Kim Kardashian’s Acting Roles: From ‘American Horror Story’ to an Upcoming Lawyer Show
Written by Rtradio on June 5, 2024
Kim Kardashian has appeared in hundreds of hours of television, but she is rarely seen in scripted projects.
One of the world’s biggest reality stars, Kim got her start on a few episodes of then-BFF Paris Hilton’s The Simple Life before her famous family launched their own series, Keeping Up With the Kardashians, in 2007. Since then, there have been spinoffs where Kim and her sisters “take” cities like Miami and New York, appearances on her family’s other shows — like Rob & Chyna or Dash Dolls — and their new family reality series, The Kardashians, on Hulu.
Even when she has appeared in scripted movies or TV projects, Kim often plays herself. She’s done so on everything from How I Met Your Mother to 90210 to Ocean’s 8, capitalizing on her status as a household name to make an A-list cameo.
That’s why many were surprised when the A-lister and mother of four signed on for the latest installment in Ryan Murphy’s FX horror anthology, American Horror Story: Delicate. In the series, Kim has a supporting role as Siobhan Corbyn, publicist and friend to Emma Roberts’ leading character, an actress struggling with infertility and worried that something more sinister is behind her inability to conceive.
A source told ET in 2023 that Kim was inspired to take on the AHS project as a challenge after her successful turn hosting Saturday Night Live in 2021.
“She decided to take this on because it’s outside of her regular scope and she thinks Ryan Murphy is incredibly talented. Hosting SNL inspired Kim to take this role since it went so well,” the source said at the time, adding, “So far, filming has been great and fun. Kim knows she is capable of so much and is excited for her fans to see that.”
Kim spoke with Variety about how her role on AHS came to be after Ryan pitched her a different character and concept for her breakout to the small screen.
“He came to me and he actually came to me with an idea that was kind of reality based and I wasn’t into it and I just told him I don’t think that if I was going to jump from my show, which I’m not, so to just add something on that to me just my heart wasn’t into it, I didn’t want to do it,” she said.
“And then he came back and said, ‘You know what? I really want to write something for you and would you consider doing American Horror Story?’ And it was an honor that he even believed in me and sometimes it just takes that one person to really believe in you and give you that push, and I tried it and I just really enjoyed the process.”
Now that AHS has wrapped, Kim revealed that Ryan already has her latest role in the works, in which art will imitate life as she’s set to play a lawyer.
Read on to see a roundup of all of Kim’s most dramatic work and see what she has to say about her next on-screen project.
Disaster Movie (2008)
In this cringeworthy parody film, Kim played Lisa, a jealous girlfriend who gets into a wrestling match with Carmen Electra before later being killed by a meteor. Listen, they’re not all winners, OK?
CSI: NY (2009)
On a season 6 episode of the crime procedural, titled “Second Chances” — which also featured cameos from Vanessa Lachey, La La Anthony and the band Train — Kim played Debbie Fallon, the girlfriend of a murder suspect.
Beyond the Break (2009)
Kim appeared in four episodes of this surf-themed teen drama on The N, playing Elle, a jealous girlfriend who later gets her comeuppance in true Nickelodeon fashion — with a face full of slime.
Deep in the Valley (2009)
Kim made a brief appearance as a character called Summa Eve in this teen sex comedy, which also starred a young Chris Pratt.
Drop Dead Diva (2012)
In one of Kim’s meatiest roles at the time, she appeared in four episodes of the Lifetime legal dramedy as Nikki LePree, a love guru who ultimately turns out to be a scam artist.
Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor (2013)
Kim even appeared in the trailer for this Tyler Perry drama, in which she played Ava, a sharp-tongued matchmaker who routinely dresses down her more conservative counterpart, marriage counselor Judith, played by Jurnee Smollett.
PAW Patrol: The Movie (2021)
It’s a voice part, but it still counts! Kim thrilled her young kids when she took on the role of Delores, “a sassy poodle who is working at an animal shelter after being jailed in the Fuzzy Buddies obedience school” in the first PAW Patrol movie in 2021, and she and daughter North West get to appear together in the upcoming PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie, out Sept. 29.
Saturday Night Live (2021)
She may have been nervous, but Kim didn’t hold back in her first SNL hosting appearance. In her opening monologue, she took hilarious shots at her famous family, ex Kanye West and even referenced her late father’s infamous friendship with O.J. Simpson.
American Horror Story: Delicate (2023)
Kim took on her biggest role to date in Delicate, in which she stars as Siobhan Corbyn, publicist and friend to Emma Roberts’ Anna Victoria Alcott, an actress struggling with infertility and worried that something more sinister is behind her inability to conceive.
“Anytime you try something, you just have to have the intention of growing and challenging yourself,” Kim said of taking on the role in a behind-the-scenes look at the series. “Then you just kind of release and have fun.”
Untitled Lawyer Project (TBA)
Kim sat down with Chloë Sevigny during Variety‘s Actors on Actors in June 2024 and shared the details behind the latest role that Ryan is developing for her.
“I’m gonna be playing a lawyer,” she revealed. “A high power divorce attorney. I will be channeling Laura Wasser. I’m really excited about it. And, again, that confidence that he believes in me to take this project on means so much to me. And it feels so right as a character that I could be a lawyer in real life and play one on TV.”
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