Crystal Hefner has revealed what it was really like to live in the Playboy mansion as she releases her new book, Surviving The Playboy and Finding Myself.
The 37-year-old, who was married to Hugh Hefner from 2012 until his death in 2017, opened up about what it was like being married to the star and how she was lured into life at the Playboy Mansion.
Speaking on This Morning on Tuesday, the American model revealed the huge difference between her and Hugh's earnings after they filmed Marrying Hef together.
She explained: “When we got married he was filming a show called Marrying Hef and I was supposed to be part of the show. My talent fee was $2,500 and I found out he was making $800,000 per episode of Marrying Hef.
“I told him it wasn't fair and he said, 'Why are you here?' and it gave me post-traumatic stress disorder on all the interview questions. “I was low-hanging fruit and people asked me terrible questions, and that was one of the reasons I left.”
Crystal Hefner, 37, has revealed the HUGE salary difference between her and Hugh Hefner on reality series Marrying Hef as she described what it was REALLY like living in the Playboy Mansion during an appearance on This Morning on Tuesday
The 37-year-old was married to Hugh Hefner from 2012 until his death in 2017, but while she was only paid $2,500 for her role in Marrying Hef, Hugh earned $800,000 per episode (pictured in 2010).
Speaking to presenters Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary about how she felt trapped in the villa, Crystal has now decided to reverse her decision not to say anything bad about Hugh after his death with the release of her new book.
“I promised I wouldn't say anything bad, but I went to therapy for about five years and I realized that the time in the house messed me up more than I thought.”
“In a way I felt sorry for him. It was like he was a lost little boy who created this lifestyle to heal his inner wounds, but it never helped.”
“He told me that he didn't experience love as a child and that many of the girls he liked didn't like him either.” I don't know if the villa was his way of proving them wrong or of getting to people to avenge.”
Crystal first met the American publisher when she was just 21 years old at his Halloween party.
Hugh made his way to Crystal when he saw her, and Crystal admitted she felt “chosen” and “special.”
“I had never seen or met a celebrity in my life. My friend asked me to submit a photo to see if we could get an invite to the Playboy Mansion and I never thought I would be chosen, but I was.
“I remember looking around and asking, ‘Who me?’ I felt special. I felt chosen.'
“I told him it wasn't fair and he said, 'Why are you here?'”
Speaking to presenters Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary about how she felt trapped in the villa, Crystal has now decided to reverse her decision not to say anything bad about Hef after his death with the release of her new book
Looking back, she explained: “When I was 21 I felt like an adult, but I wasn't.” Now I'm 37 and I think of myself, when I was 21 I was such a baby and impressionable.
Crystal met Hugh at his Halloween party in 2008 and the weekend after he asked her to move in with him, where she joined his two other friends, twins Kristina and Karissa Shannon
After that first meeting, Hugh asked her to move in with her and she joined twins Kristina and Karissa Shannon, who were also his friends.
“After that weekend, he called me and asked me to speak via voicemail. “I moved in with the twins and they were only 19 at the time.”
“There were a lot of nice parties, but I realized early on that they were show parties and there wasn't much freedom. I ended up feeling pretty trapped.” Things changed pretty early on.
“When I was 21, I felt like an adult, but I wasn't. Now I'm 37 and I'm thinking about myself at 21. I was such a baby and impressionable, and the brain doesn't fully develop until you're in your late twenties.”
As she went into detail about the control he tried to impose on her, she realized within the first year that it was wrong.
“I think he told me to dye my roots and wear the flag and he told me I was gaining weight and I thought, 'Oh, I'm slipping, I have to do the best for him and this place, what I can be,' but looking back now, I… was miserable and I was controlled.'
Crystal has now told her story in her memoir, Surviving The Playboy and Finding Myself