Paulina Pořízková-Ocasek (1965 – )

Born in Prostějov, Czechslovakia in 1965, Paulina Pořízková-Ocasek is now a Swedish-American model and actress. With a controversial start Paulina Pořízková’s parents left Czechoslovakia after the Warsaw Pact Invasion of 68 for Sweden, leaving behind their daughter with her grandmother, as they believed they would be able to easily reunite. The authorities wouldn’t allow this and young Pořízková became something of a national celebrity in Sweden. After a failed rescue attempt by her mother and increasing international pressure from Sweden’s Olof Palme, Paulina was allowed to join her parents in Sweden after a 7 year battle where she gained citizenship. After she was rejoined with her family her father left the family and her parents filed for divorce. Her mother then had a difficult time funding her own medical education and supporting Paulina and her brother. The family’s much needed financial break came when her friend (an aspiring photographer) sent photos of Paulina to the Elite Modeling Agency in 1980. Elite quickly requested Pořízková’s presence and sent her a ticket to Paris, the fashion and modeling capital of the world. She rose quickly in the world of modeling and became an international icon when she appeared on the 1984 and 1985 issues of Sports Illustrated. She appeared numerous times in the 80s and 90s on the covers of top fashion magazines Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, Self, Cosmopolitian and Glamour. In 1988 she became the face of Estee Lauder for which she signed the then highest-payed modeling contract for 6 million dollars. Paulina Pořízková has appeared in numerous independent films and is also famous for her role in The Cars 1984 video Drive. On the set of Drive she met Ric Ocasek, also of Czech orgin. The couple married 5 years later and they have two children. Paulina Pořízková-Ocasek is also a published author of one novel and one children‘s book.