Paris Hilton produces ‘Toxic’ documentary about celebrity abuse

Paris Hilton is reportedly working on a docuseries about the media’s “toxic” treatment of female celebrities – including herself – in the early 2000s.

Hilton’s production company, 11:11 Media, has optioned Sarah Ditum’s book, ‘Toxic: Women, Fame, and the Tabloid 2000s’, according to multiple media outlets.

Ditum, a journalist for The Sunday Times, will collaborate with 11:11 on the series, according to Variety.

The book, which hits shelves in January, is about the misogyny that fueled tabloid coverage of celebrities like Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Janet Jackson, Amy Winehouse, Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Aniston and Britney Spears (whose iconic song from 2003 seems to have inspired the film). title of the book).

“When I discovered ‘Toxic,’ I was immediately captivated by the depth of Sarah’s dedication, research and writing,” Hilton said in the 11:11 Media announcement, per Variety. “Sarah’s work inspired me to imagine ‘Toxic’ as a documentary series in which we can provide a platform for similar stories from those who faced intense public scrutiny, so they can reclaim their stories from a time when they had little control. ”

The announcement noted that the women’s struggle for fame amid a “ruthless and rapidly evolving media environment” and “how their experiences influenced broader perceptions of identity, body image (and) relationships” will also play a central role.

“‘Toxic’ was always intended to put the women I write about back at the center of their own stories,” Ditum said, according to Variety.

The project is in line with Hilton’s activism, including “its mission to empower survivors of the ‘Troubled Teens Industry,'” according to its website. Hilton himself was an alleged victim of physical, sexual and psychological abuse at residential treatment programs designed to reform misbehaving teenagers.

The accusations Hilton has made are among many disturbing revelations in recent years about those who populated the zeitgeist in the early 2000s.

In her memoir released late last year, Spears detailed much of the abuse she faced in the spotlight, including the harrowing experience of her oppressive 13-year conservatorship, which only ended in late 2021.

In recent weeks, Investigation Discovery’s docuseries Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV focused on disturbing and in some cases criminal behavior and allegations surrounding the culture at Nickelodeon from the 1990s onwards.