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Topics: Celebrity, Meghan Markle
Lucy Devine
Meghan Markle has admitted she felt 'judgement' towards Paris Hilton, ahead of sitting down with the socialite for an episode of her podcast.
The Duchess of Sussex, 41, sat down with Paris, also 41, for an episode of Archetypes, where they discussed growing up in Los Angeles, as well as the term 'bimbo' and 'dumb blonde' - and why 'brains and beauty in a woman have been historically pitted against each other'.
At the beginning of the episode, Meghan explained she was nervous for this particular interview, explaining she felt 'judgement and envy' toward Paris because growing up, she was 'the pretty one' whereas she felt like a 'nerd'.
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“I remember growing up in LA around the same age and you were just so famous and so beautiful,” said Meghan.
“I was this nerd, so it was so hard for me to think about what you and I would talk about when so much of the identity – whether it was placed upon you, or you adopted, or embraced, or used to build a career – was about not leaning into being smart.”
At the end of their conversation, Meghan reflected on her initial thoughts at the beginning of the episode.
“You heard me at the beginning of this episode talk about how I was nervous for this one. Nervous because, while I’m embarrassed to admit it, I had a judgement about Paris. And I don’t like having judgement. Doesn’t feel good," she said.
“When I grew up, she was beautiful, rich and famous. ‘What could possibly be wrong with her life?’ I would think. And because my entire sense of self-confidence was wrapped up in being the smart one and not the pretty one, I found the way to project all of my judgement and envy onto her.
“‘Who would want to act stupid?’ I would think. Envy can be a very dangerous thing, as can judgement. I was ashamed to admit that I harboured either of those feelings.”
The podcast host also opened up on her own experience of the label 'bimbo', when she appeared on the show Deal or No Deal in the early days of her acting career.
“I ended up quitting the show. I was so much more than what was being objectified on the stage,” she added.
“I didn’t like feeling forced to be all looks. And little substance. And that’s how it felt for me at the time being reduced to this specific archetype, the word bimbo.”