Linda Kozlowski, an American actress best known for her role in the ‘Crocodile Dundee’ film series, has had a diverse career in both theater and television. After receiving a Golden Globe nomination for her performance in the first ‘Crocodile Dundee’ film, Kozlowski gained international fame. However, as her career progressed, she found herself limited to direct-to-video films, leading her to ultimately leave the acting industry.
Quick Facts
- Age: 65 Years
- Family: Spouse/Ex-: Paul Hogan (m. 1990 – div. 2014), father: Stanley M. Kozlowski, mother: Helen E. Parniawski, children: Chance Hogan
- Actresses
- American Women
- Height: 5’7″ (170 cm)
- Ancestry: Polish American
- Notable Alumni: Juilliard School
- U.S. State: Connecticut
- Education: Juilliard School
Linda Kozlowski’s Career
Linda Kozlowski’s career began with a prominent stage role in the off-Broadway production of ‘How It All Began’ from 1981 to 1982. She then appeared in the 1984 Broadway production of Arthur Miller’s ‘The Death of a Salesman’ alongside Dustin Hoffman, Kate Reid, John Malkovich, and Stephen Lang. In the play, she portrayed Miss Forsythe, a young woman who claims to have been featured on magazine covers. Kozlowski and the rest of the cast reprised their roles in the 1985 telefilm adaptation of the play.
She made her onscreen debut in 1982, appearing in a season two episode of ‘Nurse’. In 1986, she starred alongside her future husband Paul Hogan in the Australian-American action-comedy ‘Crocodile Dundee’. Kozlowski played the character Sue Charlton, a writer working at her father’s newspaper. The film was a huge commercial success, earning over $300 million at the box office. Kozlowski’s performance received positive reviews and she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture in 1987. She went on to reprise her role in two sequels, ‘Crocodile Dundee II’ (1988) and ‘Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles’ (2001).
In 1988, Kozlowski starred opposite Bill Paxton in the action comedy ‘Pass the Ammo’, playing a thief seeking revenge from a corrupt televangelist preacher. She also appeared in the miniseries ‘Favorite Son’ and worked with Hogan again in the 1990 comedy drama ‘Almost an Angel’. However, ‘Almost an Angel’ was not successful critically or commercially.
In 1993, Kozlowski appeared in the horror thriller ‘The Neighbor’, portraying the wife of an aging, deranged gynecologist. She then played a policewoman trying to overcome her father’s corrupt cop reputation in the 1994 crime thriller ‘Backstreet Justice’. She also starred in the 1994 Scandinavian drama ‘Zorn’ and John Carpenter’s science fiction horror ‘Village of the Damned’ (1995) alongside Christopher Reeve, Kirstie Alley, and others.
Kozlowski’s final TV appearance was in the telefilm ‘Shaughnessy’ (1996). She became frustrated with the roles she was getting and decided to quit acting, citing the low quality of the films she was offered. She later stated in an interview that she decided to give up acting due to the lack of care on set and her biological clock.
Family & Personal Life
Linda Kozlowski was born on January 7, 1958, in Fairfield, Connecticut, USA. She is the daughter of Helen E. (Parniawska) and Stanley M. Kozlowski. She attended Fairfield’s Andrew Warde High School and graduated in 1976. Kozlowski then studied at the drama division of Juilliard School and received her degree in 1981.
Kozlowski has been married twice. Not much is known about her first husband, as their marriage ended before she found success as an actress. She met Paul Hogan while filming ‘Crocodile Dundee’, and they got married on May 5, 1990. They have a son named Chance together. However, Kozlowski filed for divorce in October 2013, citing irreconcilable differences. The divorce was finalized on July 23, 2014.