Linda Kozlowski shot to global fame thanks to her unforgettable role in Crocodile Dundee — and her life changed forever, both on and off the screen.
Starring alongside Paul Hogan, Linda not only captured audiences’ hearts but also embarked on a real-life love story with her co-star. Though their romance led to marriage and a son, the couple sadly parted ways in 2014. Since then, Linda has embraced a new chapter, finding happiness and love once more.
But what happened to Linda Kozlowski after Crocodile Dundee? And what does she look like today? Let’s dive into her remarkable journey!
Linda Kozlowski – From Stardom to a New Life
For every actor, landing that breakthrough role is a dream come true — a gateway to fame, fortune, and endless opportunities. One standout performance can propel someone straight up the Hollywood ladder. But sometimes, even the brightest stars choose a different path.
Linda Kozlowski became an overnight sensation as Sue Charlton in 1986’s Crocodile Dundee. Her charm and talent made her a household name worldwide. The film didn’t just launch her career; it also transformed her personal life.
Despite the massive success of Crocodile Dundee and its sequels, Linda decided to step away from the Hollywood spotlight. After three Dundee films and a few more appearances, she gradually disappeared from the big screen. In fact, her last credited role was back in 2001.
So why did Linda Kozlowski walk away from it all?
And how has life treated her since?
Today, she looks radiant, living life on her own terms — and her story is one of reinvention, resilience, and rediscovery.
Here’s everything you need to know about Linda Kozlowski’s incredible journey!
Linda Kozlowski – Early Life and Path to Stardom
Born on January 7, 1958, in Fairfield, Connecticut, Linda Kozlowski grew up in a warm and supportive family with her parents, Stanley and Helen Kozlowski. After graduating from Andrew Warde High School in 1976, Linda was ready to chase a dream that had captured her heart early on: acting.
Determined to make her mark, Kozlowski earned a coveted spot at the prestigious Juilliard School’s drama division. There, she honed her craft among the best of the best, graduating in 1981 and setting her sights on the bright lights of New York City.
In the Big Apple, Linda’s career began modestly with roles in several off-Broadway productions, including How It All Began. She soon landed smaller parts on Broadway and on television — most notably starring alongside Dustin Hoffman in the TV film Death of a Salesman.
But even with promising credits to her name, life in New York proved tough. After wrapping Death of a Salesman, Linda found herself struggling to find new work, and like many young actors, she took a job as a waitress to make ends meet.
“It was cold in New York,” she later recalled to People. “And I didn’t see any other work in sight — I was sort of miserable.”
Luckily, a strong friendship with Dustin Hoffman would soon change everything. Impressed by her talent and spirit, Hoffman — along with his wife — extended a life-changing offer: Linda could stay at their Malibu beach house to get a fresh start in California.
Just six weeks after making the move west, Linda auditioned for Crocodile Dundee. It was none other than Dustin Hoffman himself who recommended her for the part, having been deeply impressed by her performance in Death of a Salesman.
The rest, as they say, is history.
Landing the Role of a Lifetime
Linda Kozlowski’s path to Crocodile Dundee wasn’t just about luck — it was about undeniable talent and the kind of energy you can’t fake.
“Linda got the movie because they genuinely liked her,” her longtime friend William DeAcutis said.
Reflecting on the audition, Linda recalled, “There was a feeling in that room that was so positive. I never once thought, ‘Oh, my God, this might not work.’”
But it wasn’t just the producers who believed in her. Dustin Hoffman, already a Hollywood heavyweight and one of Linda’s biggest supporters, was quick to vouch for her in a way that made all the difference.
“Dustin asked me, ‘Who are these people? What are their names, and where are they staying?’” she remembered.
After Linda shared the details, Dustin made a call. Just as the producers were about to officially offer her the part, the phone rang — and it was Dustin Hoffman on the line. At first, they thought it was a friend playing a prank with a bad Hoffman impersonation.
Once they realized it really was the Dustin Hoffman, they were overjoyed — it felt like a sign that they had made the perfect choice.
“Dustin’s call was like the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval,” DeAcutis said. “But make no mistake — Linda got the movie because they liked her.”
Major Success with ‘Crocodile Dundee’
When Crocodile Dundee first premiered “Down Under,” Linda Kozlowski was already a star in Australia — but back home in the U.S., she was still a relative unknown.
