Meet Paulina Porizkova's Ex-Husband, Ric Ocasek, Former Couple Dated For Five Years And Had Two Kids
Paulina Porizkova and Ric Ocasek were married from 1989 to 2017. Notably, Ric passed away from cardiovascular disease two years after they separated.
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Add BollywoodShaadis on GooglePaulina Porizkova has recently exchanged vows with Jeff Greenstein in Italy. The popular model and actress confirmed the news through her Instagram handle on July 10, 2026, with a few pictures. While Paulina has been active in the entertainment industry for a long time, Jeff has also pursued a career in the same field, contributing his skills as a writer on projects such as The Charmings, Friends, Will & Grace, Desperate Housewives, and more.
Notably, this is Paulina’s second marriage, as she was previously married to the late musician, Ric Ocasek, for 28 years. Keep reading to know more about Ric!
Ric Ocasek was a part of The Cars for a long time
Also known as Richard Theodore Otcasek, he spent his childhood in Cleveland. Ric developed an interest in guitar when he was a teenager and began performing with local bands during the ‘60s. He then came to Boston in the ‘70s and continued playing with different groups for some time.
Ric’s successful journey started when he met Benjamin Orr in 1965, and they established a band a few years later. The duo was introduced to a few other musicians while they continued performing, including Elliot Easton, Greg Hawkes, and David Robinson. The group came together to establish a band called The Cars in 1976.
The band released its self-titled debut album in 1978. They worked with record labels like Elektra and Concord. The group released five more albums until they disbanded in 1988. This included Candy-O, Panorama, Shake It Up, Heartbeat City, and Door to Door. The albums managed to reach the top of the charts. In 2000, Benjamin passed away, and the group reunited in 2011, leading to the release of their final album, Move Like This.
Apart from his work in The Cars, Ric Ocasek gained recognition for his solo career. His first solo album was Beatitude, released in 1983. This was followed by This Side of Paradise, Fireball Zone, Quick Change World, Negative Theater, Troublizing, and Nexterday.
Paulina Porizkova and Ric Ocasek tied the knot in 1989
Paulina Porizkova and Ric Ocasek’s first meeting dates back to 1984. Paulina was featured in the music video of the song, Drive, released by The Cars. Paulina and Ric met for the first time on the set of the music video. Notably, Paulina was attracted to Ric before their first meeting after she saw him on MTV.
The pair dated for five years and exchanged vows at the Caribbean island of St. Barts in 1989. They had two children, a son named Jontahan, born in 1989, and another son, Oliver, born in 1999. While things were going fine, Paulina confirmed through Instagram in 2018 that she and Ric had separated in 2017. Paulina’s Instagram post stated:
“The love we have for one another is so wide and deep it’s practically tangible, and that sort of love can never disappear. Expect to keep seeing happy family photos. As I’m sure you can understand, out of respect for our children and each other, we’ll not be commenting further (here or elsewhere) at this time.”
A year after Paulina confirmed the split, Ric was found dead at his residence in Manhattan in September 2019. Notably, the police responded to a call related to an unconscious male during the evening hours. An autopsy report from the New York City medical examiner’s office claimed that Ric died from cardiovascular disease.
What are your thoughts about Ric Ocasek’s career and his relationship with Paulina Porizkova? Let us know.
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