Heidi Klum has made a rare and striking defence of her ex-husband Seal, pushing back against years of cruel public commentary about the musician's appearance with a characteristically direct response.

In a new interview with Us Weekly, the German supermodel addressed the criticism Seal has faced over the scarring caused by his lupus diagnosis — and refused to mince her words.

"When I was married to Seal, [people] would say, 'How can he have this horrible skin?' He has lupus, and quite frankly, I think he looks beautiful."

She went on to turn the conversation into a broader reflection on self-acceptance, adding: "You can't please everyone, and not everyone is going to like what you do, but you have to look in the mirror and be happy with who you are. I did find my niche, and look who's still here."

Seal's Battle With Discoid Lupus

Seal first contracted lupus at the age of 21. The form he suffers from — discoid lupus — takes its name from the coin-shaped lesions it leaves behind, and the visible scarring on his face has long attracted unwanted public attention.

The 'Kiss from a Rose' singer has previously spoken openly about coming to terms with his condition. While he admitted early self-consciousness, he ultimately arrived at a place of acceptance, saying he "quickly realised this body is not who we are" and that he "got off lightly."

Two people at a formal event: a woman in a beige strapless gown and a man in a black suit with sunglasses.

It's a sentiment Klum clearly echoes — and her willingness to speak up for her former partner, years after their split, says something about the relationship they've maintained since divorcing in 2014 after nine years of marriage.

A Friendship Built on Co-Parenting

Klum and Seal share four children — Leni, Henry, Johan, and Lou — and by all accounts have made their post-marriage dynamic work. Seal spoke candidly about the effort involved when reflecting on their co-parenting arrangement in 2021.

"It can be challenging. It requires teamwork. If you are a team, if both parents are a team, then it is really easy... But you have to be a team. And if you're not a team, then it can all fall to pieces."

Klum is now married to German guitarist Tom Kaulitz, and their 16-year age gap has attracted its own share of public scrutiny — something she has addressed with characteristic candour in separate interviews. The two wed in 2019.

Leni Steps Into the Spotlight

While Klum has been reflecting on the past, her eldest daughter Leni — whom Seal legally adopted in 2009 — has been quietly building her own profile in the modelling world. The 20-year-old recently shared a striking look on her Instagram Stories: a baby-blue gown with a backless design, ruffled asymmetrical hem, bejewelled detailing and a thigh-high slit.

A woman in a light blue flowing dress with embroidered details stands indoors against a white wall and wooden furniture.
Leni Klum turns heads in a sheer pale-blue gown with crystal embellishment and tassel detailing.

Leni made her modelling debut at 16, appearing alongside her mother for Vogue Germany — Heidi having held firm against an earlier approach from scouts when Leni was just 12. Now firmly establishing herself in the industry, Leni has spoken about what drew her to it in the first place.

"I always love being in front of the camera," she told Paper Magazine. "And I think watching my mom, as I grew up, watching her work, how happy she was, and how fun her job was… I was always really inspired by that."

Two women pose together on a red carpet at a formal event, wearing elegant gowns in pink and black.
Heidi Klum and daughter Leni turned heads at the 82nd Venice Film Festival in matching custom Intimissimi corset gowns — Heidi in blush pink and Leni in dramatic black.

With Klum speaking up for her ex-husband and her daughter carving out her own lane in fashion and lifestyle, the Klum-Seal family chapter shows no signs of fading from view — just evolving into something rather more graceful than most Hollywood splits manage.