Kendra Wilkinson Says She’s Thriving in a Career That “Doesn’t Involve Sleeping With an 80-Year-Old”
Kendra Wilkinson is leaving her Playboy Mansion past behind and carving out a new identity as a real estate professional. The former reality TV star, now 40, has spent the last five years working full-time in real estate, a career she says is more meaningful than her early fame. This new chapter in her life has already lasted longer than the time she spent living with Hugh Hefner as one of his girlfriends.
Reflecting on her rise to stardom, Wilkinson says it was challenging to shake off her early public image. “I started my public life as a celebrity when I was 19,” she explains. For decades, her identity was tied to that period of her life. While she appreciates her experiences, she is determined not to be defined by them. “I’m very grateful for what it brought me. TV was amazing,” she says. “It was five years of my life. It shouldn’t be my entire identity.”
Recently, paparazzi captured Wilkinson at an open house, looking more like a working mom than a glamour model. She sees these photos as a positive reflection of her new life. “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.
Wilkinson currently works with Ernie Carswell & Associates of Sotheby’s International Realty in Los Angeles. She wants people to know that real estate is tough and competitive, not glamorous like television shows such as 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 she never felt on reality TV. “Every deal that I close feels like proof of my evolution,” she says. Wilkinson calls her work empowering and adds that she is proud to succeed “in a business that doesn’t involve sleeping with an 80-year-old, or selling my soul for a paycheck.”
Her shift from celebrity glamour to professional focus even includes changing her wardrobe. She jokes, “I purposely dress like shit just to p*** people off,” and makes sure to cover up her cleavage, preferring to be seen as “professional” rather than “s***.” She has considered removing her breast implants to better fit her new lifestyle but says the $10,000 cost has kept her from doing it. “I’m not rich anymore,” she admits, saying she’d rather save for a trip.
Wilkinson’s journey hasn’t been easy. After her 2019 divorce from Hank Baskett and the end of her TV career, she struggled with mental health issues. “I never knew life without cameras,” she says. Her struggles led to severe depression and anxiety in 2023. She credits Bible study and a supportive group of women for helping her find peace. “I’ve learned how to live a simpler, more peaceful life with God in it,” she says, adding that her mental health now comes first.
Kendra first became widely known in 2005 as one of the stars of The Girls Next Door, which chronicled her life inside the Playboy Mansion alongside Holly Madison and Bridget Marquardt. Her fame led to spinoffs like Kendra and Kendra on Top, which followed her life after leaving the mansion, including her marriage and raising her children. Most recently, she starred in Kendra Sells Hollywood on discovery+, documenting her first steps into the Los Angeles real estate market.
Wilkinson has two children, 16-year-old Hank and 11-year-old Alijah, with her ex-husband Hank Baskett. She is currently single, focusing on raising her kids and building a stable life. She is open to dating but cautious about men who see her only as a former sex symbol.
In interviews, Wilkinson emphasizes that her new path brings her more pride and fulfillment than fame ever did. “I would rather be judged for my work than for my past,” she says.
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