If you didn’t already know, reality television star, Nicole Richie, is the daughter of legendary singer, Lionel Richie. However, not many people are aware that the former bestie of Paris Hilton was adopted by the “All Night Long” singer. Lionel, and his then-wife, Brenda, adopted the star when she was only 9 years old. And just to let you know, Nicole who's also a fashion designer, author and reality TV star’s name from her biological parents was Nicole Camille Escovedo.
Nicole and Lionel, who are both huge stars, have always been in the limelight. However, Nicole hasn’t always had the spotlight on her for the most charming reasons. We saw the star’s downfalls as she climbed to the top, but thankfully, she had her father by her side. Now that Nicole is a mother of two, she’s much more open about her relationship with her father – which is surprisingly unique – and she has completely turned her life around.
So, what do we know about the infamous celebrity father-daughter duo? To celebrate their ultra-adorable relationship, we thought we’d remind you – or simply let you know.
11 Nicole Saw Lionel As A Father Instantly
Nicole, who routinely shares throwback photos of her family on her ‘gram page, fell in love with her adoptive father quickly. While Lionel first met the tiny and adorable Nicole when she was just 4 years old, he didn’t make the decision to adopt her right there and then. However, within a year, Lionel recalled in an interview with Popsugar that Nicole was already calling him “dad.” It only took a year for the future star to see Lionel as her father, while the adoption only came through five years later.
10 Lionel Gave Her Great Advice
Besides being a fantastic performer, Lionel is a man of wise words. When Nicole went through a tumultuous time and suffered with substance abuse, Lionel was there by her side to get her through it all. When Nicole was arrested in 2003, her adoptive father had a few words of wisdom to share with her. He recounted a story about a very dark time in his life when he was growing up and lost three of his friends. And, Lionel wholeheartedly admitted to his daughter, “It’s going to happen to your generation, and I don’t want you to be in that list of three.”
9 Lionel Saved Nicole
When Nicole was struggling, Lionel, despite his hectic schedule, didn’t give up on her. In fact, following the above advice that he gave his first daughter and child, Nicole reached out to her father. Yes, it took only a few words to steer his daughter into the right direction and save her life. After Lionel spoke of his youth and the friends he lost along the way, Nicole called her father one day, and told him, “Dad, I need help, I don’t want to be the third one,” after two of her friends passed away.
8 Nicole's Biological Parents Knew Lionel
Nicole didn’t just pop out of nowhere and fall onto Lionel’s lap when she was younger. Nicole’s biological parents were both known to the legendary R&B singer. Nicole's biological father, Peter Michael Escovedo, was a musician who toured briefly with Lionel, and the story began when Lionel saw the tiny Nicole on-stage at a Prince concert. It was evident to Lionel that the parents, who were arguing backstage, were having a difficult time. And because Lionel knew the parents of the four-year-old girl that was playing the tambourine on stage, he intervened that night.
7 They Like To Embarrass Each Other
Lionel, who’s been busier than ever this last decade, and who is now a grandfather, certainly prioritizes his family time. However, when it’s with Nicole, there’s no shortage of fun and games. Nicole admitted in an interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in 2015 that she loves playing pranks on her dad. The music legend, who is a father to famous kids, does everything with a tad bit of humour. In an interview with People, Lionel said it’s his job to embarrass Nicole for as long as he could.
6 Lionel Cancelled A Tour For Her
The family man, who loves making “dad jokes,” also knows when it’s time to be serious. When Nicole had finally made the decision to get treatment, due to her dad’s persuasion, he devoted all his time to his daughter. Lionel had adopted Nicole with his ex-wife, Brenda, who he later didn’t get along with, but both parents stayed by Nicole’s side during her time in rehab. As a matter of fact, the music legend had cancelled his entire tour to “check” into rehab with her.
5 Her Father Is The Reason She Went To Rehab
Nicole, who was once known as a notorious party girl, luckily had her father by her side when she hit rock bottom. It’s his love and support that ultimately made her get through drug rehab. However, before she even made the decision to, Lionel, who didn’t judge his daughter for her mistakes, was the one who desperately persuaded her to do so. This all occurred when Nicole lost two of her friends, and she pleaded to her father for help.
4 Family First
Lionel has spoken out often about his daughter, Nicole, and although there were many struggles, he’s always had nothing but sweet words to share. Nicole, who is married to musician, Joel Madden, managed to beat all her demons and is a happy mother and wife. Lionel, has admitted, that despite his busy schedule, it’s always been “family first.” And recently, Nicole and Lionel have shared that mutually they never fully supported Sofia Richie’s relationship with Scott Disick. Ouch!
3 Nicole Will Always Be His Little Girl
Although Lionel is no longer with Brenda, his ex-wife, who is also Nicole’s adoptive mother, his relationship with Nicole is so strong. While not his daughter biologically, she is his first child, and it took him only a year to fall in love with Nicole when he first met her at the age of four. Fast forward years later, Nicole, who is now in her late thirties, is still the music legend’s little girl. For Nicole’s birthday, Lionel got nostalgic and shared a throwback 1980s photo of the two, calling her his “ballerina girl.”
2 Lionel Is Nicole's Biggest Supporter
Lionel and Nicole have always shared a mutual support for one another and have always made it quite obvious. Nicole, who had her own sitcom for two seasons, Great News, received an outpouring of support from her father. In an interview with TODAY, Nicole admitted that her dad is her biggest fan, and also made a joke about him wanting to make an appearance on everything she does. She also recently spoke of her father’s big personality on a quarantine episode of LIVE with Kelly and Ryan.
1 They're So Alike
More than anything, the father-daughter duo are like two peas in a pod. Besides sharing the cutest moments together, the two both get a kick out of constantly cracking jokes. Nicole has a thing for tricking her father, but Lionel is always only one step behind her, and always gets her back. And although Lionel takes parenting seriously, he’s always been cool about things. With a similar sense of humour, Nicole, who is now a mother, is using the same parenting style. Plus, in interviews together, they’re always poking fun at each other.