Kendra Wilkinson, 40, is redefining herself far beyond her Playboy days. The former reality star, who rose to fame as one of Hugh Hefner’s girlfriends, has spent the last five years building a real estate career in Los Angeles. Her professional path now outlasts her time at the Playboy Mansion, yet the label of her past still follows her.
“I started my public life as a celebrity when I was 19,” Wilkinson said. “For 20 years, my identity was tied to that. I’m grateful for what it brought me, but it shouldn’t define me forever.”
Wilkinson first became widely known through The Girls Next Door, appearing alongside Hefner and fellow girlfriends Bridget Marquardt and Holly Madison from 2005 to 2009. Despite the fame, she feels her early public persona has overshadowed her adult achievements.
Today, Wilkinson works full-time with Ernie Carswell & Associates of Sotheby’s International Realty. She manages listings across price points and guides clients through the buying process, a role that requires patience and skill. “Real estate is not for the weak,” she said, contrasting her work with the glamorized portrayals on shows like Selling Sunset.
For Wilkinson, closing deals has become a measure of personal success. “Every deal that I close feels like proof of my evolution,” she said. “I did that without fame, using my knowledge and skills. I feel like a superhero.”
Her career shift followed a period of personal struggle. After her divorce from Hank Baskett in 2019 and stepping back from reality TV, Wilkinson faced identity challenges. She battled depression and severe anxiety in 2023, eventually seeking treatment and finding structure and comfort through faith. Bible study with a group of older women helped her rebuild a sense of purpose.
“I’ve learned to live a simpler, more peaceful life with God in it,” she said. Mental health now comes first, alongside her work and motherhood. She balances her career with raising two children, Hank, 16, and Alijah, 11, emphasizing the stability she wishes she had at their age.
Wilkinson has also made deliberate choices to reshape her image. She dresses professionally to avoid being associated with her Playboy past, intentionally covering up in public. She has even considered removing her breast implants, noting that they no longer reflect her identity. “I’d rather save that money for a trip,” she said.
The star has also rethought her relationship with fame. While she enjoys social outings, she avoids traditional celebrity culture and romantic entanglements that might distract her from her goals. “I’m some dumpy-ass realtor now, not a sex symbol,” she explained, expressing discomfort with unsolicited attention tied to her past.
Wilkinson sees her journey as a full reinvention. “I remained almost hostage in this identity for 20 years,” she said. “For the first time, I feel liberated. I get to be who I really am.”
Her experience has shaped her advice for her children, particularly her daughter, who has expressed interest in fame. Wilkinson cautions her kids about the pitfalls of celebrity, stressing education, hobbies, and a grounded lifestyle.
“If you’re not careful, Hollywood can really eat you up and spit you out,” she said. “That’s what I feel like it did to me.” Now, her focus is on real success — professional, personal, and spiritual — far beyond the spotlight of her past.
