The Sad Thing Paris Jackson And Paris Hilton Have In Common

The following article contains allegations of child abuse.

Paris Hilton and Paris Jackson have a lot in common, and that's not just because they share a first name. They are two people who have grown up in the spotlight with families who have built their own fortunes and legacies. That, and their families were also very close. As Jackson's aunt, La Toya Jackson, told Yahoo News! in 2012, Paris Hilton's mom, Kathy Hilton, was La Toya's best friend when they were kids, which in turn extended to Kathy's friendship with Paris Jackson's dad, Michael Jackson. For whatever reason, the trio ended up agreeing that if they ever had daughters, they would name them Paris. 

As it turns out, the Parises ended up just as close, with the "American Horror Stories" actor saying she has nothing but admiration for the former "Simple Life" star. "I absolutely adore her," Paris Jackson told C Magazine, adding, "I admire her strength. She's insanely smart, insanely funny. It's really nice having someone there who has been around the block. She's done this for a long time and she's clearly so good at maneuvering her way through the industry. It's nice to know that I can call her when I hit a crossroad. We have a lot of similar experiences."  

However, it's one of those experiences that they both share that also connects them for this sad reason. 

Paris Hilton has been vocal about the reported abuse she faced while in boarding school in Provo, Utah. The former reality television star testified that she was "abused on a daily basis" and that she "cried [herself] to sleep every single night, praying [she] would wake up from this nightmare," according to BuzzFeed. Hilton told Utah lawmakers that she was "verbally, mentally, and physically abused" when she attended Provo Canyon School at age 16. It's also the reason why she has been working hard to urge politicians to pass legislation that would regulate such problematic schools. "Although Provo Canyon School marketed itself as a premier treatment center, it was as if hell itself was on Earth," Hilton said.

Hilton alleges that staff members at the school were physical with her, watched her take showers, and even put her into solitary confinement while naked. If that weren't enough, Hilton also said that she was forced to take medication that was not properly diagnosed. Hilton spent less than a year at Provo Canyon School.

Paris Jackson didn't attend Provo Canyon School, but she is able to fully commiserate with Hilton's traumatic past thanks to her own unfortunate time at a similar place. 

If you or someone you know may be the victim of child abuse, please contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or contact their live chat services.

In an interview with C Magazine, Paris Jackson admitted that while she went to different Utah-based reformatory school than Paris Hilton, she also "went through some very, very similar experiences" to what Hilton described of her time at Provo Canyon School. Referencing how Hilton persevered beyond the treatment she endured at "those kind of teen places," the model called her friend "a diamond" and someone who now serves as and example of how "to uplift other women."  

Seeing how much the two women support one another, it's no surprise that Hilton also has strong words of praise for Jackson. "She's so beautiful and so sweet and such an amazing soul. I love her so much. She's like a sister," she told ET, while also noting that Jackson is "so mature and has an amazing head on her shoulders."

Beyond that, Hilton has gushed about Jackson on social media, tweeting a sweet happy birthday post in April 2019 in which she described the late King of Pop's daughter as "beautiful, brilliant, talented & amazing." Earlier in the year, Hilton even credited Jackson with a snapshot of herself with fiance Carter Reum, captioning it "My favorite photo of us."