Paris Hilton Slammed for 'Self-Made' Claims Amidst 'Nepo Baby' Debate

Heiress Paris Hilton is facing backlash after claiming to be 'self-made.'

In an interview with the UK's Sunday Times on April 15 (local time), Hilton, 44, stated, "I've built it myself. Everything I've done has been on my own," referring to her media company. She further asserted, "I've never taken a dollar from anyone in my life."

However, these statements quickly sparked widespread mockery on social media platforms and Reddit, according to a report by the Daily Mail on April 16.

One netizen directly commented, "Your perfume was literally called 'Heiress.' Please live in reality," while another pointed out, "Would you be as famous as you are if you weren't a Hilton?"

A different user criticized, "Even without direct financial support or inheritance, the 'risk' for someone from a wealthy family and someone struggling paycheck to paycheck is inherently different. This is delusion," the post stated.

The criticism continued, with comments such as "Just like other nepo babies, she's out of touch with reality," "Classic case of self-love overload," and "There are buildings all over the country with your name on them, and you're calling yourself self-made?" These remarks highlighted Hilton's privileged background.

Paris Hilton is the granddaughter of hotel magnate Barron Hilton, who built an empire. While he bequeathed 97% of his fortune to charity upon his death in 2019, her parents, Kathy and Rick Hilton, are reportedly still billionaires.

In the interview, Hilton recalled her relationship with her grandfather, saying, "He always told me, 'You work harder than any CEO I know.'"

Despite this, online sentiment remained cold. Her initial fame was attributed to her wealthy family image and 'party girl' persona. Following this, she leveraged her global popularity from shows like 'The Simple Life' to expand her businesses, including fragrances, clothing, and merchandise, making her 'self-made' claim lack credibility.

Amidst the ongoing 'nepo baby' (child of a celebrity/influential person) debate in Hollywood, Hilton's remarks have reignited the discussion. Netizens criticized her statement as a "forgetfulness of privilege," arguing that "the effort put in by a wealthy person and the effort put in by someone less fortunate start from entirely different places."

Paris Hilton continues to actively work as the CEO of 11:11 Media, but this recent comment has only reinforced her image as being out of touch with reality.

Netizens commented, "Her statement ignores the fame and connections she gained as a Hilton heiress," and "It's hard for people to relate when a star from a wealthy background says this, especially when others work extremely hard just to get by."