Paris Hilton, once the queen of 2000s tabloid culture and a fixture on Hollywood’s red carpets, has transformed public pain into powerful advocacy. In recent weeks, Hilton has been at the center of two major stories: the imminent release of her new documentary film, Infinite Icon: A Visual Memoir, and her passionate push for new legislation protecting victims of nonconsensual A.I. pornography. Both efforts are deeply personal for Hilton, shaped by a past marked by trauma and resilience, and they signal a new era for the heiress—one defined by activism, vulnerability, and a determination to effect real change.
On January 25, 2026, Hilton sat down with Sky News to reflect on the journey that brought her from the relentless glare of paparazzi flashbulbs to the halls of Congress. She described how the “pain and abuse” she suffered as a teenager at so-called behavior camps have become the driving force behind what she now calls “the most meaningful work” of her life. “These places, they really instill that shame in you where you are so ashamed that you don’t even want to speak about or talk about or think about it, and that’s such a powerful muzzle for abusers,” Hilton told Sky News. “I had no idea how the world would react but it was just like this outpouring of love and tens of thousands of survivors reaching out to me.”
Hilton’s 2020 documentary, This Is Paris, was a watershed moment. In it, she detailed harrowing experiences at four youth facilities—describing “parent-approved kidnapping,” being force-fed medications, and sexual abuse by staff. The aftermath was both cathartic and galvanizing. Survivors, many of whom had never been believed, approached her with gratitude and relief. “It just showed me the power in being vulnerable and real, even when it’s scary, even when it hurts, that if I can tell my story and make a difference in other people’s lives and make them feel safe to be able to come and tell their story,” she reflected.
The impact of Hilton’s advocacy has been tangible. Since This Is Paris aired on YouTube, she has testified before Congress multiple times and has become a leading voice against what’s known as the “troubled teen industry.” She told Sky News, “I’ve now changed 15 state laws and passed two federal bills to protect children so they don’t have to go through the pain and abuse that myself and so many others have, and that is the most meaningful work of my life. I’m so extremely proud of that work.” Hilton is quick to point out that this fight is far from over. “This is not only happening in the States, it’s happening all around the world,” she said, emphasizing her commitment to continue the battle for children’s safety globally.
But Hilton’s advocacy doesn’t stop at youth protection. On January 22, 2026, she stood outside the Capitol Building in Washington, urging House lawmakers to pass the DEFIANCE Act—a bipartisan bill designed to help victims of nonconsensual A.I. pornography, often called “deepfakes.” The legislation, officially titled the Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits Act, gives victims the right to sue those who produce or distribute doctored pornographic images.
“The DEFIANCE Act is a bipartisan bill that gives survivors a path to justice,” Hilton declared at the press conference, as reported by Gray DC. For Hilton, the issue is not just political—it’s painfully personal. “When I was 19 years old, a private, intimate video of me was shared with the world without my consent. People called it a scandal. It wasn’t. It was abuse.”
Hilton’s words echoed the sentiments of the bill’s sponsors, Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Laurel Lee (R-FL), who flanked her at the event. Rep. Ocasio-Cortez stated, “Congress has a moral obligation to stop this harm. We can stop this harm. And we can pass this legislation to hold the people responsible, accountable.” Rep. Lee added, “I am committed to working with my colleagues in the House to see this legislation enacted. So perpetrators face consequences for their actions, and victims across the country finally have the protections they deserve.” The DEFIANCE Act had already passed the Senate earlier in January and, with bipartisan support, was expected to be considered soon by the House Judiciary Committee.
Hilton’s activism is rooted in a hard-won sense of purpose, forged in the crucible of public scrutiny and private suffering. She was, after all, the original “It girl” of the 2000s, leading a Hollywood pack that included Kim Kardashian and Nicole Richie. The constant tabloid attention, she recalls, was brutal. “Especially during the early 2000s, the media was just extremely cruel to myself and to other young women and I don’t think I ever really gave myself credit for how much I survived back then because it was a lot,” she told Sky News. “It was just very painful… to constantly feel judged and misunderstood and underestimated, and people were just so mean.”
Looking back, Hilton notes that the industry has changed for the better. “Women in the spotlight now don’t have to go through what myself and a few other women had to go through,” she observed. That shift is part of what her new documentary, Infinite Icon: A Visual Memoir, aims to explore. Set for release in cinemas on January 30, 2026, the film is both a retrospective and a celebration, featuring Hilton’s music performances—including her 2006 debut single, “Stars Are Blind.”
The making of Infinite Icon was not without heartbreak. The Los Angeles fires of 2025 destroyed Hilton’s Malibu beach house, a loss she says deeply impacted the film’s narrative. Yet, even in the face of such devastation, Hilton remains focused on her art and advocacy. “It’s been so fun just to look back on everything and just see in my career how I’ve always been so ahead of my time, even through fashion, reality shows, through all of it, how there were so many things that I did first and now seeing so many people inspired to this day,” she reflected.
As Hilton prepares to step back into the spotlight—not just as a celebrity, but as a survivor and a champion for change—her story stands as a testament to the power of speaking out, even when it’s hard. For those who have suffered in silence, her journey offers hope that vulnerability can lead to justice, and that pain, when harnessed, can become the seed of the “most meaningful work” a person can do.