Linda Kozlowski became known all over the world following her role in Crocodile Dundee. The American actress starred alongside Paul Hogan, and the two embarked on a wonderful voyage of love together after the films.
Sadly, Kozlowski and Hogan divorced in 2014, though the couple share one son together. Since then, she’s gone her own way in life, and has found love once again.
So what did Linda Kozlowski get up to following Crocodile Dundee? And what does she look like today? This is all you need to know!
Every actor or actress dreams about that big breakthrough role and the glamorous life that will almost certainly come with it. A great performance in the right film or series can open doors to offers that will likely move one further up the Hollywood celebrity ladder, which is turns means more money and more fame.
Linda Kozlowski – ‘Crocodile Dundee’
Oftentimes, we see actors pretty much playing the same sort of role over and over again. If one finds success as a tough guy or the girl next door, for example, we can expect to see them starring as similar characters in their next few jobs.
But just because someone’s been in one of that years’ biggest and most popular films doesn’t actually mean that fame is guaranteed. And, in fact, some actors just don’t want to continue in Hollywood, even after they’ve been a part of a great success story.
One such actor is Linda Kozlowski. She got her big breakthrough as Sue Charlton in the 1986 film Crocodile Dundee, and quickly became a star all over the world.
Crocodile Dundee changed her life, both on a professional and personal level. But after three Dundee-films and several other appearances, she disappeared.
Looking at her filmography, Linda Kozlowski hasn’t starred in any sort of production since 2001. So what happened? And what does she look like now?
Here’s all you might want to know about her!
Linda Kozlowski was born on January 7, 1958 in Fairfield, Connecticut. The daughter of Stanley and Helen Kozlowski, she grew up in Fairfield and graduated from Andrew Warde High School in 1976.
Linda Kozlowski – early life
Kozlowski had a passion for acting early on. She decided to pursue a career in the business and was accepted into the prestigious Juilliard School’s drama division. She graduated in 1981, and went on to move to New York.
To start off her acting career, Kozlowski starred in several off-Broadway productions, including How It All Began. She would go on to land smaller roles on broadway, as well as in television, including in the television film Death of a Salesman, where she starred alongside Dustin Hoffman.
However, as many actors probably will agree, moving to New York wasn’t easy. She worked as a waitress after Death of a Salesman wrapped up, and a that point, Kozlowski decided to leave for California.
Meanwhile, she and Dustin Hoffman had become great friends, and he became was sort of a mentor for her.
“It was cold in New York,” she told People. “And I didn’t see any other work in sight, and I was sort of miserable.”
Hoffman and his wife wanted to help Linda out. They offered her the chance to stay in their Malibu beach house, and only six weeks after her move to the west coast, she auditioned for Crocodile Dundee.
Dustin Hoffman was actually the one that recommended her for the part, since he was very impressed with her performance in Death of a Salesman.
“Linda got the movie because they liked her”
“There was a feeling in that room that was so positive,” she recalled of the audition. “I never once thought, ‘Oh, my God, this might not work.’
“Dustin asked me, ‘Who are these people? What are their names, and where are they staying?’,” she recalled. “And I told him. So just as they were calling me to say I had the part, they got a phone call: It was Dustin Hoffman. At first they thought it was a friend doing a bad impersonation.
“Once they realized it was Hoffman, they were just beaming. It was a sign they’d made the right decision.”
Kozlowski’s longtime friend William DeAcutis added: “Dustin’s call was like the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval, but Linda got the movie because they liked her.”
In 1986, Kozlowski starred alongside Paul Hogan in the first Crocodile Dundee film. It became one of the biggest films’ of the year, earning a staggering $320 million. Considering it only cost about $10 million to make, it was – on top of the fans loving it – great business.
At first, however, when Linda arrived at the Crocodile Dundee set in Australia, it was something of a shock.
“It was 4 o’clock in the morning, freezing cold, with kangaroos and wild buffalo roaming around. I was in a daze,” she said.
Over night, Linda Kozlowski became a star. But the funny thing was that for a short while, she was a huge celebrity in Australia – but yet unknown in the US.
Major success with ‘Crocodile Dundee’
Crocodile Dundee opened “Down Under” before it opened in the US, which meant people in the US didn’t know her at all.
“It was a bit like being Cinderella,” Kozlowski told the Los Angeles Times. “In Australia, I’d be riding about in limos, whereas here I was still running around in my old Toyota trying to see casting directors.”
