Paris Hilton has sparked a fresh debate online after sharing a photo of her children.
The hotel heiress, 45, shared a series of family photographs on Instagram ahead of Halloween, showing herself, her husband Carter Reum and their two young children dressed as characters from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.
The backlash has divided social media users.
Paris Hilton’s family Halloween costumes
Hilton and Reum welcomed their first child, son Phoenix, in January 2023, followed by their daughter London in November of the same year. Both children were born via surrogate, after Hilton previously spoke openly about her fertility journey.
Since becoming a mother, Hilton has regularly shared glimpses of family life with her followers, including photographs and videos of her children.
The star, who rose to fame through The Simple Life and has since built a career spanning fashion, music and business, has also faced scrutiny over her parenting choices.
In 2024, for example, Hilton responded after online trolls made cruel comments about Phoenix’s appearance. She defended her son, insisting that he was healthy and criticising those who had targeted him.
Her latest family photographs have now prompted another wave of debate, although this time the criticism centres on Halloween costumes rather than her children’s wellbeing.
Paris Hilton also faces reaction over Britney Spears tribute
The Halloween photographs were not the only costume-related topic to draw attention to Hilton this month.
The star also recreated Britney Spears’s iconic 2001 MTV Video Music Awards look, posing with a yellow snake draped around her shoulders.
Spears famously performed with a snake during the awards ceremony, and the moment has since become one of the most memorable images of her career.
Hilton explained her admiration for the singer in a behind-the-scenes video shared on Instagram on October 23.
She said: “I always had the utmost respect for Britney, but the fact that she performed at the VMAs with one of these around her neck is the most legendary thing that I’ve ever heard in my life.”
Hilton went on to praise Spears for performing in front of thousands of people while handling the reptile.
However, some social media users questioned whether the recreation was appropriate given Spears’s difficult experiences in the public eye. Others questioned the nature of the pair’s friendship.
Hilton has not publicly responded to the criticism surrounding her latest family costumes.
Fans criticise Paris Hilton’s costume choice
For the family’s latest Halloween look, Hilton dressed as Belle, wearing the Disney princess’s signature yellow gown decorated with red roses.
Reum dressed as the Beast, complete with a mask and blue suit, while Phoenix, now three, appeared as Lumière. Their daughter London, two, was dressed as Chip, the little teacup character.
Sharing the photographs on Instagram on Monday, October 26, Hilton captioned the post: “My life is a fairytale, and the magic never ends.”
However, some commenters questioned why London had not been dressed as Belle, arguing that the young girl should have been given the opportunity to play the princess.
One critic wrote: “Stealing spotlight from kids is next level narcissistic.”
Another commented: “She’s selfish and vain AF,” while a third said: “She gives me such an ick.”
A third said: “I’ve always loved her. Not anymore. This is disgusting.”
“This is horrible. So weird and gross,” wrote another.
Others suggested that London might spend her life being overshadowed by her famous mother.
The reaction led to accusations that Hilton had made herself the star of a family costume theme instead of allowing her daughter to take centre stage.
Others rush to defend the mother of two
Not everyone agreed with the criticism, however, with some parents pointing out that young children often prefer dressing as supporting characters rather than the main star.
One commenter wrote: “I am a mom, and I can guarantee you the girl asked to be Chip.”
They added that their own child had chosen an unexpected character for Halloween, explaining that children do not always want to be the obvious choice.
Another person agreed, writing that their three-year-old had chosen to dress as Bearhead from Danny Go.
Others suggested that London’s age should be taken into account, with one person arguing that the elaborate Belle costume might not have been practical for a toddler.
“There’s nothing wrong with a kid being dressed as a kid,” another supporter wrote.
Some also questioned why parents should not be allowed to enjoy Halloween and dress up alongside their children.
One commenter suggested that if London had dressed as Belle while Reum played the Beast, the family could have faced a different kind of criticism.
The debate has highlighted how even seemingly harmless family photographs can attract intense scrutiny when shared by a celebrity.
The new photo sparking outrage
The photographs at the centre of the latest backlash show Hilton dressed as Belle alongside Reum as the Beast, with Phoenix as Lumière and London as Chip.
While some viewers have criticised the decision to dress London as a supporting character, others have defended the family, arguing that the children may have chosen their own costumes.
Ultimately, the disagreement has left social media users divided over whether Hilton’s Halloween look was harmless family fun or an example of a celebrity taking the spotlight from her children.
