Model Paul Sculfor details ‘intense and silly’ romances with Cameron Diaz and Jennifer Aniston in his heyday – and reveals he is now ‘living a great, sober life’ after fame left him suicidal
Model Paul Sculfor has shed light on his ‘intense’ time as one of the world’s leading male models in the late 1990s and early 1990s.
The Essex-born hunk, 53, rose to worldwide fame after his mother secretly entered Select Model Management’s Model of the Year competition at the age of 21, after which he moved to LA and began his celebrity life.
During his time in the spotlight, he enjoyed a five-month romance with Jennifer Aniston and dated Cameron Diaz for a year – relationships that propelled him even further into the spotlight and global attention.
As well as drawing attention to his love life, his prosperous modeling career saw him struggle with drink and drug addiction, which he admitted made him suicidal and culminated in a six-month stay at the Priory rehabilitation centre.
Speak with Sunday Times stylePaul has now shed light on his very different lifestyle, including his philanthropic work helping fellow addicts, as well as his contented family life and the reality of dating megastars.
Model Paul Sculfor has shed light on his ‘intense’ time as one of the world’s leading male models in the late 1990s and early 1990s (Paul pictured last year)
During his time in the spotlight, he enjoyed a five-month romance with Jennifer Aniston and a year-long relationship with Cameron Diaz – relationships that propelled him even further into the spotlight and global attention (Cameron and Paul pictured in 2008).
Paul pictured during a Levi’s campaign in the late 1990s
Paul, who married Italian nutritionist Federica Amati (37) in 2016, made a name for himself after winning the modeling competition ‘The Face of 92’ and went on to work with brands such as Louis Vuitton and Versace.
In more recent years he helped nurture emerging talent as a judge on Britain’s Next Top Model alongside Abbey Clancy.
In the midst of his modeling heyday, he dated Cameron from 2008 to 2009. Paul revealed their relationship status and briefly lived with the actress at her LA home. Their busy careers and distance were blamed for the split
Just a year earlier, he had been spotted with Jennifer for their fleeting romance.
Speaking about the attention he received from the two high-profile romances, he said: ‘It got intense, crazy. I’d be taking out the bins in an old tracksuit and there’d be a guy with a camera in my face? Come on!’
After his divorce from Cameron, he said at the time: ‘I love being single. It was my choice to be single. It’s great to be alone. You don’t want to be tied down, do you? I like being single, and I don’t want it any other way now.’
While life in the spotlight was certainly glamorous, he confessed that he began to fall victim to addiction and the dark side of fame.
He said: ‘There were private jets, yachts, penthouses, mansions in Beverly Hills, incredibly beautiful women, incredible experiences all the time? It was fantastic!…
In the midst of his modeling heyday, he dated Cameron from 2008 to 2009
Jennifer is pictured in 2006, shortly before her romance with Paul began
Paul is pictured in 2009
“I tried to make connections, but I made fair-weather friends. It became very dark. I was always sick, I developed social anxiety, isolated myself from my family…
“I turned down jobs because I didn’t care? Very different from me. My outlook on life changed from excited to virtually suicidal. I didn’t want to be myself anymore.’
Paul has completely turned his life around and is now a trained mindset coach working with young men with problems similar to his, including drink and drug addiction.
The star, who shares two daughters aged three and six with Federica, runs the Stride Foundation – a charity that focuses on addiction education and financial support for people who need help accessing rehabilitation facilities.
Paul revealed the extent of his addiction in 2008 when he admitted his hair was falling out due to cocaine abuse.
He said: ‘My hair started falling out during my party years because excessive cocaine abuse affects the adrenal system and stops hair growth. I’m lucky it has grown again. I’m not vain, but I’m obsessed with my hair.’
Paul also stated that addiction ran in his family.
He continued, “There is definitely a genetic component. My grandfather was an alcoholic and a gambler. I feel like addiction is almost an entity that pulls you off the street and holds you hostage.”
The star shares two daughters, aged three and six, with wife Federica Amati, whom he married in 2016