Rebecca Judd (right), an Australian model and the wife of AFL star Chris Judd, has revealed she is of Māori heritage. Photo / Getty Images
Rebecca (Bec) Judd, Australian model, television presenter and wife of AFL star Chris Judd, has made a surprising confession.
The 40-year-old mother of four recently spoke to Stellar magazine and revealed her secret New Zealand connection, confessing she is of Māori heritage.
Admitting it’s something her fans rarely guess, the catwalk star told the magazine, “Mum’s side is Māori, so we did a lot of trips to New Zealand when we were kids.”
“No one ever guesses that I’m Māori. No one. Ever.”
Judd’s mother Kerry Brown and father Hugh Twigley are both from New Zealand, but relocated to Western Australia in the late 1970s after living in Leeman.
Taking advantage of the mining boom, the former couple relocated with Judd and her older sister, Kate.
The model - who is due to star on The Amazing Race later this year - continued to share more details about her connection to Aotearoa, telling the publication her grandfather has a large farm in the country and her family regularly cooks hāngī - a traditional way of steaming food underground – on his land.
“My pop has a big farm, and we’d have all the uncles and aunties over to have a hāngī every time we went over,” she fondly recalled.
The high-profile WAG has previously spoken about her parents, and once told the Herald Sun about their (amicable) relationship breakdown, which happened early in her childhood.
“When they moved, Mum was 16 and Dad was 22... they were like two kids,” Judd told the Australian news outlet. “I look back and think, ’I can’t believe they were ever together’.”
Judd shares four children with her husband Chris - Oscar, 12, Billie, 9, and twins Darcy and Tom, 6.
She also co-owns Jaggard, a fitness brand, with her friend Michelle Greene.
The suit holds significant historical, cultural and fashion importance.