Latest news with #CrystalHefner
USA Today
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Here's why Crystal Hefner changed her name
We've seen some name changes in celebrities as of late, and this is one to add to the pile: Crystal Hefner -- the model who was a widow of Hugh Hefner, the famed late Playboy publisher -- has changed her name. Per People: "According to court documents filed on Thursday, June 13, the model and television personality has officially petitioned to change her name from Crystal Margaret Hefner back to her maiden name, Crystal Margaret Harris." Why would she change her name? She's spoken about her name it on Instagram in a post on June 13. Here's what she had to say in that lengthy post: I did accomplish things with the Hefner name. I made eight figures. I launched businesses. I found a version of here's the thing—none of that was ever about the was about me. And now, I want my name Margaret Harris. Not because I'm ashamed of who I was—but because I finally know who I am. There's your answer!
New York Post
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Hugh Hefner's widow, Crystal, files to legally ditch his last name
What's in a name? Hugh Hefner's widow, formerly known as Crystal Hefner, 39, is now going back to her maiden name. She filed a petition in Los Angeles Superior Court to legally change her name from Crystal Margaret Hefner to Crystal Margaret Harris, reported Us Weekly. 'I am a widow and reclaiming my maiden name,' the former Playboy model reportedly wrote in her filing. 9 Hugh Hefner and Crystal Hefner at Playboy Mansion's Annual Halloween Bash on October 25, 2014. Getty Images for Playboy The playboy mogul died in 2017 at 91. Harris was Hefner's third wife – the former couple, who had a 60-year age gap, were married from 2012 until his death. In her 2024 memoir, 'Only Say Good Things: Surviving Playboy and Finding Myself,' she wrote, 'I was never in love with Hef, but I loved this old man in the ways you are supposed to love your elders.' Her name change comes ahead of her upcoming nuptials to microbiologist James Ward. 9 Hugh Hefner poses with Playboy Bunnies Playmate of the Year 2013 Raquel Pomplun (2nd L) and Crystal Hefner at Playboy's 60th Anniversary special event on January 16, 2014. Getty Images for Playboy 9 Crystal Hefner at the Premiere of 'My Truth: The Rape Of Two Coreys' at Directors Guild Of America on March 9, 2020. Getty Images In a lengthy Instagram post in June, Harris spoke out about her desire to return to her maiden name. 'To everyone I've had to block: I'm exhausted. If you've harassed me, you're gone. I don't owe anyone access to my peace,' she wrote. 'But to those who are here with open hearts, who genuinely support my journey — thank you.' 9 Crystal Harris, formerly Hefner, in April 2025. crystalhefner/Instagram 9 Hugh Hefner and Crystal Harris celebrate Hefner's 85th birthday April 9, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada. WireImage She explained, 'The media and the trolls of the world told me I wasn't enough without the name, without the house, without the image. I came from nothing. I had spent a lifetime feeling small. So I clung to the story I was fed. And it worked — for a while.' She added that, under the Hefner name, she made 'eight figures' and 'launched businesses.' 'But here's the thing — none of that was ever about the name,' she said. 9 Crystal Hefner attends GBK Brand Bar Pre-Oscar luxury lounge at Beverly Wilshire, on March 8, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California. Getty Images for GBK Brand Bar The star continued, 'It was about me. And now, I want my name back. Crystal Margaret Harris. Not because I'm ashamed of who I was — but because I finally know who I am.' In a 2024 interview with People, Harris said she 'lost herself' in her relationship with the Playboy founder. 'At the time I thought I was on top. I thought, 'Wow, if I just like everything that he likes and do all the things that he wants me to do, then I'm the favorite.' And I was, but I just lost myself in the process.' 9 Hugh Hefner and Crystal Harris celebrate Hugh Hefner's 84th birthday on April 10, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. WireImage 'I realized I was dealing with a really big power imbalance,' Crystal said. 