Linda soon went from a struggling actress to a star. However, she always felt that she didn’t get that much attention. All in all, it was all about Dundee.
“But I’ll tell you where I was a big star,” she said, laughing. “In Fairfield, Conn., where I grew up. My parents, Stanley and Helen Kozlowski, still live there, and when the movie opened they saw it again and again.
“What’s funny is the local paper never referred to me as ‘Linda,’ always as ‘Stanley’s daughter.’ It was ‘Stanley’s daughter says this…’ and ‘Stanley’s daughter says that’…”
Two years later, she appeared in the second Crocodile Dundee film, and in 2001, the third one, Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles was released.
At that point, Kozlowski had also found love. And it was with her co-star Paul Hogan, also known as the Crocodile Dundee.
The couple married in May 1990 in Australia. According to the Los Angeles Times, Hogan gave her a $2 million mansion as a wedding gift.
Marriage with Paul Hogan
Following her first two very successful appearances in the Crocodile Dundee films, one might think that Linda Kozlowski had hundreds of offers for new projects. Well, for her, that wasn’t the case at all.
Sure, she had options, but nothing felt exciting.
“After Crocodile Dundee I turned down lots of stuff, most of it where I’d play the girlfriend of some funny man,” Kozlowski said, explaining that she used the scripts for a whole different reason.
“I use them for kindling, to get the fire started,” she said.
“That’s about all they’re good for. I was getting very depressed, but finally something good did come along–‘Pass the Ammo.’ That’s been a long time coming out, but now there’s a release date.”
In 2001, Linda Kozlowski appeared in the third Crocodile Dundee film. But that was her last appearance in any production to this day.
Before the third film, she decided to leave show business. In 1998, she and Paul Hogan had welcomed their first and only child together, Change Hogan, and instead she wanted to focus on raising her beloved son.
After 23 years of marriage, Linda and Paul divorced in 2014. The couple filed for divorce in October 2013, citing “irreconcilable differences” as the reason.
Divorced in 2014
Speaking with New Idea, Linda explained that she now wanted to be the one in the spotlight. According to Sydney Morning Herald, Linda received $6.25 million in a one-off payment. At the same time, Hogan kept the rights to his Crocodile Dundee character, as well as the film company that produced the films.
Furthermore, Kozlowski was allowed to stay in their home in Los Angeles for four years or until she remarried – whichever came first.
“I lived in Paul’s shadow for many, many years and it’s nice to feel my own light right now,” she told New Idea, adding that the problem between the two was the lack of shared interests.
“Honestly, we just naturally grew apart. One of our problems was we really had nothing in common and, over time, that happens to a lot of people.”
Paul Hogan said the same thing, however added that they still make things work despite their differences.
“We were opposites and we were attracted to each other for a long time. Opposites in everything,” Hogan said.
“From the food we ate, the music we liked, the entertainment we liked, the colors, the clothes, the places, everything, It worked anyway.”
The couple still have shared custody of their son, Change. And despite the divorce, they remain close friends.
Linda Kozlowski today
“The divorce was completely amicable. We talk on the phone all the time, I go over and have coffee,” she said. “We’re completely friendly. Everybody’s happy.”
Linda left the spotlight and has relocated to Morocco, where she has found love once again.
During a trip to Morocco, she was led by local tour guide Moulay Hafid Baba. Speaking to Luxe Beat, Kozlowski said their attraction was instant.
Together, they founded a Marrakesh-based luxury travelling business Dream My Destiny, where they plan customized journeys depending on what their guests desire.
“We knew in a flash that we had known each other for a thousand years, which was a magic moment in both our lives,” Linda Kozlowski said. “As business partners, we plan all our guests’ trips together.
“He’ll look after the men when the ladies need to shop for shoes! He knows the country inside out, including the Sahara Desert. You feel safe with him wherever you are.”
It’s easy to say that Linda remains a very beautiful woman!
It’s been a long time since Linda appeared on screen. She will forever be remembered as the wonderful Sue in Crocodile Dundee, and her legacy will live on forever.
No plans of returning to acting
Today, she’s 63 years of age. However, she has no plans on returning to the big screen.
“I don’t miss acting because my life is so full now. Reality is better than make believe.
“One thing I always hated about acting was that it got in the way of having an adventurous life,” she added.
“You had to stick around LA and wait for work. Now I’m rejoicing in my freedom. I definitely think acting helped develop my intuition, which is essential to my new endeavor, as so much of what I do is based on reading people and instinctively catering to their needs.”
