Nicole Camille Richie (born September 21, 1981) is an American actress, author, singer, socialite, celebutante, and television personality.
The adopted daughter of Lionel Richie, she is perhaps best known for her role in the reality television show The Simple Life.
Nicole Richie was born Nicole Camile Escovedo in Berkeley, California Her birth mother has been identified only as a woman who was employed as a backstage assistant on Lionel Richie's 1980 world tour; Peter Escovedo III was a member of Richie's band. In a November 15, 2005 CNN interview with Ryan Seacrest, Richie stated that her birth father (whom she declined to identify) was not a member of Lionel's band. Richie still speaks with her biological mother but has no contact with her biological father. Richie also denied that Escovedo was her biological father in a November 2005 Jane magazine interview.
In addition to figure skating, Richie studied the guitar, cello, violin, and piano. In 1986, she started kindergarten at The Buckley School in Sherman Oaks, California where she met Paris Hilton. Richie graduated from Montclair College Preparatory School in 1999. She also studied Arts and Media for two years at the University of Arizona.
In April 2005, reports surfaced that Richie and longtime friend Paris Hilton were no longer speaking. Hilton commented on the reports stating, "It's no big secret that Nicole and I are no longer friends. Nicole knows what she did, and that's all I'm ever going to say about it."Neither Richie nor Hilton ever spoke publicly about the cause of the split. The two eventually reconciled in October 2006.
On July 31, 2007, Richie confirmed that she and boyfriend Joel Madden were expecting a child, due in early January 2008. She gave birth to a 6 lb (2.7 kg). 7 oz daughter, Harlow Winter Kate Madden on January 11, 2008 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. In February 2008, Richie introduced her daughter, Harlow, in People magazine. Richie and Joel Madden also pose in the photos, for which People reportedly paid $1 million. "She gives life a whole new meaning and a whole new purpose," Richie tells the magazine of Harlow, adding that she's ready to "move on" from her days as a wild child.
