It’s no secret that James Packer’s ex-fiancee lives a life far removed from the glitz and glamour of her past. Now in an awkward TV chat, Tziporah Malkah, 44, formerly known Kate Fischer, revealed she’s sick and tired of people asking about her former life as a top model.
Malkah rose to fame in the 1990s as a high-profile model and appeared in many films including Sirens (1993), Dust Off the Wings (1997) and The Real Thing (2002). Since then though, she’s changed her name, embraced a new religion and taken on a new role.
When the former model appeared on Channel Nine’s Today Extra on Friday to discuss White Caravan, the charity she is currently working for, the TV station ran photos and footage from the height of her successful modelling career, her role in movies, and her former engagement to billionaire James, 50.
Co-host David Campbell, 45, then asked: “When all the photos started coming up, I asked you how felt when people flash up those photos about your past and you said?”
But, the model-turned-care-worker wasn’t too happy. She said: “When people put me on show and go, ‘Look how beautiful she once was, young and skinny and rich and now look at her now – old, fat and used to be homeless. Oh that’s all we’ve got time for now, bye everybody’.”
“That doesn’t make me feel good. That’s not why I’m here,” she added.
David interjected, saying, “That’s not your value of who you are anymore.” To which she replied: “No. I think I’ve got a lot more to talk about.”
And it’s safe to say Tziporah’s life has changed vastly over the past 20 years. At the height of her fame the former model was living in Los Angeles with fiance James – the pair dated for five years, two of which as an engaged couple – before splitting in 1998.
By 2011, the former star was living in a shared house for homeless and vulnerable women, having been sent there by the Sacred Heart Mission. Now, Tziporah lives a modest life earning $23 an hour working night shifts at an aged care facility, news.com.au reported.
Speaking on Channel 9’s A Current Affair in May, the 44-year-old admitted it took her almost a decade to get over the break-up, and often fantasised about reuniting with the billionaire.
“I was heartbroken,” she said at the time. “I was very smitten with him, I was in love with him.”
Tziporah claimed it ended up being Packer’s huge work commitments that proved too much for her, before she eventually called off their engagement.