Nicole Richie

Nicole Richie is an actress and model famous for her appearance in the reality TV show The Simple Life. Her private life has also frequently made headlines-- she has done drugs, crashed several cars, fought with her famous friends, and allegedly struggled with anorexia. Now Richie is trying to break into the music industry.

Nicole Richie was born on September 21, 1981. Her mother was a backstage assistant to singer Lionel Richie and her father is believed to have been jazz musician Pete Escovedo, brother of the drummer Sheila E. who worked with Prince, though Richie has denied this. Lionel Richie and his wife Brenda Harvey-Richie began looking after the child when she was three and formally adopted her six years later. Her godfather is Michael Jackson, whom she publicly defended after he was accused of child molestation.

A year after Richie's adoption, her new parents split up. She was then allowed to run free. She took cannabis, cocaine, and heroin and became a drug addict. Despite three arrests, she didn't get medical help for her addiction until 2003. In the meantime, she became famous for her wild lifestyle. She was involved in five car accidents and caused a scandal by swearing at the Billboard Music Awards, racking up what was then an unprecedented number of complaints.

Despite her frantic social life, Richie did find time to get something of an education. She studied violin, piano, and cello and also took an interest in figure skating. At the Buckley School in Los Angeles she met and befriended the heiress Paris Hilton. She attended the University of Arizona for two years before dropping out to return to Hollywood.