Stuti Gokhale
Peacock’s original ‘Angelyne‘ is a biographical drama series that delves into the life of the titular pop culture figure, who rose to fame in the 80s due to her iconic billboards in Los Angeles. Created by Nancy Oliver, it further explores the relationships that shape the LA icon’s journey over more than three decades, as well as the intriguing experiences that contribute to her enigmatic persona. In the show, Angelyne also meets several interesting influential figures, including Hugh Hefner, the founder of Playboy magazine. But did they really interact in real life, or is it a work of fiction? Let’s find out.
Did Angelyne and Hugh Hefner Meet in Real Life?
In ‘Angelyne,’ Playboy mogul Hugh Hefner invites the media icon for a meeting and offers to feature her in the popular magazine, as she is one of the most prominent “sex symbols” in Los Angeles. However, Angelyne bluntly refuses to pose without clothes for pictures, as she has a strict policy against nudity. Refusing to give up, Hugh tries to intimidate her by bragging about his work experience with her idol Marilyn Monroe. Angelyne then taunts the Playboy founder by stating that he allegedly used the actress’ images without her consent and built an empire on it.
In reality, there is no such evidence that the conversation had escalated so much between the billboard queen and Hugh, but she did admit in a July 2002 interview that Playboy had reportedly approached her in the 90s. “I was asked to pose nude for Playboy in the early nineties, I seriously considered doing it, but my lawyer advised me not to. At the time I had a pending role in a kids cartoon show, and we didn’t want to jeopardize that, maybe I would consider doing it again if a similar offer came up,” she said.
Therefore, even though Angelyne’s interaction with the Playboy founder is depicted to be so heated in the show, it cannot be said if she did meet him in person in real life. Actress Emmy Rossum, who essays the “billboard queen” in ‘Angelyne,’ shared in a May 2022 interview that the interaction with Hugh Hefner shown on-screen is just a product of the makers’ creativity. “Well, this is our imagination of what that meeting would have been like.”
Emmy further added, “She (Angelyne) is obviously on record as famously having turned down Playboy Magazine, and I suppose alongside our Director, Lucy Tcherniak, and [Executive Producer] Allison Miller, as women we kind of got together and said ‘what would that have looked like if she couldn’t have ultimate control over the narrative about her, and her image in the piece?’”
The actress elaborated that there is a certain duality to Angelyne, as though she created a rather provocative image, she was also quite chaste in her beliefs. Emmy related this to the conversation with Hugh depicted in the show, adding, “In my mind, that’s what she goes there to dress him down about, and if she’s not going to leave feeling good and authentic with the piece the way that she wants it, then she’s just going to leave him in the dust. And she does.”
Did Angelyne Appear in Playboy?
Contrary to what Angelyne stated in her interview, she did appear in the December 1987 edition of Playboy magazine in a pictorial feature titled ‘Sex Stars of 1987.’ Furthermore, a decade later, she was featured in the Denmark edition of the Playboy magazine in the September 1997 issue. The written piece describes her as “Los Angeles’ most famous blonde.” Hence, though it can be debated whether she has interacted with Hugh Hefner, she has surely made it to the popular adult magazine twice.
Read More: Is Angelyne Married? Does She Have Kids?
