Schofield passed away in Los Angeles on February 28 following a battle with cancer, a diagnosis she had shared publicly with her followers.
Born in Llanelli in 1963, Schofield’s early life was a world away from the Hollywood glamour she would later embrace. She described herself as a “scrawny, introverted Welsh mouse” who was “anxious to finish her homework” and wore “thick National Health glasses.”
Growing up in what she called the “interminable drizzle of wet, grey Wales,” she attended an “ugly, cheap comprehensive school” where she was teased for her studiousness.
But at 16, she left Wales behind to pursue a modelling career in London, a move that would see her skyrocket to international fame.
Despite finding the industry both “boring” and “terrifying” in its early days, Schofield’s unique look and down-to-earth nature quickly made her a favourite of top photographers like David Bailey.
She became a defining face of the 1980s fashion scene, appearing on the covers of countless magazines, including Vogue Germany and Italy, and fronting campaigns for major brands like Versace, Yves Saint Laurent, and Levi’s.
Many will remember her from the iconic Bugle Boy jeans advert, where she drove a black Ferrari through the desert, stopped to ask a handsome stranger, “Excuse me, are those Bugle Boy jeans you’re wearing?” and then sped off, leaving him in the dust.
Her success as a model opened the door to acting, and in 1988 she was cast as Laurel Ellis in the 11th season of the global TV phenomenon, Dallas.
For 12 episodes, she played the English artist’s model who was blackmailed into a relationship with the show’s infamous villain, J.R. Ewing.
Her film credits included roles opposite Oliver Reed in Dragonard and Charlton Heston in the sci-fi thriller Solar Crisis.
Later in her career, Schofield moved behind the camera, founding her own production company, Bella Bene Productions, in 2010. She also penned a semi-autobiographical novel, The Cherry Alignment, inspired by her life in the fast lane of 80s fashion and film.
Despite her global success, those who knew her said she never lost her Welsh roots. Melissa Richardson, who owned the Take Two modelling agency that signed Schofield, described her as a “sweet little 17-year-old Welsh girl” who was “funny and real and beautiful and down to earth.”
Schofield was first diagnosed with cancer in 2023 and had been undergoing treatment. She is survived by her mother.