Linda Kozlowski was a truly wonderful actress. But in the end, we’re happy that she choose to follow her passion.
Please, share this article with friends and family to honor Linda Kozlowski!
Тhis Вridе Finishеd Knitting Неr Wеdding Drеss 4 Dаys Веfоrе Тhе Wеdding, Dосumеntеd Тhе Еntirе Рrосеss Аnd Shаrеd It Оnlinе
Weddings are some of the most beautiful celebrations one can experience in their life (usually). The deep connection between two lovers taking physical form in a ceremonious act for all to see is one that a lot of couples look forward to.
However, it also comes with months upon months of planning, stress, and even more planning. The one thing that a bride cannot go without—the special dress. Whether it be white, maroon, black, fluffy, frilly, or form-fitting, it must make the wearer feel likе the most beautiful woman in the whole entire world.
Some brides take the plunge of crafting their own dresses, be it for the challenge, for the love of the craft, or both. Today we delve into the story of Veronika Lindberg Heino, or Kika, who knitted her special gown for her big day in 6 weeks. She was kind enough to answer some of Bored Panda’s questions so let’s get into it!
Veronika Lindberg Heino, better known by her nickname Kika, decided to take up the challenge of knitting her own stunning wedding dress
Image credits: kutovakika
If you were given 2.5 kg of yarn and 250 hours, what would you create? Mayhaps a blanket, mayhaps a 3D portrait, or maybe a knitted wedding dress. Seeing as you clicked on this article for a very particular reason, you probably know by now that we’ll be speaking about the last option.
Opening herself to the challenge was Veronika Lindberg Heino, better known by her nickname Kika, who documented the birth of her special white dress, sharing the ups and downs with her followers on Instagram (which she started in 2017) and YouTube.
This project came about when she and her husband-to-be were both moving house and planning an impromptu wedding, making for a very stressful 7 weeks
Image credits: kutovakika
For what was already an intense project, life decided to add an extra bit of *spice*: they were moving house and planning their wedding, happening 7 weeks later, at the same time, so why not add in a project of great significance on top of it all? Unless you’re as skiIIed as Kika, I wouldn’t recommend it!
“I do love a challenge and I’m often a little bit over-ambitious, and the thought felt so wild and inspiring that I just decided to take the risk and do it,” the Finland-based knitter told Good Morning America (GMA). “I ordered 2.5 kg of pure silk yarn and announced my crazy plan on Instagram, and knew right then, there was no turning back anymore.”
She ordered 2.5 kg of pure silk yarn and announced her plans to her followers on Instagram, getting the project officially started with no way to turn back
Image credits: kutovakika
Kika based her design around Dior, Chanel, and Ulla Johnson’s dresses. She then sketched and planned the patterns. After all that, the knitting began!
Image credits: kutovakika
Nothing worth doing ever comes easy. It was a struggle finding time to knit in between moving, planning the wedding, and publishing her first book
Image credits: kutovakika
Instead of throwing Kika off balance, this added project seemed to have the opposite effect: it kept her grounded through the tumultuous time, at least for a while. Nothing worth doing comes easy, and this project was no exception, especially as she’d never knitted a dress before.
“The process was definitely intense, and the biggest struggle was to find enough time for knitting since we were in the process of moving and organizing the wedding at the same time,” said Kika. “Plus I published my first-ever knitting book, so it was definitely hectic. But, I also enjoyed it immensely and loved seeing my vision come to life in the process.”
Image credits: kutovakika
Then a big setback occured—her bodice was far too big, requiring her to rip it all up and start again. Her sleeves then kept slipping off, which took lots of time to fix
Image credits: kutovakika
Glaring issues started appearing about two weeks in when Kika had finished the bodice and tried it on for the first time—it was way too big. Disappointed, but not defeated, the bride-to-be ripped it all up, starting all over again, describing it as “a tough and frustrating moment where some tears were shed.”
One more issue came along with the slippy sleeves that kept on slipping, revealing a tad bit too much, which Kika found hilarious yet time-consuming to fix. “I made sure to film all my mistakes so I could be real and honest with my viewers, rather than only showing them the picture-perfect moments,” she told Insider.
Not having any other option (you typically can’t just go and buy a dress off the rack, as those require alterations, which take a long time), she kept moving forward until it was one week til the wedding. Encouraging messages from her followers kept her spirits up, the promise she’d made to the project at the very beginning providing her with a sense of accountability.
