Kathy Hilton Admits She Wasn't Always Supportive ofThe Simple Life: 'I Was Wrong' (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

(L-R) Paris Hilton and Kathy Hilton at the 10th Annual LACMA ART+FILM GALA.Photo: Stefanie Keenan/Getty

Years afterThe Simple LifecatapultedParis Hiltonto fame, her mother,Kathy Hilton, is not afraid to admitshe wasn’t initially supportive of the show.PEOPLE caught up with the family matriarch, 65, on Friday, Jan. 3, at the2025 WWD Style Awards, where she reflected on her daughter’s reunion withNicole Richiefor the three-part Peacock seriesParis & Nicole: Encore.The reunioncame 17 years after the end ofThe Simple Life, which aired from 2003 to 2007 and followed Hilton’s 43-year-old daughter and her childhood friend, also 43, as they traversed the U.S. to pick up odd jobs before entering the corporate world.The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie attend the 2024 CFDA Awards at American Museum of Natural History on October 28, 2024.Dimitrios Kambouris/GettyRegarding the series' reincarnation, in which the dynamic duo triedto turn their iconic song “Sanasa” into an opera, Hilton says she believes it was “so hysterical.““I mean, I was part of it, so it was a lot of fun. They [Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie] are so funny together,” she tells PEOPLE.Kathy Hilton at the 2025 WWD Style Awards.ETIENNE LAURENT/AFP via GettyTheReal Housewives of Beverly Hillsstar agrees that participating in the new series also felt “very nostalgic.““I did. It was great. It was really great. I wasn’t for it to begin with, so I was wrong. I was wrong,” she says, admitting that she held it over her head.Getting to film the reunion special was just as much of a rewarding experience for Paris, who recently told PEOPLE thatshe’s enjoyed connecting with fans again about the show.‘Paris & Nicole: The Encore’ promo photo.Peacock"It’s so fun just watching all of the videos, especially on TikTok, of people recreating different scenes from the show and using different sounds from it. It’s always fun every Halloween to see everybody dressing up as Nicole and I and their different takes on all of our different looks,” said Paris.“It’s just been really special to be in contact with so many of the fans as well on social media and hear from them how muchThe Simple Lifemeant to them, how it really shaped their personality and who they are, and just how much they really loveNicole and I’s friendship,” she continued. “It’s been really, really cool to connect with so many fans about it.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Paris & Nicole: The Encorepremiere is available to stream on Peacock.

Years afterThe Simple LifecatapultedParis Hiltonto fame, her mother,Kathy Hilton, is not afraid to admitshe wasn’t initially supportive of the show.

PEOPLE caught up with the family matriarch, 65, on Friday, Jan. 3, at the2025 WWD Style Awards, where she reflected on her daughter’s reunion withNicole Richiefor the three-part Peacock seriesParis & Nicole: Encore.

The reunioncame 17 years after the end ofThe Simple Life, which aired from 2003 to 2007 and followed Hilton’s 43-year-old daughter and her childhood friend, also 43, as they traversed the U.S. to pick up odd jobs before entering the corporate world.

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie attend the 2024 CFDA Awards at American Museum of Natural History on October 28, 2024.Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty

Regarding the series' reincarnation, in which the dynamic duo triedto turn their iconic song “Sanasa” into an opera, Hilton says she believes it was “so hysterical.”

“I mean, I was part of it, so it was a lot of fun. They [Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie] are so funny together,” she tells PEOPLE.

Kathy Hilton at the 2025 WWD Style Awards.ETIENNE LAURENT/AFP via Getty

ETIENNE LAURENT/AFP via Getty

TheReal Housewives of Beverly Hillsstar agrees that participating in the new series also felt “very nostalgic.”

“I did. It was great. It was really great. I wasn’t for it to begin with, so I was wrong. I was wrong,” she says, admitting that she held it over her head.

Getting to film the reunion special was just as much of a rewarding experience for Paris, who recently told PEOPLE thatshe’s enjoyed connecting with fans again about the show.

‘Paris & Nicole: The Encore’ promo photo.Peacock

Peacock

“It’s so fun just watching all of the videos, especially on TikTok, of people recreating different scenes from the show and using different sounds from it. It’s always fun every Halloween to see everybody dressing up as Nicole and I and their different takes on all of our different looks,” said Paris.

“It’s just been really special to be in contact with so many of the fans as well on social media and hear from them how muchThe Simple Lifemeant to them, how it really shaped their personality and who they are, and just how much they really loveNicole and I’s friendship,” she continued. “It’s been really, really cool to connect with so many fans about it.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Paris & Nicole: The Encorepremiere is available to stream on Peacock.

source: people.com