Nicole Richie

Nicole Camille Richie is an American media personality, fashion designer, and actress. She first came to prominence after starring alongside her friend Paris Hilton in the reality television series The Simple Life, which aired from 2003 to 2007. Over the course of her career, Richie has expanded her presence in entertainment through regular acting roles, reality competition judging, fashion ventures, published books, and philanthropic endeavors.

Richie was born Nicole Camille Escovedo on September 21, 1981, in Berkeley, California, to Peter Michael Escovedo and Karen Moss. When she was three years old, her biological parents placed her under the care of musician Lionel Richie and his wife Brenda Harvey Richie, who legally adopted her when she was nine. Growing up in California around prominent musicians, she graduated from Montclair College Preparatory School in 1999. She later studied Arts and Media at the University of Arizona for two years before returning to California.

In 2003, Richie made her television debut on the Fox reality series The Simple Life. Following the show's five-season run, she continued to work extensively in television. She served as a judge on the competition series Fashion Star from 2012 to 2013 and starred in the unscripted comedy series Candidly Nicole from 2014 to 2015. Richie earned her first regular television acting role playing news anchor Portia Scott-Griffith on the NBC sitcom Great News from 2017 to 2018. In 2020, she appeared as a judge on the reality competition series Making the Cut and created, executive produced, and starred in the digital series Nikki Fre$h.

Richie established herself in the fashion industry by launching her jewelry line, House of Harlow, in 2008. The brand eventually expanded into apparel, shoes, eyewear, and home fragrances as a full lifestyle brand. She also created the maternity line Nicole and the women's clothing collection Winter Kate. In recognition of her business ventures, Richie won Entrepreneur of the Year at the 2010 Glamour Women of the Year Awards. Outside of design, she has published two novels: her 2005 semi-autobiographical debut, The Truth About Diamonds, which became a New York Times best-seller, and her 2010 follow-up, Priceless.

In addition to her work in television and fashion, Richie released a comedy rap album titled Unearthed in 2020 under her alter ego Nikki Fre$h. She is also active in charity work. In 2007, she and her husband, Joel Madden, created The Richie Madden Children's Foundation to support disadvantaged young mothers and children. Richie serves on the boards of Baby2Baby and the Environmental Media Association, and she has partnered with numerous non-profit organizations on educational and aid campaigns.