Elle Macpherson’s Ups and Downs Over the Years: Early Modeling Days to Secret Breast Cancer Battle
Elle Macpherson has made headlines over the years for both her career and personal life.
Born in 1964, the Australian native rose to fame as a model, earning the nickname “The Body” for her tall frame and stunning features. Outside of modeling, she expanded her career into acting, hosting and other business ventures, welcoming two sons along the way.
In September 2024, Macpherson revealed in her memoir, Elle: Life, Lessons, and Learning to Trust Yourself, that she secretly battled breast cancer seven years prior.
“It was a shock, it was unexpected, it was confusing, it was daunting in so many ways,” she told The Australian Women’s Weekly of her diagnosis, which she received after undergoing a lumpectomy. “And it really gave me an opportunity to dig deep in my inner sense to find a solution that worked for me.”
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She continued: “I realized I was going to need my own truth, my belief system to support me through it. And that’s what I did. So, it was a wonderful exercise in being true to myself, trusting myself and trusting the nature of my body and the course of action that I had chosen.”
Scroll down for a timeline of Macpherson’s biggest ups and downs over the years:
1986
Macpherson made her Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover debut the same year she tied the knot with her first husband, Gilles Bensimon. The pair eventually called it quits three years later, and Macpherson went on to appear on four more Swimsuit Issue covers in 1987, 1988, 1994 and 2006, which is more than any model in the publication’s history.
1996
Macpherson moved on from her divorce with French investor and philanthropist Arpad Busson. The pair welcomed their first child, son Arpad Flynn Alexander, two years later.
1999
Macpherson starred in a handful of Friends episodes as Janine Lecroix, a roommate and love interest of Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc). She later admitted she had concerns about taking the role, telling TV Week in September 2016, “If I’d known how important it was in the U.S., or how long it would be on TV, I may not have chosen to do it.”
Along with Friends, Macpherson starred in 1994’s Sirens, 1997’s Batman & Robin, 2001’s South Kensington and 2009’s The Beautiful Life: TBL.
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2003
Macpherson gave birth to her and Busson’s second son, Aurelius Cy Andrea. She decided to get sober that same year after struggling with alcoholism.
“I stopped drinking in 2003 because I felt I couldn’t be fully present in my life and it was a wonderful springboard of getting to know myself on a deeper level,” she explained to Body + Soul in November 2023.
She continued: “Everybody has their own journey and I’m not interested in telling other people what to do but I know that this was a decision that I’ve never regretted. Although it required discipline and persistence the bottom line is you can’t be well and present in your life if you’re not present and well, and alcohol doesn’t really support that. It’s very difficult to get to know yourself if you’re numbing yourself.”
2005
Macpherson and Busson split after nearly a decade together.
2012
During a March 2012 interview on Howard Stern’s SiriusXM radio show, Macpherson said the host was being “absolutely Jewish” for asking if her sons were upset by having some of her nude modeling photos hanging in their home.
When asked how he was being Jewish, Macpherson explained, “Because you’re being overprotective,” referring to an old “Jewish mother” stereotype. She added: “You sound like a nagging mother, ‘Eleanor, should you have that picture in your room?’ My children are very well-behaved.”
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Stern later released a statement about the awkward interview interaction, writing, “I thought it was a very revealing moment when she said it’s very Jewish to — worry so much, to worry over your child or something. And I kind of let it hang there because I thought: ‘Well, hmm. That’s an interesting thing’. And I said to her — I asked her for clarification, and she gave it to me, and I kind of let it hang there and let you decide what you think.”
He continued: “I personally felt it was stereotyping, and that’s how she feels. You decide how you feel about her. That’s the thing. You know, I don’t always sit there and clobber somebody. It just didn’t seem appropriate at that point. It just seemed like — OK. She said it. That’s my job — to get somebody to open up so you get to know them. Whether you like that or not is your decision.” (Macpherson did not respond to the drama at the time.)
2012
Macpherson exited her role as host of the NBC design competition series Fashion Star after one season in June 2012. “I have been involved with Fashion Star from the beginning, and am very proud to see it come to life, not only in America but globally,” she told Page Six at the time. “The show is in great hands, and although I will not be hosting this season, I will still be very involved [and] will be reviewing the format for the upcoming season.”
Fashion Star was eventually canceled in 2013. Macpherson also hosted Britain’s Next Top Model for four seasons from 2010 to 2013.
2013
Macpherson exchanged vows with Jeffrey Soffer, to whom she was married for four years before their 2017 split.
2014
Macpherson launched her wellness brand, WelleCo, which specializes in plant-based supplements to help overall health. “Our carefully-curated collection of wellness solutions is underpinned by Elle’s philosophy that, with wellness, you can live the life you’d only dreamed of living,” the company’s website reads. “Feeling strong and alive, capable and confident. WelleCo is committed to empowering you to own your wellness journey. Naturally.”
2017
Following her divorce from Soffer, Macpherson moved on with controversial former doctor and anti-vaccine activist Andrew Wakefield. The pair’s romance ultimately fizzled out in 2019.
2024
Macpherson returned to her modeling roots by walking in the Triumphant x PayPal fashion show at Melbourne Fashion Week in March 2024, marking her first runway in 14 years. “Grateful to be asked to walk @paypalau for @melbfashionfestival,” she captioned behind-the-scenes photos of her looks via Instagram. “So good to be back home supporting Australian designers - Thankyou @paypalau.”
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2024
While opening up about her secret cancer battle, Macpherson told The Australian Women’s Weekly that she chose to take “an intuitive, heart-led, holistic approach” to treatment rather than undergoing chemotherapy.
“Saying no to standard medical solutions was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life,” she said of the decision in September 2024. “But saying no to my own inner sense would have been even harder.”
She went on to share her sons’ reactions to her treatment of choice, telling the outlet: “Cy simply thought that chemo kills you. And so, he never wanted me to do it because he thought that was a kiss of death. Flynn, being more conventional, wasn’t comfortable with my choice at all. He is my son, though, and would support me through anything and love me through my choices, even if he didn’t agree with them. My children were extremely supportive in their different ways but I knew they felt very scared.”
Macpherson noted that she also received support from Busson, despite him disagreeing with her choice to skip chemo. “Of course he was scared because I’d decided not to take a conventional pharmaceutical route. He considered that extreme,” she told the outlet. “I, on the other hand, felt the chemo and surgery route was extreme.”
Note: The American Cancer Society suggests consulting with your doctor if thinking about using an alternative method to standard treatment.
