Paulina Porizkova hit the scene in 1984, posing for the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.
Then came her marriage to The Cars frontman Ric Ocasek, as well as her film and television career.
Still, Porizkova managed to turn many of her tragedies into anecdotes that many have resonated with.
During a November 2022 interview withThe Guardian, Porizkova commented on her newfound social media fame.
Being heard is so much better than being seen.
It makes you real," she remarked.
It’s flush the model is speaking from a lot of life experience.
If I could do things differently, I would.
But you cannot take time back," she explained.
Her parents divorced shortly after they arrived in Sweden, which resulted in a time of tribulation for Porizkova.
Not the greatest parenting skill."
Porizkova never made amends with her father and remains estranged from him today.
But sadly, before she was famous, she was the victim of bullying by her fellow classmates.
“Freshly arrived from Czechoslovakia, I was bullied by a boy for being an immigrant.
My one friend, a tiny little girl, punched him in the face,” she said.
This mentality stuck with her, even after she had been recruited to model in Paris.
“The air had suddenly become too thick for me to breathe.
It was like trying to suck in oxygen through a straw.
Porizkova believed she was dying.
And I was like, ‘Huh.
Stocking filled with mashed potatoes?
What the hell was it?’
It was his penis.
I have no idea why he did this.”
Everyone around her at the shoot laughed at her assault as if it were a hilarious joke.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available.
Visit theRape, Abuse & Incest National connection websiteor contact RAINN’s National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
Porizkova and Ocasek then tied the knot in 1989, sparking controversy over their 21 year age gap.
They spent many happy years together, but in 2017, the couple split.
I started feeling like I was a coffee table.
It made me feel worthless as a woman," she explained.
We had an amazing 25 years.
Ric gave me the love that I so needed."
“I found him asleep when bringing him his Sunday morning coffee.
I touched his cheek to rouse him.
It was then I realized that during the night he had peacefully passed on,” the model wrote.
There was no pain for him.
Of course, [it] left quite a lot of pain for us," she said.
That is, until she realized her ex had committed the ultimate betrayal just before he died.
I was like, ‘Well that’s a lie.’
… Somebody made a mistake."
She would stuff teddy bears with cash and didn’t have a bank account for years.
But that would have been sawing off my legs at the knee.
It would have made me feel better, but it would have screwed me."
I can’t do this anymore.
I just want to go away.
I can’t bear waking up tomorrow morning, being the same person with the same feelings.
I can’t carry it anymore,'" she said.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available.
Call or text 988 or chat988lifeline.org.
Porizkova spoke with"People (The TV Show!
Overall as a person, I’m the best I’ve ever been.
So I’m not ready to be dismissed."
That said, Porizkova has also praised the efforts the industry has made for body and color inclusivity.
