She was a blonde bombshell renowned for a headline-making marriage to her Australian co-star, who was almost 20 years older. Over the last twenty years, however, Linda Kozlowski has opted for a quieter existence, stepping away from the limelight of Hollywood.

Linda gained fame with her role as New York reporter Sue Charlton in the 1986 hit film Crocodile Dundee, where she met her first husband, the Australian actor Paul Hogan.

The classically trained actress captured audiences as the damsel in distress saved by Paul’s character, Mick Dundee, from a crocodile. Nowadays, Linda seems nearly unrecognizable, having swapped her blonde hair and Hollywood glamour for a tranquil life in Ojai, California.

The 67-year-old Golden Globe nominee now lives in the idyllic desert town with her partner, Moroccan tour guide Moulay Hafid Baba, and their four-year-old Golden Retriever, Thaddeus.

It’s a far cry from the glamour of Los Angeles, where she had once settled down with Paul and where they welcomed their son Chance, now 27.

But between motherhood and ‘living in Paul’s shadow,’ Linda was forced to retire from acting after being typecast in Hollywood, a source says.

‘Linda loves acting, loves theater, loves the arts,’ a source exclusively told the Daily Mail.

But she felt like she was being offered ‘pretty crappy roles’ and ‘started not liking’ the industry as much as a result.

‘She thought the roles and the rocket to superstardom were going to take her places she never even imagined. But the roles weren’t there, she wasn’t offered anything of substance,’ the insider said.

While the Connecticut native achieved much success with Crocodile Dundee – even returning to the franchise for 1989’s Crocodile Dundee II and 2001’s Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles – it was her real-life romance with Paul that captivated audiences.

The two fell in love on the set of the original film, when Linda was 28 and Paul was 47. The Australian actor was married to Noelene Edwards at the time, and the couple had five children together.

Despite the scandal, Linda and Paul were married in 1990 and had Chance eight years later. But their romance fizzled over the years, as Linda told New Idea that their union came to an end naturally.

‘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,’ she said.

Paul went on to take the blame for the end of their marriage, also citing their opposing interests and qualities as a contributing factor.

‘We were opposites and we were attracted to each other for a long time,’ he told the Sunday Telegraph in 2014. 

‘Opposites in everything. From the food we ate, the music we liked, the entertainment we liked, the colors, the clothes, the places, everything. It worked anyway.’

She filed for divorce in October 2013 and they reached a settlement in 2014, with Linda walking away with a cool $6.25 million.

The actress has insisted multiple times that she and Paul ended things amicably and remain friendly to this day.

‘What [Crocodile Dundee] got her was a husband, got her a child, and she will never feel bad for those moments in her life,’ the source said. 

‘She now does her own thing, and though she isn’t married to Paul anymore, they are forever tied to each other because of their son and Dundee.

‘They are in a good place with each other.’

Their close bond was apparent when Linda stepped out with her ex-husband, their son, and her partner earlier this week.

Linda looked youthful with shoulder-length brunette locks as she arrived for dinner at a Los Angeles restaurant in black trousers, a matching black top, and a shawl wrapped around her neck.

The rare outing truly showcased the exes’ unconventional relationship, especially considering Linda’s new love was there to join the family of three.

Shortly after her divorce, Linda sparked a romance with the Moroccan tour guide after meeting through film producer friends. He worked as a location scout, and she was making frequent trips to the city of Marrakesh.

‘I was coming often, and friends wanted to come and tour with me and they knew that Baba knows a lot about the country,’ she exclusively told the Daily Mail in 2014. ‘And it just naturally came into place.’

Linda revealed that she was splitting her time between Marrakesh and Los Angeles as the couple launched a joint business venture, Dream My Destiny, to provide tours for visitors and location scouting for films.

She said the experience breathed new life into her ambitions following her divorce.

‘Paul is very famous and I lived for a long time in his shadow,’ Linda admitted. ‘I feel good now to be out on my own and be doing my own things.’

On Linda’s Instagram account, the retired actress has shared glimpses of her globetrotting travels with Moulay – from Mallorca, Spain, to the Swiss Alps, to Kyoto, Japan. 

When she’s not traveling, Linda resides with Moulay in their newly remodeled single story, four-bedroom, two-bath home in Ojai, which they purchased two years ago for nearly $2 million.

Linda seemingly used her divorce settlement to build an impressive real estate portfolio. She bought three beachfront properties in Venice, California – dubbed Silicon Beach for the tech CEOs it attracts.

She even earned the title of the Queen of Silicon Beach after having sold one home for $1.9 million in order to buy a $2 million home that she rented.

‘She has been really smart and made millions. She got a settlement from Paul of course and she’s used it well,’ a neighbor told the Daily Mail in 2017.

‘She’s definitely her own woman now. Property prices have rocketed in Venice and she’s rode the crest of a wave, no doubt about it.’

This week, Linda was pictured alongside son Chance, who recently caused a stir over his erratic behavior on social media.

According to the terms of their divorce settlement, neither Paul nor Linda paid child or spousal support and they shared custody of Chance. But he opted to live with his famous dad at his $3.5 million mansion in Venice Beach.

The celebrity scion seemed to have briefly considered following his father into showbusiness, becoming the enigmatic frontman of a punk band named Rowdy P.

Chance sparked concern for his troubling behavior back in January, when he shared a video on Instagram showing seen drinking wine and slurring his words as he sat at a table in public.

‘This is my life. This is what it’s been reduced to,’ he slurred as he took sips from his glass.

He then leaned in close and said: ‘Please. Please kill me. I’m begging you.’

Last November, troubling photos  emerged of Chance buying beer and shuffling around Venice Beach’s back alleys.

His 85-year-old father recently revealed that he wants to return to Australia, but remains in the States for the sake of his son.

‘I have business reasons and my son to stay in the States for now,’ Paul told Australian TV presenter Richard Wilkins earlier this month.

The actor was then pictured arriving at Sydney Airport this week, fueling speculation that he’s moving home for good.

If Paul is able to return to his beloved homeland, who’s to say Linda couldn’t return to her true love of acting?

According to the inside source, Linda hasn’t sworn off Hollywood completely. In fact, she would even consider coming out of retirement, but only if there was an opportunity she couldn’t dare to pass up.

‘If she was offered a role on stage or in a film that enticed her, she would absolutely come out of retirement for it, because she still has love for being an entertainer,’ the source said.

‘If something on stage presented itself, she would be so joyous for it, but she isn’t holding her breath on that to happen.’

The Daily Mail has contacted Kozlowski’s representatives for comment.