Early Life in California
Former American model, actress, photographer, and media artist Suzanne Gregard is also known as Susanne Gregard Quilici. She was born in Long Beach, California, on April 1, 1960. California is integrally tied to her biography, yet biographical versions dispute concerning her birth.
Her family was European. Her father, Palle Gregard, was a European airline employee and music band road crew. Lise, or Elise, was her homemaker mother. Ken Gregard is Suzanne’s brother. Later accounts say both parents died.
Suzanne had two opposing traits from the start. She had glamorous connections through modelling and her first marriage, but she preferred privacy and a quieter domestic life. That difference has formed her legacy. Many know her from Dodi Fayed, but her career and creativity go beyond that.
Modeling and Television Career
Suzanne began modeling during the early 1980s. Her blonde hair, blue eyes, and height of approximately 5 feet 5 inches gave her a classic commercial modeling appearance. She worked in an era when fashion and beauty personalities often moved easily between magazines, advertising, and television.
Her Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar, and Vogue appearances were reported. She modelled for commercial brands and appeared on Star Search in 1984. In a time when television could boost a model’s profile, the show helped her become famous.
As Gym Honey, she appears in the 1985 romantic comedy Key Exchange. Though tiny, the role signified a transition from modelling to acting. Suzanne chose family and visual art over a long Hollywood performing career.
Meeting Dodi Fayed
Suzanne met Dodi Fayed around 1985, when she was approximately 26 years old. Dodi, born Emad El-Din Mohamed Abdel Mena’em Fayed in Alexandria, Egypt, was the son of businessman Mohamed Al-Fayed. He was known for his wealth, international social life, and growing involvement in film production.
Their romance sparkled like a film. Dodi reportedly flew Suzanne by Concorde and arranged modelling work for her through his father’s Harrods department store. His amorous approach was expensive and dramatic, while Suzanne preferred routines and a less public life.
Dodi proposed on New Year’s Eve in 1986. The couple later married in a small private ceremony, with accounts placing the wedding in or near Vail, Colorado. Details surrounding the ceremony vary, but the marriage is generally dated to late 1986 or early 1987.
About eight months were spent together. After an amicable divorce in August 1987, they had no children. Suzanne praised Dodi’s wit and romance in later interviews. She also contrasted their worlds. Suzanne wanted simplicity and independence, whereas Dodi had bodyguards, expensive travel, and constant attention.
Dodi Fayed and His Film Career
Dodi Fayed’s film career was supported heavily by his family’s financial resources. Through Allied Stars, sometimes described as Allied Films, he became involved in film financing and production during the late 1970s and the 1980s.
His 1981 film Chariots of Fire was his most famous. Dodi was an executive producer, and Allied Stars funded the British sports drama. The film chronicled Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell’s 1924 Olympic race. Best Picture and four Academy Awards were its success.
Dodi secured his film legacy with Chariots of Fire. The film’s success raised the Fayed family’s international profile. Dodi wasn’t known as a hands-on creative producer. He was more involved in film industry finance, business, and social life.
His other credits included several commercial projects:
| Year | Film or project | Reported role |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Breaking Glass | Executive producer |
| 1981 | Chariots of Fire | Executive producer |
| 1986 | F/X | Producer |
| 1991 | F/X2 The Deadly Art of Illusion | Producer |
| 1991 | Hook | Executive producer |
| 1995 | The Scarlet Letter | Executive producer |
| 1996 to 1998 | F/X The Series | Executive creative consultant |
F/X, released in 1986, was a special effects thriller starring Bryan Brown and Brian Dennehy. It combined action with humor and performed well for a modestly budgeted production. The sequel, F/X2 The Deadly Art of Illusion, followed in 1991 but had a less significant impact.
Steven Spielberg’s 1991 fantasy film Hook, starring Robin Williams, Dustin Hoffman, and Julia Roberts, was executive produced by Dodi. He was involved in Peter Pan property rights and business. Commercially, the picture was successful.
In 1995, The Scarlet Letter was poorly regarded by reviewers and flopped commercially. The Demi Moore-Gary Oldman film was one of Dodi’s worst productions. His cinematic career was a mosaic of one great success, several good commercial productions, and other less successful endeavours.
