New York socialite Jocelyn Wildenstein, famously known as "Catwoman" for her distinctively feline features, has recently shared a rare glimpse of her pre-surgery appearance, offering the world a peek into her past.
The 82-year-old took to Instagram to post a touching photo in celebration of her daughter Diane's birthday on August 25, revealing a different side to the woman who has long been a subject of fascination and public speculation.
In the nostalgic photograph, a younger Jocelyn cradles her then-infant daughter, Diane, with a look of serene maternal pride. "Happy Birthday to my beautiful daughter Diane Wildenstein," the Swiss-born socialite lovingly captioned the post.
Diane, along with her brother Alex Jr., are the children she shares with her late ex-husband, billionaire art dealer Alec Wildenstein.
The Wildensteins’ tumultuous divorce in 1997 propelled them into the public eye, with Jocelyn quickly becoming a fixture in the media.
The high-profile split earned her a series of sensational nicknames, including "The Bride of Wildenstein" and the more enduring "Catwoman," the latter of which stemmed from her strikingly feline facial features—features that have intrigued, mystified, and even shocked the public for decades.
Jocelyn has been open about her extensive cosmetic surgery, explaining in past interviews that her transformations were partly influenced by Alec’s disdain for aging.
"He hates to be with old people," she reportedly said during their divorce proceedings, suggesting that her efforts to maintain a youthful appearance were, in part, an attempt to meet her husband’s expectations.
Yet, Jocelyn has always maintained that some of her catlike attributes are a natural gift, not entirely the result of surgical interventions. "The lynx has perfect eyes," she once told Vanity Fair.
"If I show you pictures of my grandmother, what you see is these eyes—cat eyes—and high cheekbones." Indeed, her resemblance to a feline has become a signature part of her identity, one she has embraced wholeheartedly, often donning animal-print outfits and famously keeping a lynx as a pet.
Alec, however, had a different perspective on Jocelyn's transformation. "She was crazy," he told Vanity Fair, recounting how Jocelyn’s fixation on altering her appearance often caught him by surprise. "She was thinking that she could fix her face like a piece of furniture. Skin does not work that way. But she wouldn’t listen," he lamented.
Their divorce was as dramatic and headline-grabbing as their marriage, spanning two years filled with accusations and scandalous revelations.
Both Jocelyn and Alec aired grievances that included allegations of infidelity, escort services, and domestic disputes. The divorce reached its conclusion in 1999 with Jocelyn being awarded an eye-watering $2.5 billion settlement, plus an additional $100 million annually for the next 13 years—a sum that solidified her place among the world’s wealthiest women.
However, even with her newfound financial independence, there was one peculiar stipulation attached to the divorce settlement: the judge reportedly barred Jocelyn from spending any of her settlement money on further cosmetic surgeries.