Kim Kardashian

Kim Kardashian (born October 21, 1980, Los Angeles, California, U.S.) is an American television personality and entrepreneur who garnered international fame for her personal life, much of which was chronicled on the popular reality series Keeping Up with the Kardashians (2007–21).

Kim was the second of four children; Kourtney was her elder sister, and Khloé and Robert were younger siblings. Her father, Robert Kardashian, gained national recognition as a member of O.J. Simpson’s legal team during his 1995 murder trial, and her mother, Kris, later served as her manager; after the couple divorced in 1989, Kris married (1991–2014) Olympic gold medalist Bruce (later Caitlyn) Jenner, and they had two children, Kendall and Kylie. In 1998 Kim graduated from high school and subsequently became an assistant to socialite Paris Hilton. During that time she married (2000) music producer Damon Thomas; the couple divorced in 2004. Two years later Kim, along with Kourtney and Khloé, opened DASH, a boutique in Calabasas, California; several other locations were later added.

In early 2007 a sex tape featuring Kim and her then boyfriend R&B singer Ray J was leaked online; she sued the video’s distributor and later received an out-of-court settlement. The attention helped the Kardashian family land a reality TV series, Keeping Up with the Kardashians, which followed their daily lives, including Bruce Jenner’s later transition into a woman. The show premiered on the E! channel in October 2007 and was a ratings success. All the family members attained varying levels of celebrity, with Kim—who was known for her good looks and curvaceous figure—becoming a pop culture phenomenon. Although some derided her popularity, alleging that she was simply famous for being famous, her canny self-promotion—which also included a strong social media presence—helped create a hugely profitable brand. In addition to endorsement deals, Kardashian was involved in numerous business ventures, including a series of fitness DVDs, a credit card, various beauty products, and a game app that allowed users to create a celebrity. In 2019 she launched the shapewear company Skims. Her immense popularity also led to film roles—she made her big-screen debut in Disaster Movie (2008)—and other TV appearances. She notably starred in the spin-off series Kourtney and Kim Take New York (2011–12). In 2020 Kim and other members of the family signed a production deal with the streaming service Hulu, and the following year Keeping Up with the Kardashians ended. In 2022 the reality series The Kardashians began airing on Hulu.

Discover the fascinating events that shaped the world, straight from our editors.

SIGN UP

By clicking “Sign Up”, you consent to the Britannica Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Britannica Quiz

American Reality TV

In the late 2010s Kardashian became involved in prison reform, and, through her efforts, various incarcerated individuals were released. Notably, in 2018 she helped secure a presidential commutation for Alice Marie Johnson, a nonviolent drug offender who was serving a life sentence. In 2020 the TV documentary Kim Kardashian West: The Justice Project aired.

Kardashian was a fixture in the tabloids, and much attention was devoted to her relationships. In 2011 she married basketball player Kris Humphries—the ceremony was videotaped and later broadcast on E!—but 72 days later she filed for divorce, which was finalized in 2013. In 2012 Kardashian began dating rapper Kanye West, and their daughter, North (“Nori”) West, was born the following year. In May 2014 Kardashian and West were married. The pair had a second child, son Saint West, in 2015. Their daughter Chicago West and son Psalm West were born in 2018 and 2019, respectively, via a surrogate. In 2021 it was announced that Kim and Kanye were divorcing; their divorce was finalized the following year.