However, “the biggest motivator was definitely seeing for myself if I could pull my idea and vision off, and the thought of having the dress as a memory for life really kept me going, too.”
But all that didn’t deter her! Just 4 days before the big day, the dress was finished and Kika got to have a well-deserved rest
Image credits: kutovakika
Everything was done. She finished her dress on Tuesday, feeling more tired and frustrated than elated, but once she put it on for the ceremony, she couldn’t have been happier with the end result.
Kika got married to her husband Jukka Heino on Saturday, September 10, at their new home (which inspired the cottage-themed wedding tone), just 4 days after she’d finished her dress. Although her partner was a bit more skeptical about her last-minute knitting project, “in the end, he was super impressed and proud of me, and thought it looked really good too,” Kika said.
Image credits: kutovakika
Kika told Bored Panda that they’d met back in Spring of 2020, when she moved back home to Finland from London, as the pandemic put the world in lockdown. “Just a few months after moving back I met Juki and for our first date we walked around in Helsinki for hours since all cafés and bars were closed due to the restrictions,” she said.
“I was immediately drawn to his humor and often colorful stories of his adventures which made me laugh, and of course I found him really handsome. I think he was drawn to my enthusiasm, something we both have in common and my positive attitude towards life.”
She married Jukka Heino on Saturday, September 10, at their new home. Everyone loved her dress, praising her for all the effort she’d put into it
Image credits: kutovakika
“Over the course of the day, guests would come up to me and immediately feel the dress and comment on it. It sometimes felt likе they were more interested in the dress than in me, but I love talking about knitting, so I didn’t mind too much,” she told Insider.
The entire process demanded around 45 days, roughly 250 hours, and 1.5 kg of pure silk yarn, costing 300 euros, or around $295, which is a bargain when it comes to wedding dresses, which go for $1,800 on average. Her 149k followers on Instagram absolutely loved the journey, jumping in with suggestions and support any time she needed it.
The entire process demanded around 45 days, roughly 250 hours, and 1.5 kg of pure silk yarn, costing 300 euros, or around $295
Image credits: kutovakika
The 46-minute vlog of the whole journey posted on YouTube has garnered over 3.4M views, quickly becoming the highlight of her channel, which has over 253k subscribers that look forward to her knitting tutorials. “I’m absolutely amazed by all the positive attention the video and my dress has gotten, wow!” said Kika.
“I’ve received messages from people all over the world telling me I’ve inspired them to take up knitting again or to learn it, which makes me so glad. I’m also proud that I’ve maybe been able to push the boundaries and show what is possible using knitting.”
According to Kika, “knitting was actually done primarily by men at some point in history, so the fact that knitting nowadays is associated with something mostly feminine hasn’t always been the case.” Knitting is not just for grandmas, y’all!
The 46-minute vlog of the entire process garnered over 3.4M views on YouTube, inspiring hundreds of people to take up or go back to the craft
Image credits: kutovakika
What began as a bonding activity with her grandma when she was 5 years old has become a lifestyle, bringing together likе-minded people from all over the world. The one lesson she’d always kept was to be playful with the craft, rather than searching for perfection.
“With knitting there are a lot of ‘rules’ or principles that come with the territory which sometimes can make it feel likе you’re not doing things the right way,” she told Bored Panda. “My grandmother always encouraged me to make things without getting hung up on perfection, being creative and playful was more important.”
She hopes her followers and those who jumped on the bandwagon to see the final dress get inspired to embrace creative projects they might feel tempted to try—“even if it might feel a bit ambitious, I say go for it!”
We wish Kika and Jukka all the best for their future together and can’t wait to see what’s coming up for them next!
Image credits: kutovakika
A post-pandemic resurgence of knitting is a very welcome sight for many who are getting into arts and crafts for the first time or returning back to the familiar time-passing activity. Recent research shows that knitting has a measurable effect on calming anxiety, relieving stress, and aiding with chronic pain, as well as helping one build a community of friends. And you end up with a cute hat and mittens in the meantime!
“I think knitting as a craft teaches you a lot about patience and really makes you think about what kind of garments you most likе to wear,” Kika said. “When you’re going to spend 40-60 hours making a sweater, you really want to make sure it’s something that is going to stay in your wardrobe for a long time, which makes knitting a very sustainable practice, too.”
Honestly, what’s not to love!? We wish Kika and Jukka all the best for their future together and hope to see many more exciting knitting projects! Let us know your thoughts on the dress in the comments below, and I shall see you in the next one!
People have absolutely loved this project and the final dress. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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