What Paris Hilton's Exes Have Said About Her
Love comes and goes in Hollywood, and socialite Paris Hilton is no exception. Since coming into the spotlight, Hilton has been romantically linked with several men, with relationships ranging from casual flings to more serious commitments. In 2001, Hilton started dating model Jason Shaw, with the pair getting engaged only a year later. Sadly, in 2003, the couple called it quits. But that was only the beginning of Hilton's very public love life.
Between 2003 and 2018, Hilton was engaged twice more before she met her husband, Carter Reum. Though Reum and Hilton had known each other for over a decade, it wasn't until 2019 that the two took their relationship beyond a platonic level. "I've known him for 15 years. Then [Reum's sister Halle Hammond] invited us to Thanksgiving and we just had this incredible chemistry," Hilton revealed to People. "We had our first date and haven't spent a night apart since. It's pretty amazing."
Reum and Hilton have since married and welcomed two kids together. "I feel like Carter and I are puzzle pieces getting connected. I never thought I'd meet a man like him, who loves me for Paris and not Paris Hilton," the socialite gushed to People back in 2021. But while Hilton might already be living her happily-ever-after fairytale, here's a look back at what some of her exes have said about her!
Rick Salomon did not feel remorse for his sex tape with Paris Hilton
In the early aughts, Paris Hilton briefly dated poker player Rick Salomon. But while their relationship in itself was pretty much unremarkable, their break up was highly publicized after Salomon leaked a sex tape of himself and the hotel heiress. "I just felt so betrayed. This was not some random guy; this was someone I was with for a few years," Hilton told CNN of the incident in 2011. "I can't believe that he would do something like that to me. It's something that changed my life forever."
Hilton, who was only 19 when the tape was made, later accused Salomon of manipulating her to agree. In her 2023 book, "Paris: the Memoir," she shared that despite initial hesitation, she eventually agreed after breakup threats from the poker player. Unable to loosen up, Hilton downed alcohol and Quaaludes, which helped her relax. "I needed to prove something to him and to myself, so I got hammered, and I did it," she wrote, according to the Daily Mail.
But while Hilton might have agreed to make the tape, the socialite says she didn't agree to share it — making Salomon's release to the public distressing for Hilton and her family. The famous poker player admitted he holds no regret for his actions. "I don't feel bad. It's not ruining her life and it sort of ruined my life and now I'm capitalizing on it," he said in a 2004 interview with NBC News.
Chris Zylka called her a wonderful human being
Though Paris Hilton first met actor Chris Zylka in 2010, it was not until 2016 that the pair reconnected. A few months later, in February 2017, Hilton and Zylka went public with their romance. "They have never been happier and they make the perfect couple," a source confirmed to Page Six at the time. Over the New Year's weekend in 2018, Zylka proposed to Hilton during a ski trip to Aspen, Colorado. "He is perfect for me in every way and showed me that fairytales really do exist!" the "Simple Life" star gushed to People. Sadly, ten months later, Hilton called off the engagement and ended the relationship altogether. "Their relationship moved really quickly, and she realized he wasn't right for her," a source told E! News of the split.
But while former lovers have respectively moved on to new relationships, the "Shark Night" star has continued to look back fondly on his time with Hilton. During a December 2023 appearance on "Ned's Declassified Podcast Survival Guide," Zylka touched on his past relationship with the reality star, admitting that he was solely responsible for their split. During the interview, Zylka described Hilton as "a wonderful human being," adding that he was grateful for their time together. "I've never been able to apologize to her for not being grateful for the experience and all she did for me. Because she's the one relationship that I've ever had that there was no take. It was all give. It was really lovely," he added.
Nick Carter admitted Paris Hilton was bad for him
In 2004, Paris Hilton enjoyed a whirlwind romance with Backstreet Boys star Nick Carter. Per People, the pair met after being introduced by Carter's friend, who also doubled as Hilton's bodyguard. Sadly, after only seven months together, Carter and Hilton called it quits. "Our relationship totally was based on distrust. She didn't trust me. I didn't trust her," the Backstreet Boys singer said of their breakup. While cheating rumors swirled following their breakup, neither Hilton nor Carter ever confirmed. "The only comment I'm going to have to that is that I'm loyal to those who are loyal to me," Carter explained to People.
And while their split seemingly started off amicable, things took a turn when the "Simple Life" alum accused Carter of physical assault. As reported at the time, Carter allegedly assaulted Hilton after a night out in Los Angeles. "Nick wanted to leave, Paris didn't. Nick forced Paris to leave, he made her get in a cab with him," a source close to Hilton told The New York Post.
In 2013, nearly a decade after the split, Carter yet again touched on his romance with Hilton. "Paris was the worst person in the world for me to hook up with. [She] fed my worst impulses as far as partying," he wrote in his memoir (via Cosmopolitan).
Cy Waits saw the breakup coming
After dating for one year, Paris Hilton and club owner Cy Waits broke up in June 2011. "I can confirm that Paris Hilton and Cy Waits have ended their relationship," a representative for Hilton told People. "It was a joint and amicable decision. They both have respect and care for one another and ask for you to please respect their privacy."
While fans might have been surprised by the pair's split, Waits saw it coming from a mile away. "I don't want to speak for Paris, but this breakup is something I knew for a number of months needed to happen — and we finally saw eye to eye," he admitted to People at the time. Though Waits did not disclose the reason for their split, he alluded to misalignment in his and Hilton's values and principles. "At the end of the day, I want my partner and I to have the same ethics," he added.
While Hilton has been linked to many more hunks since Waits, no other relationships have been reported for the famous club owner.