Nicole Richie is an American fashion designer, author, actress and television personality. Richie rose to prominence for her role in the Fox reality television series, The Simple Life, alongside her childhood best friend and fellow socialite Paris Hilton, which lasted five seasons. The Simple Life was a hit for the Fox network, premiering with 13 million viewers. Richie's personal life attracted significant media attention during The Simple Life's five-year run, and she was a constant fixture of tabloid journalism before and after her appearance. Richie was born in Berkeley, California, and has Mexican, English and African-American ancestry. Her biological father is Peter Michael Escovedo, a musician who briefly played with singer Lionel Richie, and her biological mother, Karen Moss, was the executive assistant for Nicole's aunt, Sheila E. When she was three, her parents agreed to let her move in with Brenda Harvey and Lionel Richie because they could not afford to provide for her financially. My parents were friends with Lionel, she told People in 2003. They trusted that they would be better able to provide for me. Initially, Lionel Richie became her guardian. Brenda and Lionel legally adopted Nicole when she was nine. (AP Photo/Eric Jamison)
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