Paulina Porizkova Calls Out 'Clickbait' Headlines About Her Relationship With Ric Ocasek

Model Paulina Porizkova is calling out "clickbait" headlines alleging that her marriage to the late Cars frontman Ric Ocasek was "toxic."

The two were married for almost 30 years before they announced to the world that they were separating in 2019. Although they separated, the former couple was still living together with their two sons while they worked through the process of their divorce.

Ocasek passed away at the age of 70 while recovering from surgery shortly after, leaving the former supermodel nothing in his will. Although Paulina later settled with his estate, she described the feelings of grief and betrayal she experienced in a collection of personal essays that she released on Tuesday called "No Filter: The Good, The Bad, and The Beautiful."

On Tuesday, November 15, the day her book was released, the 57-year-old author took to Instagram to share an unfiltered photo of her looking into the camera with weepy eyes.

“Here I am, barefaced and unfiltered on publication day,” she began in her lengthy caption. “When I wrote my book, it was with the intention to put down on paper what shaped me to become the person I have become.”

“I wasn’t thinking about the result: that parts will be taken out of context and labeled for clickbait,” she admitted. “I’m old enough to understand it’s all a part of the process: if you put yourself out, bare yourself, it is with the knowledge that you give everyone the permission to have an opinion.”

She admitted that it’s not exactly common” for celebrities to get “raw and vulnerable” with their personal lives for this exact reason.

“I have now seen a bunch of articles talking about my husband's 'toxic' behavior- their words, not mine. My husband gave me the love I needed for a long time. And in return, he had expectations which I gladly fulfilled,” she continued. “Was it a healthy love? Maybe not, but it was the love I needed and wanted at the time.”

“It was what I chose. Nobody has ever loved me like he did. And no one ever will,” Paulina wrote. “Now I chose to look back at this love with gratitude. It was the only time in my life I felt safe. Today, I don’t need this safety. I’ve learned I can stand on my own.”

“If you want to know the complexities of a marriage, read my book,” she told her 885 thousand Instagram followers. “If you decide to just go for clickbait, know you’re getting someone else’s opinion on what they skimmed through to find salacious details that would draw attention.”

Many fans and famous friends reached out to show their support. “The Ghosts of Paris” and UNICEF ambassador Tara Moss wrote, “I'm sorry, Paulina. It is really tough when you bare your soul like this, and the click bait machine grabs the narrative for some gossip. It's so personal when it is your own story. Thinking of you.”

New York Times bestselling author Sarah Pekkanen commented, “Raw and vulnerable is not common, yes - and it's why we need you being you. My copy just arrived. I've already read a few pages of your wise and graceful words. I think your book will help many women like me. Sending you a hug, my friend.” Paulina replied, “Sarah, this means so much to me. Thank you.”

Journalist Michelle Valles wrote, “Hugs hermana (sis) ❤️ And thank you from all the women admire your transparency. Your rawness itself is beautiful.” Paulina responded to her comment with three red heart emojis.

Another follower commented, “Absolutely love your authenticity. Thank you for sharing so much of who you are. You’ll never know how many lives you touch and inspire with your truth.” Paulina replied, “That’s true. I don’t. And I thank you so much for saying this.”

Another fan wrote, “Thank you for sharing so vulnerably with us. Words will always be twisted and assumptions will always be made. But in the midst of all that, your truth shines through. I’m so excited for your event tomorrow, and to read your story as only YOU can tell it.”

Another follower shared, “You are so brave to post this pic. Which is just a moment in time and does not fully project your joy and spirit that informs your soul and makes you so beautiful.”

Paulina has been sharing a lot of selfies lately ahead of the release of her new book. In another recent Instagram post, she debated as to whether selfies were a sign of narcissism or a search for human connection. Fans can read her insightful post for themselves by clicking here.