Nicole Richie facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nicole Richie
Richie in 2012
Born	Nicole Camille Escovedo (1981-09-21) September 21, 1981 (age 43) Berkeley, California, U.S.
Other names	Nikki Fre$h
Occupation	Media personality fashion designer actress
Years active	1996–present
Spouse(s)	Joel Madden ​ (m. 2010)​
Children	2
Parent(s)	Lionel Richie (adoptive father) Brenda Harvey Richie (adoptive mother) Peter Michael Escovedo (biological father) Karen Moss (biological mother)
Relatives	Sofia Richie (adoptive sister) Sheila E. (biological aunt) Benji Madden (brother-in-law) Cameron Diaz (sister-in-law)

Nicole Camille Richie (born September 21, 1981) is an American television personality, fashion designer, and actress. She became well-known after appearing on the reality TV show The Simple Life (2003–2007). On this show, she starred alongside her friend Paris Hilton. Nicole Richie's life gained a lot of media attention during and after the show.

After The Simple Life ended, Richie continued her career in television. She was a judge on the reality competition series Fashion Star (2012–2013). She also starred in the comedy series Candidly Nicole (2014–2015). From 2017 to 2018, Richie had a main acting role as Portia Scott-Griffith in the sitcom Great News. In 2020, she became a judge on the reality competition series Making the Cut. In fashion, Richie created the lifestyle brand House of Harlow. She has also written two novels.

Early Life and Family

Nicole Camille Escovedo was born in Berkeley, California. Her family background includes English, Mexican, and Creole African-American heritage. Her biological father is Peter Michael Escovedo, and her biological mother is Karen Moss. When Nicole was three years old, her biological parents asked singer Lionel Richie and his first wife, Brenda Harvey Richie, to care for her. Lionel and Brenda Harvey Richie became her guardians. Lionel Richie's 1986 song "Ballerina Girl" was written about Nicole.

Brenda Harvey and Lionel Richie officially adopted Nicole when she was nine years old. After Lionel and Brenda divorced, Lionel remarried and had two more children: Miles and Sofia. Nicole Richie's godmother is Nancy Davis. Nicole often spent time with musicians her father knew, like Michael Jackson (who was her godfather), Prince, and Kenny Rogers. Music producer Quincy Jones has described Nicole as a "very smart girl."

Nicole Richie graduated from Montclair College Preparatory School in 1999. She then attended the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona, where she studied Arts and Media. She left college after two years and returned to California.

Nicole Richie's Career

Television Shows

In 2003, Nicole Richie and her friend Paris Hilton starred in the reality series The Simple Life. In the show, they lived for a month with a family in a rural community. The first episode aired on Fox on December 2, 2003, and was watched by 13 million viewers. The show continued for a second and third season.

Fox later stopped airing the show. However, E! Entertainment Television picked it up for a fourth season, which was also popular. The series finished after a fifth season.

In 2005, Richie made her acting debut in the comedy film Kids in America. She has also appeared as a guest star in TV series like Eve, American Dreams, and Chuck. Richie was a guest judge on the reality competition series Project Runway. From 2012 to 2013, she was a judge on Fashion Star. From 2014 to 2015, Richie starred in the comedy series Candidly Nicole, which was based on her posts on Twitter.

In 2016, Richie was cast as Portia Scott-Griffith, a news anchor, in the sitcom Great News. This was her first regular acting role in a TV series. The show premiered on NBC in April 2017. Critics praised Richie's performance, noting her comedic talent. The series ended in 2018 after two seasons.

In 2020, she created and starred in the digital series Nikki Fre$h. This show follows the career of Richie's rapper character, Nikki Fre$h. That same year, she appeared as a judge on the reality competition series Making the Cut. In 2024, she starred in Paris & Nicole: The Encore with Paris Hilton.

