Nicole Camille Richie (born Nicole Camille Escovedo; September 21, 1981) is an American fashion designer, author, actress, singer 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 massive hit for the Fox network, premiering with 13 million viewers, and brought Richie and Hilton to international recognition. 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.
Afterwards she turned her focus on other projects including charity work and environmental issues. Richie is married to musician Joel Madden and they have two children. Richie and Madden founded "The Richie Madden Children's Foundation" in 2010. Richie is currently one of the three mentors on NBC's Fashion Star.