Marriage to Philippe Quilici
In May 1992, Suzanne married Philippe Jean Quilici, a French born surgeon. Public accounts give either May 2 or May 22 as the wedding date. Unlike her relationship with Dodi Fayed, her marriage to Philippe developed into a long term family life away from intense publicity.
Philippe studied at Université d’Aix Marseille, also referred to in some accounts as Mediterranean University. He completed residency training at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York and later undertook a cardiothoracic fellowship at Cedars Sinai in Los Angeles.
He has performed general, minimally invasive, bariatric, and associated surgeries. Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank has given him leadership roles in minimally invasive and bariatric therapies. He speaks English and French and has published about laparoscopic surgery.
Together, Suzanne and Philippe built a private home life in the Los Angeles area. Some descriptions portray their residence as a French style home in the hills. The family has generally avoided the level of publicity that followed Suzanne during her marriage to Dodi.
Suzanne Gregard’s Children
Suzanne and Philippe have two sons, Max and Henry.
Maximillian Quilici
Maximillian, often called Max, was born around September 25 or 26, 1993. He developed an interest in music and became known as a jazz guitarist associated with ZzWard. His creative path reflects a family environment that values both artistic expression and professional discipline.
Henry Quilici
Henry arrived on August 27, 1996. The University of Southern California taught him film and TV production. Despite his low profile, his schooling connects him to the entertainment sector, which was part of his mother’s and father’s professional network.
Suzanne occasionally shares family references through social media, but the Quilici household has remained largely outside celebrity news. The family’s public presence is more like a window opening briefly than a door left ajar.
Suzanne’s Artistic Work
After modeling and acting, Suzanne moved toward photography and mixed media art. Her work focuses strongly on flowers, water, color, and the natural world. Her best known collection is the Aqua Flora series.
She uses specialised underwater camera housing to capture flowers in water. The flowers seem stuck between life and death. Petals float like silk, stems twist beneath the surface, and fading blossoms remind us of time rather than beauty.
Suzanne enjoys seeing flowers from fresh to withering. She usually retouches her photos minimally. This method provides the work a personal touch. Instead of perfecting nature, she incorporates imperfection.
Floral, studio, and family photos are on her art website and Instagram. These sites reveal Suzanne’s personality beyond Dodi Fayed. A woman turned her public background into a calmer creative practice.
Public Life and Privacy
Suzanne briefly attracted renewed attention in 1997 after Dodi Fayed died in a car crash in Paris with Diana, Princess of Wales. She also publicly questioned aspects of model Kelly Fisher’s claims about Dodi during the period surrounding his relationship with Diana.
Suzanne didn’t want permanent media attention. She rarely does sensational interviews, public disputes, or celebrity events. Her net worth ranges from $2 million to $5 million, which is more consistent with the limited public information than extravagant assertions of considerably more fortune.
Her story is therefore not simply one of a former model who married a famous film producer. It is also the story of a woman who moved through fashion, television, Hollywood, marriage, motherhood, and art before choosing a life defined by restraint.
FAQ
Who is Suzanne Gregard?
Suzanne Gregard is an American former model and actress who later became a photographer and mixed media artist. She is widely known for her short marriage to Egyptian film producer Dodi Fayed.
When was Suzanne Gregard born?
She is generally reported to have been born on April 1, 1960, in Long Beach, California. Some secondary accounts vary on her exact birth details.
How long was Suzanne Gregard married to Dodi Fayed?
Their marriage lasted approximately eight months. They divorced amicably in August 1987 and did not have children together.
Who is Suzanne Gregard’s current husband?
Her husband is Philippe Jean Quilici, a French born surgeon who has practiced in the Los Angeles and Burbank area.
How many children does Suzanne Gregard have?
She has two sons with Philippe Quilici, Maximillian, known as Max, and Henry.
What is Suzanne Gregard’s Aqua Flora series?
Aqua Flora is a collection of floral photographs made by placing flowers underwater. The series emphasizes color, movement, fragility, and the gradual transition from blooming freshness to wilting decay.
What films was Dodi Fayed involved with?
Dodi Fayed received producer or executive producer credits on Breaking Glass, Chariots of Fire, F/X, F/X2 The Deadly Art of Illusion, Hook, and The Scarlet Letter. He was also connected with F/X The Series as an executive creative consultant.
What was Dodi Fayed’s most successful film?
Chariots of Fire was his most celebrated film project. It won four Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and remains the central achievement of his producing career.
