With families of their own and nonstop careers, Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie‘s lives aren’t so simple anymore, which provided a fresh perspective for their latest project.
Hilton, 43, exclusively opened up to Us Weekly about reuniting with Richie, also 43, for the new series Paris & Nicole: The Encore, premiering Thursday, December 12, on Peacock. The three-part special picks up more than 20 years after The Simple Life, which turned the socialites into the OGs of reality TV.
“I’m so proud of what we created with The Simple Life,” Hilton told Us on Tuesday, December 10, while discussing the pair’s Sonic partnership. “And now to do this celebration for the 20-year reunion is just amazing, and just to see how much we’ve grown up and how far we’ve come, and just what incredible women and wives and mothers we are, it just makes me so so proud.”
Hilton gushed over her “lifelong friendship” with Richie, who she sees like a sister. “No one makes me laugh like Nicole and I think that’s why people loved the original series, because I feel like people could relate when you have your best friend that you have your secret language with. … Everyone has a best friend like that.”
The Simple Life aired for five seasons from 2003 to 2007, following Hilton and Richie as they left their privileged lifestyles behind to work everyday jobs — from farming to serving fast-food (yes, at Sonic).
Since the series ended, Hilton and Richie have entered new eras as businesswomen and parents. Hilton shares two children — Phoenix, 22 months, and London, 12 months — with Carter Reum. Richie, meanwhile, shares Harlow, 16, and son Sparrow, 15, with Joel Madden.
“The kids were in the special with us, so they would come visit us sometimes,” Hilton told Us of life as a “sliving mom” on set. “When I’m working, I’m just with them on the phone all the time. It’s so cute.”
Hilton explained that filming The Encore was “definitely different” due to her and Richie’s roles as parents. “The first time around, you know, we were 20, and we were kids, and we just had no responsibilities,” she continued. “And now, both being wives and mothers and running our businesses and everything that we’re doing in a million projects. So it was definitely a lot to balance.”
Despite their busy schedules, the dynamic duo were “so passionate” about teaming up on the new project. “Obviously we couldn’t leave for a month to Arkansas like we did [on The Simple Life], but we did go to Arkansas for, like, two days,” Hilton added. “We just tried to do everything so that we could, you know, work all day shooting together, which is so fun, and then go home to our kids and our families.”
While The Encore celebrates a new chapter in Richie and Hilton’s lives, the BFFs are also channeling the magic fans loved about The Simple Life to begin with. In August, Hilton and Richie were spotted filming at a Sonic drive-in in a nod to an early episode of their original series. Now, the pair are partnering with the restaurant to make new signature drinks.
Hilton told Us all about the “full-circle moment,” noting, “[Sonic] was the first jobs that Nicole and I had when we were doing The Simple Life, and we had so much fun working there, and it was so hilarious. … Then to come back during the Encore reunion special, Nicole and I went and worked there again for a day, which was a lot of fun. And they loved working with us so much that they asked us to do a campaign with them.”
Hilton gushed that the Sonic team is “so sweet and fun” — and insisted the new drinks are “so delicious.”
Paris & Nicole: The Encore premieres Thursday, December 12, on Peacock.
With reporting by Amanda Williams
