Kim Kardashian was born on October 21, 1980, in Beverly Hills, California. In recent years, the she has garnered a Paris Hilton-like celebrity status thanks to her curvaceous style, a hit reality TV show, a string of workout DVDs, and last, but not least, a scandalous video showcasing her sexual exploits with former boyfriend, rapper Ray J. In 2006, she opened a boutique with her sisters, Kourtney and Khloé.
Growing Up in Beverly Hills
Born on October 21, 1980, in Beverly Hills, California, Kim Noel Kardashian is a model, reality television star, entrepreneur and socialite. She is the second of four children born to the late Robert Kardashian and his first wife, Kris. In recent years, the petite, dark haired beauty has garnered a Paris Hilton-like celebrity status thanks to her curvaceous style, a hit reality TV show, a string of workout DVDs, and last, but not least, a scandalous video showcasing her sexual exploits with former boyfriend, rapper Ray J.
Kardashian, it seems, is almost wired for fame. A preschool classmate of Paris Hilton, she grew up under the glare and privilege of Beverly Hills, getting an up-close view of Hollywood’s pleasures and pitfalls. Her father, the founder of Movie Tunes, Inc., a music and marketing company, was a prominent attorney. A close friend for many years of O.J. Simpson, Robert was one of the football star’s defense lawyers during his murder trial. In fact, it was the attorney’s home that Simpson left during the famous Ford Bronco police chase shortly before his arrest. Robert Kardashian died from cancer of the esophagus in October 2003.
Kardashian’s mother, Kris, a children’s boutique shop owner and TV personality, travels in celebrity circles herself. In 1991, two years after divorcing Robert, she married 1976 Olympic star, Bruce Jenner. The couple has two children together.
According to Kardashian, her childhood was hardly the stuff of stardom. Sunday church was regular part of family life. So was the expectation among the Kardashian children that, once they each reached the age of 18, living off the family dime was no longer an option. While attending an exclusive Catholic girls’ high school, Kim Kardashian worked for her father’s company. When he died, the corporation was left to her and her siblings. They’ve since sold it. “We grew up with privilege so we knew our standards were high … [and] if we wanted to keep it, we had to work hard,” she once said.
Romantic Life
As a reality television star, Kardashian’s love life has been the subject of intense media interest. She was only 20 years old when she wed music producer Damon Thomas in 2000. The marriage ended after four years. Following her divorce, Kardashian had a string of high profile boyfriends, including singer Nick Lachey and New Orleans Saints running back, Reggie Bush.
In 2010, Kardashian had a whirlwind courtship with pro basketball player Kris Humphries. The pair married in a lavish, televised ceremony the following August in front of more than 400 guests. But wedded bliss would be short-lived for Kardashian and Humphries. Kardashian filed for divorce after only 72 days of marriage. Humphries sought an annulment instead and claimed that the marriage was a fraud. In April 2013, it was announced that Kardashian and Humphries had settled their divorce, avoiding a long-awaited trial that had been scheduled to take place in May 2013.
While her divorce proceedings were dragging on, however, in early 2012, Kardashian became involved with famed rapper Kanye West. In December 2012, the couple revealed that they were expecting their first child together. Kardashian posted on her blog, “It’s true!! Kanye and I are expecting a baby. We feel so blessed and lucky.” She and West welcomed a daughter on June 15, 2013, in Los Angeles, California. A few days after the child’s birth, it was revealed that the couple had decided to name their daughter North and call her “Nori.”
On October 21, 2013, Kardashian and West got engaged on her 33rd birthday. West proposed to her at the AT&T baseball stadium in San Francisco, which he rented out for the occasion. The couple tied the knot the following May. They held their rehearsal dinner at a famed French landmark Versailles. The ceremony itself was held on May 24, 2014, in Forte di Belvedere, a historic fortress, in Florence, Italy. Her stepfather, Bruce Jenner, walked her down the aisle as famed vocalist Andrea Bocelli sang “Con te Partiro.” In addition to her family, Kardashian and West were joined by such celebrities as director Steven McQueen and actor Jaden Smith on their special day.
In the 10th season of her reality series, Kardashian documented her desire to get pregnant again, and her struggles with fertility issues. In May 2015, she revealed in a teaser for her show that she was pregnant with her and West’s second child. The couple welcomed their son, Saint West, on December 5, 2015.