Former Playboy Star Kendra Wilkinson Says She’s Thriving as a Businesswoman in a Business “That Doesn’t Involve Sleeping With an 80-year-old”
For many people, Kendra Wilkinson will always be the bubbly blonde from the Playboy Mansion, but at 40 years old, she is working hard to change that perception. The former reality television star has spent the last five years building a legitimate career in real estate. This duration now officially exceeds the amount of time she spent living with Hugh Hefner as one of his girlfriends.
Wilkinson admits that shaking her past persona has been difficult because she started so young. “I started my public life as a celebrity when I was 19,” she explains regarding her early fame. She notes that for two decades, her entire identity was tied to that specific period of her life.
While she appreciates her past, she is ready to move on. “I’m very grateful for what it brought me. TV was amazing,” she says. However, she emphasizes that “It was five years of my life. It shouldn’t be my entire identity.”
Recently, paparazzi photos surfaced of Wilkinson working at an open house, looking like a normal working mom rather than a glamour model. She views these images as a badge of honor rather than something to be embarrassed about. “I would rather there be photos of me in a dumpy outfit putting up an open house sign than me in a short dress on a red carpet … being a celebrity for no reason,” she states.
She currently works full-time with Ernie Carswell & Associates of Sotheby’s International Realty in Los Angeles. She wants people to know that the industry is much tougher than what is portrayed on television shows like Selling Sunset. “In reality, it’s not. Real estate is not for the weak,” she clarifies.
Closing deals has given her a sense of accomplishment that reality TV never did. “Every deal that I close feels like proof of my evolution,” she says, adding that she feels like a “superhero” for succeeding based on her skills. She contrasts this with her past, noting she wants to succeed “in a business that doesn’t involve sleeping with an 80-year-old, or selling my soul for a paycheck.”
To be taken seriously, Wilkinson has drastically changed her wardrobe. She jokes that “I purposely dress like shit just to pi** people off,” ensuring she buttons up to cover her cleavage. She prefers the compliment of “professional” over “s***” these days.
She has even considered removing her breast implants to match her new lifestyle. However, financial constraints have stopped her, as the surgery costs around $10,000. “I’m not rich anymore,” she admits, noting she would rather save that money for a trip.
The transition away from fame was not smooth and took a toll on her mental health. After her divorce from Hank Baskett in 2019 and the end of her TV career, she felt lost. “I never knew life without cameras,” she reveals.
This identity crisis led to severe depression and anxiety in 2023. She found solace and structure through Bible study and a group of nurturing women. “I’ve learned how to live a simpler, more peaceful life with God in it,” she says, adding that she now puts her mental health first.
Kendra Wilkinson first rose to global prominence in 2005 as one of the three stars of the E! reality series The Girls Next Door. The show documented her life inside the Playboy Mansion alongside Holly Madison and Bridget Marquardt. Her popularity led to her own spinoff series, Kendra, which followed her life after moving out of the mansion.
She later starred in Kendra on Top, which ran for several seasons and documented her marriage and family life. Most recently, she attempted to merge her past and present in the series Kendra Sells Hollywood, which aired on discovery+. The show followed her initial journey into the competitive Los Angeles real estate market.
She shares two children, 16-year-old Hank and 11-year-old Alijah, with her ex-husband, former NFL player Hank Baskett. While she is currently single, she is open to casual dating but is wary of men who only see her as a sex symbol. Her main focus remains providing stability for her children and keeping them grounded.
We would love to know if you think reality stars can ever truly shed their original personas, so please share your perspective in the comments.