'It seemed like a world of success and fantasy, but everyone's having to sleep with an 80-year-old. There's a price. Everything has a price.' The former Playboy Playmate of the Month also divulged how restrictive the lifestyle at the mansion was for her and the other Bunnies while under Hefner's roof. 9 Crystal Harris on the cover of the July 2011 Playboy magazine. Playboy She added that he would give each of his 'girlfriends' an allowance that he handed to them in neat bills. Harris recalled that when her natural brown hair started to show its roots beneath the blonde dye, 'I'd have to go bleach it and it would burn my scalp and I'd have blisters.' 'But for some reason, I thought this was all normal and that's what it meant to be seen as beautiful in Hef's eyes.' 9 Karissa Shannon, Kristina Shannon, Hugh Hefner and Crystal Harris at AFI Lifetime Achievement Award: A Tribute to Michael Douglas on June 11, 2009 in Culver City, California. Getty Images Hefner's former girlfriend, Holly Madison, 45, had a similar sentiment, exclusively telling The Post in April that the Playboy mansion felt like a 'cult.' 'You can't even say — not even something bad, but you can even say something bad-adjacent about him without being like, excommunicated,' Madison said. In July 2023, Harris told The Post why she decided to name her book 'Only Say Good Things.' Hefner's widow revealed that she once had 'a conversation with Hef and he let me know: 'Once I go, when I'm gone, please only say good things about me.'' She explained, 'I kept that promise for the last five years. After going through a lot of therapy and healing, I realized that I needed to be honest about my time there. The book is about healing from a toxic environment.'
Daily Mail
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Hugh Hefner's widow makes shock decision eight YEARS after the controversial Playboy founder's death
Crystal Hefner, the widow of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, has officially taken legal steps to change her name, nearly eight years after her husband's death. On June 13, 2025, she filed a petition in Los Angeles Superior Court to revert to her maiden name, Crystal Margaret Harris. The filing, which was reviewed by People, indicates that she is seeking to resume the name she held before her marriage to Hugh Hefner. No court hearing date was listed in the petition, but under California law, a legal name change typically requires public notice and a formal hearing before it can be finalized. A lawyer representing Crystal declined to comment on the matter when approached by the outlet. Daily Mail has also reached out to Crystal's rep. Crystal, now 39, was married to Hugh Hefner from 2012 until his death in 2017. In the years that followed, she continued to use the Hefner name in public, but recent actions suggest a clear shift toward redefining her personal identity. Before marrying Hefner, Crystal gained recognition as a Playboy model and television personality under her birth name. Since his passing, she has gradually stepped away from the spotlight to focus on a more private life centered around personal growth and healing. In previous interviews, Crystal discussed the emotional challenges she faced during her time in the Playboy world and her journey toward self-discovery. Speaking with NPR in January 2024, she recalled struggling with her identity after leaving the Playboy Mansion, describing the process as 'depressing and sad,' but ultimately empowering. 'I feel like I'm finally reclaiming myself and my power,' she said during the interview. Crystal also shared that she purchased a farm in Hawaii, where she now enjoys a peaceful lifestyle focused on nature, simplicity, and freedom. She expressed a desire to eventually marry again and start a family. 'I do hope to get married one day and have children,' she said to NPR. In April 2024, Crystal became engaged to James Ward, who proposed at her Hawaii home with a six-carat, vintage mine-cut diamond ring. The couple began dating earlier that year after being introduced by mutual friends. It is not clear if she will change her name again to become Crystal Ward following the nuptials. The same year as her engagement, Crystal released her memoir Only Say Good Things: Surviving Playboy and Finding Myself. In her memoir, she detailed traumas she faced in the Playboy mansion including having a 6pm curfew, witnessing Hugh's alleged opiate addiction, and having to 'beg' for an allowance.