“It was a bit like being Cinderella,” Linda told the Los Angeles Times. “In Australia, I’d be riding around in limousines, whereas here I was still running around in my old Toyota trying to see casting directors.”
But that quickly changed. Practically overnight, Linda transformed from a struggling actress into a rising star. Still, she often joked that most of the attention wasn’t really on her — it was all about Dundee.
“But I’ll tell you where I was a big star,” she said, laughing. “In Fairfield, Connecticut, where I grew up. My parents, Stanley and Helen Kozlowski, still live there, and when the movie opened, they saw it again and again.”
She fondly remembered how her local newspaper kept her grounded:
“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’…”
Love On and Off the Screen
Two years later, Linda reprised her role in Crocodile Dundee II, and then again in Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles in 2001.
But by then, her life had changed in more ways than one. While filming, Linda had found something even more precious than fame — she had fallen in love with her co-star, Paul Hogan, the very man who played the charming, rugged Crocodile Dundee.
The couple married in May 1990 in Australia, beginning a new chapter together. In true storybook fashion, Paul Hogan gifted Linda a $2 million mansion as a wedding present — a symbol of the extraordinary journey they had shared, both on screen and off.
Marriage to Paul Hogan
After her star-making performances in the first two Crocodile Dundee films, many assumed Linda Kozlowski would be flooded with offers from Hollywood. But surprisingly, that wasn’t quite the reality.
Sure, the offers were there — but none of them sparked her passion.
“After Crocodile Dundee, I turned down lots of stuff, most of it where I’d play the girlfriend of some funny man,” Linda revealed. In fact, she found a cheeky use for all those underwhelming scripts:
“I used them for kindling — to get the fire started,” she laughed. “That’s about all they’re good for. I was getting very depressed, but finally something good did come along — Pass the Ammo. It took a long time to be released, but it finally had a date.”
While she continued to pick roles selectively, Linda’s heart was slowly drifting away from Hollywood’s spotlight.
In 2001, she reprised her role in Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles — her final on-screen appearance.
Before the third film even came out, Linda had already made a life-changing decision: she would step away from acting altogether.
Her new focus? Family.
In 1998, she and Paul Hogan welcomed their beloved son, Chance Hogan. For Linda, raising Chance became her greatest role yet.
A New Chapter Begins
After 23 years of marriage, Linda and Paul Hogan’s love story came to an end. In October 2013, the couple filed for divorce, citing “irreconcilable differences.” Their divorce was finalized in 2014 — an amicable split that allowed them both to move forward while continuing to cherish the bond they shared through their son.
Life After Divorce
Linda Kozlowski officially divorced Paul Hogan in 2014, marking the end of a chapter that had spanned more than two decades.
Speaking candidly with New Idea, Linda revealed how much she welcomed the change.
“I lived in Paul’s shadow for many, many years, and it’s nice to feel my own light right now,” she shared.
As part of their divorce settlement — according to the Sydney Morning Herald — Linda received a one-off payment of $6.25 million. Paul, meanwhile, retained the rights to his famous Crocodile Dundee character, as well as the film company that had produced the beloved franchise.
Additionally, Linda was allowed to remain in their Los Angeles home for up to four years, or until she remarried — whichever came first.
Reflecting on their split, Linda spoke honestly about what had gone wrong.
“Honestly, we just naturally grew apart,” she explained. “One of our problems was we really had nothing in common — and, over time, that happens to a lot of people.”
Paul Hogan echoed the same sentiment in interviews, acknowledging their differences with a kind of fondness.
“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.”
Despite the end of their marriage, Linda and Paul maintained a strong friendship, bonded by their shared love for their son, Chance. They agreed to joint custody and have continued to support one another in raising him.
Linda Kozlowski Today
In the years following her divorce, Linda Kozlowski has built a life full of peace, adventure, and renewed happiness.
“The divorce was completely amicable. We talk on the phone all the time, I go over and have coffee,” she told New Idea. “We’re completely friendly. Everybody’s happy.”
Leaving Hollywood behind, Linda sought a fresh start — and found it halfway across the world. She relocated to Morocco, a place that would change her life in more ways than one.
While traveling there, Linda met local tour guide Moulay Hafid Baba. Speaking with Luxe Beat, she described the moment they met as nothing short of fate.
“We knew in a flash that we had known each other for a thousand years, which was a magic moment in both our lives,” she recalled warmly.
