Paul Qualley is an American former model, rancher, and contractor. He is best known as the ex-husband of actress Andie MacDowell. The two met on a Gap modeling job in the 1980s and raised three children together: Justin, Rainey, and Margaret Qualley. Rainey records music as Rainsford. Margaret became a film star in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and The Substance.
Paul built his life on a Montana ranch and later lived in Panama. He returned to public view on January 5, 2025, as Margaret’s date at the Golden Globes.
Who Is Paul Qualley?
Paul J. Qualley is a former fashion model who now works as a rancher and contractor. He is also listed as a musician.
Most people know him through his marriage to Andie MacDowell, the star of Groundhog Day and Four Weddings and a Funeral. Together they raised three children. Rainey and Margaret both became actresses, and Justin chose a career in real estate.
Paul himself rarely appears in public.
Paul Qualley’s Age, Background, and Early Life
How Old Is Paul Qualley?
Paul Qualley was reportedly born in 1958, which would make him 68 in 2026. His former wife, Andie MacDowell, was born on April 21, 1958, in Gaffney, South Carolina.
Parents, Nationality, and Education
Paul is American, and his early adult years centered on modeling in the 1980s. That work led him to Andie MacDowell. Soon after, it led him to ranch life in Montana.
Paul Qualley’s Modeling Career
Paul worked as a fashion model in the 1980s, when magazine shoots and advertising campaigns drove the industry. His best-known job was a Gap ad shoot. He shared that set with Andie MacDowell, who was also modeling at the time.
Later, he moved away from the fashion industry. He built his life around land and construction instead.
Paul Qualley’s Acting and Music Credits
Paul’s screen record is short. A 2009 science fiction film, Moon Europa, credits an actor named Paul Qually as Clo, and he is reportedly the same man.
He is also listed as a musician. Even so, he never built a public music career. Ranching and building became his real work.
Paul Qualley as a Rancher and Contractor
Paul’s main work happens outdoors. He is a rancher, and he also works as a contractor.
The Montana ranch is where he and MacDowell lived after their 1986 wedding. It shaped the children’s early years. Margaret was born in Kalispell, Montana, in 1994. Justin never left the state and now sells real estate there.
How Paul Qualley Met Andie MacDowell
Paul and Andie met on a Gap modeling job in the 1980s. They married in 1986.
MacDowell’s acting career took off soon after. Sex, Lies, and Videotape put her on the map. Groundhog Day and Four Weddings and a Funeral made her one of Hollywood’s best-known actresses.
Paul Qualley and Andie MacDowell’s Marriage and Divorce
Life on the Montana Ranch and the Move to the Carolinas
After the wedding in 1986, the couple lived on a Montana ranch. Their son Justin was born that year, and two daughters followed.
In 1998, MacDowell turned 40 and moved the family east to be closer to her sister. She told The Age in 2002 that she did not want to grow older far from family. The children grew up between Montana and Asheville, North Carolina.
The 1999 Divorce
Paul and Andie divorced in 1999 after 13 years of marriage. MacDowell later married businessman Rhett Hartzog, a high school classmate, on November 10, 2001. That marriage ended in 2004. She also dated actor Dennis Quaid after her divorce from Paul.
Paul and Andie stayed close as parents. They attended Margaret’s wedding together in August 2023.
Paul Qualley’s Children: Justin, Rainey, and Margaret
Justin Qualley
Justin was born on August 14, 1986, the couple’s first child and only son. He lives in Montana and works as a real estate agent. His daughter Cozette was born in 2022. He married Nicolette Selensky in June 2023.
Rainey Qualley
Rainey is an actress and singer who records as Rainsford. She made her acting debut in the 2012 film Mighty Fine and was named Miss Golden Globe for the 2012 ceremony. She also appeared as herself in Ocean’s 8.
On December 10, 2024, Rainey welcomed her first child, Bluebell Coyote Wilson, with Anthony Wilson. The two married in 2025.
Margaret Qualley
Margaret was born on October 23, 1994, in Kalispell, Montana. She trained as a ballet dancer before modeling at 16 in 2011. Chanel later made her a house ambassador.
Her screen debut came in Palo Alto in 2013. Roles in The Leftovers and Fosse/Verdon followed, and the latter earned her an Emmy nomination in 2019. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, where she played Pussycat, made her a film star. She then starred in Maid on Netflix and in The Substance.
She married musician Jack Antonoff in August 2023. They separated in July 2026 and filed for divorce on October 30, 2026.
Paul Qualley’s Grandchildren
Paul became a grandfather in 2022, when Justin and Nicolette welcomed Cozette. A second grandchild, Bluebell Coyote Wilson, arrived on December 10, 2024, as Rainey’s first child.
Paul Qualley and Margaret Qualley: The Panama Story
Paul lived in Panama when Margaret was auditioning for a Quentin Tarantino film. She had just been turned down for a different part. Her father, who did not know about the audition, told her to book a ticket to visit him. He joked that she would get a Tarantino movie.