New York Post
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Hugh Hefner's widow, Crystal Hefner, 39, engaged 7 years after Playboy founder's death
An engagement for all. Hugh Hefner's widow is ready to walk down the aisle again. Crystal Hefner, 39, is engaged to James Ward after one year of dating — and seven years after the Playboy founder died at 91. 8 The pair began dating in 2024. Crystal Hefner/Instagram The marine biologist popped the question with a six-carat diamond ring on Friday, April 25, after spending a month in Africa to celebrate their first anniversary. Hefner confirmed the engagement and shared her vintage sparkler in an interview with Us Weekly published Friday, May 2. Ward got down on one knee at the former Playboy model's home in Hawaii on the seaside deck he built her. The engagement took place just days before Hefner turned 39 on April 29. She spilled all about her romantic 'surprise' proposal, calling it a 'full-circle moment.' 8 James Ward proposed just days before Crystal Hefner's 39th birthday. Crystal Hefner/Instagram 8 He popped the question with a six-carat engagement ring. Getty Images 'James completely surprised me. He had a hidden staircase and a winding trail cleared to reveal a handcrafted deck perched above a dramatic cliffside overlooking the ocean,' the former 'Girls Next Door' star told Us Weekly. Hefner revealed the special meaning behind the proposal location. 'It was the exact spot where we'd had a quiet picnic together a year ago — a place that became 'ours,'' she said. 'I had no idea he was secretly turning it into something permanent and symbolic. I thought we were just going for a walk, but when I saw the flowers, the handwritten notes, and the sea stretching endlessly in front of us, I knew something extraordinary was about to happen.' 8 She said her wedding with Ward would be nothing like the ceremony with Hefner. Crystal Hefner/Instagram The ex-model said as she made her way down the path, she was 'puzzled' to discover a new staircase dressed with handwritten notes that were 'deeply heartfelt' that overwhelmed her with emotion — but she thought it was an early birthday surprise. 'I was already tearing up when I reached the final card, which was waiting for me on the deck, overlooking the waves. At first, I thought it was an early birthday surprise,' Hefner explained. 'But the words in the notes gently hinted at something more. And when I realized he had built an entire deck just to create a space for this moment, I was overwhelmed. It was one of the most thoughtful things anyone has ever done for me.' She 'didn't suspect a thing' until her now husband-to-be dropped to one knee. 8 Crystal Hefner said she was surprised by the proposal. LSFL / Splash News 8 She married Hugh Hefner in 2012. Getty Images for Playboy 8 Kristina Shannon, Karissa Shannon, Hugh Hefner and Crystal Harris attends Hugh Hefner's 83rd birthday. WireImage 'The whole time we were [on a vacation] in Africa, I thought we were having a peaceful, unplugged adventure — but behind the scenes, he was coordinating this incredibly elaborate and meaningful proposal back home,' the future Mrs. Ward joked. 'I'm still amazed he pulled it off so seamlessly. I had told him I had never really been surprised before, so I think he felt like the challenge was accepted.' Hefner also compared her engagements, saying that her wedding with Hefner felt 'more about public perception than genuine partnership.' 'This chapter feels like real life — in the most grounded, beautiful, and emotionally honest way,' she shared. 'My first wedding was part of a chapter that felt performative, more about public perception than genuine partnership. I didn't even wear white. It didn't feel like a sacred milestone; it felt like playing a role in someone else's story. 8 She remained married to Hugh Hefner until his death in 2017 at age 91. WireImage Hefner continued, 'This time, with James, it's completely different. We're best friends. We laugh, support each other and navigate life hand-in-hand. Our wedding will reflect that — simple, heartfelt, and full of love. Not a show, but a celebration of the life we've built together.' Despite her excitement, Hefner revealed she has no immediate plans to say 'I do.' The couple said they plan to 'enjoy being engaged for awhile,' with a possible wedding ceremony coming in 2026. Crystal and Ward started dating in 2024 after being introduced by mutual friends. The ex-Playboy model moved to Hawaii after Hugh died in 2017. She was married to the business model for five years before his passing. They tied the knot in December 2012 and remained married until his death.
