Kim Kardashian
Kim Kardashian (born 1980) is an American media personality, businesswoman, and actress. She rose to prominence through the reality television series Keeping Up with the Kardashians and has since built a multi-industry business empire.
Early Life
Kimberly Noel Kardashian was born on October 21, 1980, in Los Angeles, California. She is the daughter of attorney Robert Kardashian and Kris Houghton (later Jenner). Her father gained national attention as a member of O.J. Simpson's defense team during his 1995 murder trial. Kim grew up in the affluent neighborhood of Bel Air alongside her siblings Kourtney, Khloé, and Rob Kardashian. After her parents divorced, her mother married Olympic decathlete Bruce Jenner, later known as Caitlyn Jenner, adding step-siblings to the family. Kardashian attended Marymount High School, a Roman Catholic all-girls school in Los Angeles.
Rise to Fame
Kardashian first attracted public attention through her friendship with socialite Paris Hilton, working as her stylist and close companion in the mid-2000s. In 2007, the release of a private video recorded years earlier with her then-boyfriend Robert Lichtenstein brought widespread media attention. Later that same year, she and her family began filming Keeping Up with the Kardashians for the E! network. The reality series ran for 20 seasons, concluding in 2021, and became one of the longest-running reality programs in American television history. The show spawned numerous spin-offs and firmly established the Kardashian family as a prominent fixture in popular culture.
Business Ventures
Kardashian has developed a significant business portfolio across multiple industries. In 2017, she launched KKW Beauty, a cosmetics line that was later rebranded as SKKN by Kim in 2022. Her shapewear company, SKIMS, was founded in 2019 and has grown into a widely recognized brand valued at several billion dollars as of the early 2020s. SKIMS expanded its product offerings to include loungewear and apparel and has entered partnerships with major organizations, including being named an official partner of Team USA for the Olympic Games. Kardashian has also authored books, released mobile applications, and appeared in various film and television productions.
Legal Advocacy
Beginning around 2018, Kardashian became publicly involved in criminal justice reform advocacy. She worked directly with the administration of President Donald Trump, meeting with him at the White House to advocate for the pardoning of Alice Marie Johnson, a nonviolent drug offender who had been serving a life sentence. Johnson was subsequently granted clemency. Kardashian has continued her criminal justice work and has been studying law, having passed the California First-Year Law Students' Examination, commonly known as the baby bar, in 2021. She has stated her intention to become a practicing attorney.
Personal Life
Kardashian was briefly married to music producer Damon Thomas from 2000 to 2004. She married professional basketball player Kris Humphries in August 2011; the marriage lasted 72 days before she filed for divorce. From 2014 to 2022, she was married to rapper and entrepreneur Kanye West, with whom she has four children: North, Saint, Chicago, and Psalm. The couple finalized their divorce in 2022. Kardashian has been a prominent figure on social media, accumulating hundreds of millions of followers across platforms.
Later Career and Media
Following the conclusion of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Kardashian and her family transitioned to Hulu, launching The Kardashians in 2022. The series continued to document the family's personal and professional lives. Kardashian also made a notable appearance hosting Saturday Night Live in October 2021 and has appeared in various acting roles over the course of her career.