She booked the flight. Two days into the trip, her agent called. She flew back to read a scene with Brad Pitt and won the role of Pussycat.
Margaret told W Magazine in February 2020 that her dad had practically spoken the role into existence. Years later she filmed in Panama again, and Paul came to the set every day, she said.
Paul Qualley at the 2025 Golden Globes
On January 5, 2025, Paul walked the red carpet at the 82nd Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton. Margaret brought him as her date. She was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for The Substance, and she wore Chanel.
Her husband, Jack Antonoff, was sick that night. Margaret told Variety her dad was there instead and had attended the Globes about 20 years earlier.
Paul told Entertainment Tonight he was very proud of her. People reported that he was starstruck when he met Adam Sandler. His outfit, People noted, nodded to Margaret’s first acting role.
Where Paul Qualley Is Today
Paul is a rancher and contractor who has lived in Montana and Panama. He rarely appears in public.
His recent appearances have all been family events: Margaret’s wedding in August 2023 and the January 2025 Golden Globes.
Verified Timeline of Paul Qualley’s Life
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1980s | Paul meets Andie MacDowell on a Gap modeling job |
| 1986 | They marry, and Justin is born on August 14 |
| October 23, 1994 | Margaret is born in Kalispell, Montana |
| 1998 | MacDowell moves the family east to be near her sister |
| 1999 | Paul and MacDowell divorce after 13 years |
| 2019 | Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is released |
| 2022 | Justin and Nicolette welcome Cozette |
| June 2023 | Justin marries Nicolette |
| August 2023 | Margaret marries Jack Antonoff; Paul attends |
| December 10, 2024 | Rainey’s first child, Bluebell Coyote Wilson, is born |
| January 5, 2025 | Paul attends the Golden Globes with Margaret |
| 2025 | Rainey marries Anthony Wilson |
| July 2026 | Margaret and Antonoff separate |
| October 30, 2026 | Margaret and Antonoff file for divorce |
What Is Confirmed and What Is Not About Paul Qualley
Name Mix-Ups and Wrong-Person Pages
Paul Qualley is the rancher and former model who married Andie MacDowell. He is not his son Justin, the Montana real estate agent. He is also Margaret’s father, not her brother.
The public record supports these facts:
- He married Andie MacDowell in 1986 and divorced in 1999.
- He is the father of Justin, Rainey, and Margaret Qualley.
- He is a rancher and contractor and a former model.
- He lived in Panama and Montana.
- He attended the 2025 Golden Globes with Margaret.
Paul Qualley’s Net Worth
Paul has never disclosed his finances, and no verified net worth figure exists. His income has come from modeling, ranching, and contracting. Any dollar amount online is an estimate and should not be treated as fact.
Lesser-Known Facts About Paul Qualley
Paul attended the 65th Academy Awards in Los Angeles with MacDowell in 1993.
He reportedly attended one of Margaret’s premieres for the first time with Once Upon a Time in Hollywood in 2019.
Margaret said he had been to the Golden Globes about 20 years before 2025.
Conclusion
Paul Qualley built a quiet life far from the fashion world that first made him visible. He married Andie MacDowell in 1986, raised three children, and ran a Montana ranch. Since the 1999 divorce, he has stayed close to his family.
His daughter Margaret’s success has brought him back into public view. As of November 2026, her divorce filing and the family’s recent milestones are the main reasons people search his name.
FAQs
How old is Paul Qualley?
Paul Qualley was reportedly born in 1958, so he is about 68 years old as of 2026. His former wife, Andie MacDowell, was born in the same year.
Is Paul Qualley still married to Andie MacDowell?
No, Paul Qualley and Andie MacDowell are not married. They married in 1986 and divorced in 1999 after 13 years together.
Why did Paul Qualley and Andie MacDowell divorce?
The couple divorced in 1999, a year after MacDowell moved the family east to live near her sister. She told The Age in 2002 she did not want to grow older far from family.
How many children does Paul Qualley have?
Paul Qualley has three children with Andie MacDowell: Justin, Rainey, and Margaret Qualley. He is also a grandfather to Cozette and Bluebell Coyote Wilson.
What does Paul Qualley do now?
Paul Qualley works as a rancher and contractor. He has lived in Montana and Panama and keeps a low public profile.
Where does Paul Qualley live now?
Paul Qualley has lived in Panama and Montana. He was living in Panama when Margaret visited him before landing her Once Upon a Time in Hollywood role.
What is Paul Qualley’s net worth?
Paul Qualley has not disclosed his finances, and no verified net worth figure exists. His income has come from modeling, ranching, and contracting work.
Did Paul Qualley act in any movies?
Paul Qualley is reportedly credited as Clo in the 2009 science fiction film Moon Europa, listed under the name Paul Qually.

