“I love Cameron Diaz. She’s hysterical. And I love Angelina Jolie. I think she’s the most beautiful woman in the world,”
And men?
“I love Will Ferrell and Ben Stiller.”
House of wax was shot in Australia. When not filming, what did she do?
“I just went shopping,” she replies without a trace of irony.
She has an album coming out.
Can she really sing, or is it just some record label exploiting her name?
“I’ve been singing my whole life. But I’ve been shy about singing in front of people, but then I just started going to the studio because I loved writing music. I’ve been recording my album for the past year and a half. It’s been a lot of work, working around the movie and the other things. But for the last month I’ve been going in every day, and the album will be coming out in August.”
How would she describe her style?
“Blondie meets Gwen Stefani.”
She’s always seems so blissfully happy.
Does she work at it?
“You know, I’m a good person and a good girl. People have said bad things about me that have hurt me. I’ve never done anything bad to anyone. All I did was go to parties when I was younger. Who cares. I don’t see anything wrong with that. I didn’t do anything wrong. Now I’ve settled down. I’m over it. And when the tabloids write things, that’s their problem. I don’t waste my time reading it. I’m too busy doing other things.”
So from now on she’ll be slowing down?
“I don’t go out as much anymore because it’s not as much fun. I’m too busy. It’s a business deal or a script every five seconds. You can’t relax anymore because people want something from you every second. I’d rather stay home, lay down, and not have anybody come up except my boyfriend.”
What’s her beauty secret?
“When you’re happy it makes you glow and smile. Everyone can look pretty if you smile.”
Any special diet?
“I drink a lots of water and McDonald’s.”
Is she still close to her sister Nicky?
“My sister and I are the best of friends. We talk on the phone ten times a day. We’re always together. I love her so. I really look up to her. I’m just so proud of her, She’s doing so much with her life, and she’s just a beautiful, good girl.”
Is she a good business woman? Can she be tough when necessary?
“You’d be surprised. I sit here in front of you using my baby voice because I’m shy. But this is not how I am on the phone with business people. I use a low voice. I’m not shy doing business. I know exactly what’s going on. I may put on this little act sometimes, but if I’m doing business you can’t be sweet because then you’re taken advantage of. And I also have lawyers to take care of me.”
She has unusually long fingers; so it’s no surprise that she wears size 11 shoes.
How many pairs of shoes does she have?
“It’s hard to get my size; so I only have 500 pairs, but I have like 3000 bags.”
Some, she confesses, were promotional gifts!
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