Jocelyn Wildenstein, a New York tabloid stalwart renowned for her surgically enhanced feline features that earned her the moniker "Catwoman," has passed away. Her partner, Lloyd Klein, revealed to AFP that she succumbed to a pulmonary embolism in Paris. Although pinpointing Wildenstein's exact date of birth has proven elusive, Klein informed AFP that she was 79 at the time of her demise; however, other sources have reported her age as 84.
During the 1990s, this New York City socialite garnered widespread tabloid attention amidst her divorce from billionaire art dealer Alec Wildenstein. Despite her already considerable fame, it was her distinctive facial features that earned her the nickname "Catwoman."
Klein recounted their final moments together in an interview with People magazine, painting a poignant picture: "We enjoyed a delightful happy hour that very night, preparing for the advent of the new year. We took a nap, hoping to refresh ourselves before getting dressed up." He further disclosed that Wildenstein had been battling phlebitis, an inflammation of a vein, which had caused her legs to swell severely and impeded blood flow, resulting in oxygen deprivation to the brain. "As we napped, I awoke and nudged her, saying, 'Jocelyn, we need to wake up and get dressed.' But she was already cold, already gone," he shared solemnly.
Hailing from Lausanne, Switzerland, Wildenstein reminisced about her "fantastic" childhood and her profound affection for Africa in an interview with Interview magazine. During a 2023 conversation, she highlighted the over 2,000 protected animals residing on the Wildenstein family ranch in Kenya. It was also in Africa where she met her ex-husband. Besides her philanthropic endeavors in ecology and education across the continent, Wildenstein ventured into the art world alongside her then-husband.
"I tied the knot with Alec in Las Vegas in 1978 and promptly jetted off to Texas to commence curating one of America's largest private collections. For two decades, we built this treasure trove together," she recounted to Interview. Wildenstein confided in Vanity Fair that their lavish lifestyle often entailed a monthly expenditure of approximately $1 million. The couple welcomed two children into their world.
After nearly two decades together, the couple ignited a media circus with their tumultuous divorce battle that stretched on for two years. Wildenstein revealed that she caught Alec in bed with another woman, sparking a saga that captivated the public. According to The New York Times, she recounted to police how Alec had waved a gun at her, leading to his arrest. Subsequently, Alec was released under strict orders to steer clear of Jocelyn and forbidden from entering their shared Manhattan abode.
Rumors abounded that Alec had persuaded his wife to undergo surgeries aimed at giving her facial features a more feline appearance. People magazine reported Jocelyn's claim that part of her motivation for undergoing facelifts was Alec's aversion to being with someone who looked old. However, in a Vanity Fair interview, Alec dismissed these allegations, stating, "She was crazy. I was always the last to know. She thought she could fix her face like a piece of furniture, but skin doesn't work that way. Yet, she wouldn't listen."
Wildenstein further accused Alec of orchestrating stories about her alleged surgeries, "hiring a publicist and paying a plastic surgeon to certify that I had completely altered my face" in a bid to sway the divorce settlement in his favor.
Following their drawn-out divorce, Jocelyn was granted a whopping $2.5 billion, coupled with an annual payment of $100 million for the next thirteen years, as reported by Reuters. Despite this financial windfall, Jocelyn's fortunes took a drastic turn. In a 2023 interview with The Telegraph, she admitted to having filed for bankruptcy in 2018, revealing that the family of her late husband, Alec, who succumbed to prostate cancer in 2008, had terminated the annual payments in 2015.
Jocelyn embarked on a relationship with fashion designer Lloyd Klein in 2003, although their romance was no stranger to tabloid headlines either. In a dramatic twist, Wildenstein was arrested in 2016 for slashing Klein's face with scissors during a heated altercation where she allegedly also hurled a burning candle at his visage. Despite this, the couple reconciled and announced their engagement to the Daily Mail in July 2017.
Amidst her financial struggles, Wildenstein and Klein envisioned creating a documentary series chronicling her life's journey. Jocelyn Wildenstein is survived by her two children and her partner, Lloyd Klein.