Their connection blossomed both personally and professionally. Together, they founded Dream My Destiny, a luxury travel business based in Marrakesh. The company specializes in creating bespoke journeys tailored to each guest’s dreams and desires.
“As business partners, we plan all our guests’ trips together,” Linda shared. “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.”
Today, Linda Kozlowski is not only thriving — she’s glowing. She’s found love again, embraced a new culture, and lives a life filled with rich experiences far away from the bright lights of Hollywood.
Though it’s been many years since she graced the big screen, Linda’s legacy — especially as the unforgettable Sue Charlton in Crocodile Dundee — remains etched in the hearts of fans worldwide.
And even now, with her radiant smile and adventurous spirit, Linda Kozlowski continues to inspire. 🌟
Linda Kozlowski: From Hollywood Star to Adventurer in Morocco
Early Breakthrough and the Magic of Auditioning
Linda Kozlowski’s journey to stardom began in a room filled with positivity. Reflecting on her audition, she said, “There was a feeling in that room that was so positive. I never once thought, ‘Oh, my God, this might not work.’”
Her breakthrough came with the help of a surprise endorsement. As Kozlowski recalled, Dustin Hoffman himself called the casting team just as they were about to offer her the part. “At first they thought it was a friend doing a bad impersonation,” she laughed. But once they realized it was Hoffman, they knew they had made the right choice.
As her longtime friend William DeAcutis put it, “Dustin’s call was like the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval, but Linda got the movie because they liked her.”
Major Success with Crocodile Dundee
In 1986, Kozlowski starred alongside Paul Hogan in Crocodile Dundee, which went on to become one of the year’s biggest hits, earning a staggering $320 million against a modest $10 million budget.
Though she became a sensation overnight in Australia, she was still unknown back home in the U.S. “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.”
Despite the sudden fame, she remained humble. “I’ll tell you where I was a big star — in Fairfield, Conn., where I grew up,” she said, laughing.
Marriage with Paul Hogan
Linda’s life took another turn when she fell in love with her Crocodile Dundee co-star, Paul Hogan. They married in May 1990 in Australia, and Hogan even gifted her a $2 million mansion as a wedding gift.
Although she had opportunities after her breakout role, Kozlowski found most offers uninspiring. “After Crocodile Dundee I turned down lots of stuff, most of it where I’d play the girlfriend of some funny man,” she said. “I use them for kindling, to get the fire started.”
After the third Crocodile Dundee film in 2001, Linda decided to step away from the spotlight, focusing instead on raising their son, Chance Hogan, born in 1998.
Divorced in 2014
After 23 years of marriage, Linda and Paul Hogan divorced in 2014, citing “irreconcilable differences.”
Despite the end of their marriage, they maintained a friendly relationship. Linda received a $6.25 million settlement and was allowed to stay in their Los Angeles home for four years or until she remarried.
“I lived in Paul’s shadow for many, many years and it’s nice to feel my own light right now,” she shared. “Honestly, we just naturally grew apart.”
Paul Hogan echoed similar sentiments, saying, “We were opposites in everything… but it worked anyway.”
The two continue to share custody of their son and remain close friends.
Linda Kozlowski Today
Post-divorce, Linda found a new beginning. She relocated to Morocco, where she met tour guide Moulay Hafid Baba during a trip. The connection was instant.
“We knew in a flash that we had known each other for a thousand years,” she told Luxe Beat. Together, they founded Dream My Destiny, a Marrakesh-based luxury travel company that crafts bespoke trips tailored to their guests’ wishes.
“As business partners, we plan all our guests’ trips together,” Linda said. “He’ll look after the men when the ladies need to shop for shoes!”
At 63, Linda is embracing her adventurous life — and she has no plans of returning to Hollywood.
“I don’t miss acting because my life is so full now. Reality is better than make believe,” she said. “One thing I always hated about acting was that it got in the way of having an adventurous life. You had to stick around LA and wait for work. Now I’m rejoicing in my freedom.”
She also reflected that acting helped her develop intuition — a skill that’s now invaluable in her travel business.
A Lasting Legacy
Though Linda Kozlowski left acting behind, her impact remains. Fans around the world will forever remember her as the charming and fearless Sue Charlton in Crocodile Dundee.
We’re grateful she chose the path that made her happiest — and wish her all the best as she continues her incredible journey!
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