Writing Books

In 2005, Richie wrote a novel called The Truth About Diamonds. The book is partly based on her life but is mostly fictional. It tells the story of Chloe Parker, a famous singer's adopted daughter, who explores Hollywood's social scene. In early 2006, The Truth About Diamonds reached number 32 on The New York Times Best-Seller List.

Richie's second novel, Priceless, was released in September 2010. It is about a girl who loses everything and then learns what is truly important in life.

Fashion Design

Richie promoting her House of Harlow brand in Sydney in 2012

Nicole Richie has been featured in many fashion magazines like Harper's Bazaar, Seventeen, and Teen Vogue. She has also modeled for Vogue and Elle. She was the face of advertising campaigns for Bongo Jeans and Jimmy Choo.

In October 2008, she launched her jewelry line, named House of Harlow. The line later grew to include clothing, shoes, eyewear, home fragrances, and other accessories. In 2009, Richie partnered with the maternity store A Pea in the Pod to create a collection of maternity clothes. In February 2010, she expanded her fashion business with a women's clothing line called Winter Kate. This collection was inspired by classic prints and shapes.

In 2010, Richie won "Entrepreneur of the Year" for her House of Harlow brand at the Glamour Women of the Year Awards. House of Harlow was also nominated for "Celebrity Fashion Line" at the 2010 Teen Choice Awards. In July 2011, the brand released a handbag collection. In May 2012, it was reported that her lines, House of Harlow 1960 and Winter Kate, had combined sales of about $55 million. She launched a collection for Macy's in September 2012. Her first perfume, Nicole by Nicole Richie, also launched in September 2012. Her second perfume, No Rules by Nicole Richie, was released in March 2014.

In 2017, Richie became a brand ambassador for Urban Decay. House of Harlow also partnered with Urban Decay for a special collection in April 2018.

Music Projects

Richie made her music debut in February 2005, playing the piano on ABC's The View. In February 2010, Richie was part of the charity song "We Are the World 25 for Haiti". In September 2013, Richie appeared in Christina Aguilera's music video for the song "Let There Be Love".

In April 2020, Richie announced she would release a comedy rap album under the name Nikki Fre$h. The album, titled Unearthed, was released on August 28, 2020.

Charity Work

In November 2007, Richie and her husband Joel Madden created The Richie Madden Children's Foundation. This foundation supports young mothers and children who are facing challenges. She has worked with many organizations, including the Red Cross, UNICEF, and the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Richie is also a board member of Baby2Baby, a charity that helps families in need.

In 2007, Richie and Madden donated 100 baby gifts to new mothers through their foundation. In May 2008, they filmed a UNICEF public service announcement to help people affected by a cyclone in Myanmar. Richie and Madden have also written blogs for the UNICEF website, encouraging people to help children. In March 2009, they held a fundraiser for the Tap Project, raising $100,000 to bring water to villages. Their foundation also designed a special "Cup with a Cause" for 7-Eleven in 2010.

Richie has been a board member of the Environmental Media Association for several years. She has participated in programs to raise awareness for environmental education in schools. She also took part in a charity auction to raise money for The Richie Madden Children's Foundation.

In November 2011, Richie hosted a Baby2Baby charity event to help families during the holiday season. She was a guest speaker at WE Charity's WE Day California event in 2018.

Personal Life

Richie and husband Joel Madden at the 82nd Academy Awards on March 7, 2010

In April 2005, reports said that Nicole Richie and her friend Paris Hilton were no longer speaking. They later became friends again in October 2006.

Richie was briefly engaged to DJ Adam Goldstein from 2004 to 2006.

In December 2006, she began dating singer Joel Madden from the rock group Good Charlotte. They have two children: a daughter born in January 2008 and a son born in September 2009. The couple announced their engagement in February 2010 and married on December 11, 2010. They live in Los Angeles, California.

Filmography

Music Videos

Discography

• Unearthed (2020)

Singles

• "Stunnah" (2013)

Awards and Nominations

Published Works

• The Truth About Diamonds (2005)
• Priceless (2010)

See also

In Spanish: Nicole Richie para niños