Liz Hurley, Ghislaine and the truth about ‘the Viles’: Insiders reveal to ALISON BOSHOFF how these British stars mixed with the Hollywood A-list as drinks and drugs flowed… while Jeffrey Epstein lurked in the kitchen

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They lived a famously glamorous and carefree life for many years, and enjoyed partying together so much that they jokingly nicknamed themselves ‘The Viles,’ a reference to the fashionable and decadent characters in Evelyn Waugh’s novel, Vile Bodies.

It must be difficult for them to remember that nickname now, given how far one of their most well-known members has fallen from the peak of their wild partying days in the 1990s.

Ghislaine Maxwell’s crimes – sex trafficking – are truly horrific. She was a central figure in a group known as ‘The Viles,’ alongside actress, model, and so-called philanthropist Liz Hurley.

A photo from a 1996 New York party shows Hurley and Maxwell standing side-by-side. Hurley is holding a glass, and Maxwell is wearing a gold turtleneck.

Hurley and Maxwell often spent time together at the Los Angeles home of Julia Verdin, a popular actress and film producer who was a central figure on the set of ‘Viles’ – affectionately known as the ‘Queen’ of the production. She’s pictured here in 1996, looking radiant.

The group often hung out at Verdin’s large house in West Hollywood, near the famous Chateau Marmont hotel. The house had a terrace and hot tub with views of Sunset Boulevard and quickly became known for parties that went on all night, attracting a wide range of celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro.

And where Maxwell was, her boyfriend financier Jeffrey Epstein was too.

I’ve heard that the convicted sex offender, who died in prison in 2019, was frequently at Verdin’s house on North Kings Road when he and Maxwell traveled to Los Angeles to socialize with their friends, known as the ‘Viles’.

Since Maxwell’s dramatic downfall, those involved have remained silent about this matter – until now.

Someone who attended the parties confirms Ghislaine Maxwell was a central figure in the social lives of Hurley and Verdin on North Kings Road. This person said Maxwell, whom they referred to as a ‘Vile’ individual, didn’t attend every event, but when she was in Los Angeles, she would often come to the parties and bring Jeffrey Epstein with her.

Ghislaine and Julia were extremely close friends. Ghislaine appeared charming and lively, while Jeffrey seemed unremarkable. He was seen as just another rich man trying to associate with a more exciting crowd. I recall Ghislaine being very affectionate with him, even physically. Jeffrey himself wasn’t particularly warm or easy to talk to. I specifically remember seeing him standing near the refrigerator, wearing a black shirt and jeans.

Ghislaine and Liz were close, as Liz also lived in the same house. Because of this, Liz would have also known Ghislaine’s boyfriend, Jeffrey.

By the time of the 1996 party in New York, Ghislaine and Liz had already known each other for a long time.

I remember Jeffrey as someone who blended into the background – he always seemed a little out of place.

I really doubt Julia or Liz knew anything about what Jeffrey and Ghislaine were up to.

‘It feels sickening that they were in the set now.’

Someone who used to be part of the group, and wishes to stay unnamed, shared with me that everyone gathered at a house. They explained that “Viles” was just a nickname for a group of British people living in Los Angeles, and that Julia likely invented the term. It was a glamorous and carefree group, focused on enjoying life and having a good time.

The parties were wild, with plenty of alcohol and openly used cocaine – it was the 1990s, after all. A group of attractive British women hosted these events and attracted a lot of Hollywood stars.

In 1996, Elizabeth Hurley was incredibly famous, largely thanks to the success of Four Weddings and a Funeral. She’d attended the London premiere of the film a year and a half earlier wearing a now-iconic Versace dress – a daring creation held together with safety pins – alongside her boyfriend at the time, Hugh Grant.

By 1996, Maxwell had been involved with Epstein for at least four years. Evidence from Maxwell’s 2021 sex trafficking trial showed that they had already begun working together to commit sexual crimes by that time.

Maria Farmer, now an artist and the first person to report Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse, testified in court that she and her sister, Annie, who was 16 at the time, were recruited by Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell in 1995. They were then subjected to sexual abuse for four years.

The other person in the photo, Sean Borg, wasn’t aware of any of this. He was a good-looking British TV producer, presenter, and manager who trained at the Sylvia Young Theatre School in London and had a talent for attracting interesting people.

Borg, now living between London and Palm Springs, played a key role in launching the careers of socialites Tamara Beckwith and Tara Palmer-Tomkinson by arranging their stories in Tatler Magazine. He later went on to have a successful career in the media himself.

Borg discovered the connection between Maxwell and Hurley when they shared a photo on Facebook last Thursday night.

Let me tell you about a fantastic night I experienced back in 1996! I was at a James Bond party in New York, thrown by two incredibly stylish Brits – Tim Jefferies, an art dealer and heir to the Green Shield stamps fortune, and Robert Hanson, a socialite businessman. The highlight? Definitely meeting Elizabeth Hurley, who was at the peak of her fame. She was absolutely radiant, and we chatted and mingled all evening. I remember she actually asked me if her hair looked okay! I couldn’t help but tell her she was absolutely perfect – and honestly, she was!

I was with Julia Verdin, Ghislaine Maxwell, and Elizabeth Hurley in a photo – we were all working together at the time. I recall a lot of laughter and playful banter, some of which was a bit too risqué to share. Julia and Elizabeth had a long-standing friendship, as did Julia and Ghislaine.

Epstein seemed like any other wealthy visitor – a bit conceited, but not raising any red flags. Ghislaine Maxwell was delightful and cheerful, always smiling, and she was wearing her signature gold-flecked turtleneck. At the time, no one could have predicted what would later come to light.

Now, when I look at old photos, the smiles seem different. I do have pictures with Epstein, but they’re hidden away with other photos from when Julia and I were popular and always at parties.

Jeffrey and I never really clicked, which I understand now given that I knew so many entertainment reporters. I was never a guest on his island, and he never included me in his inner circle – and honestly, I’m glad about that.

How did Maxwell manage to enter this high-society world and get so close to Hurley and Verdin?

I’ve always been fascinated by Verdin’s background, especially his father, Anthony. He was a scientist at Oxford, but he wasn’t afraid to try new things! He moved into business, doing analysis and even getting involved in restaurants. What really struck me, though, was that he became a director at the Chelsea Arts Club – it was the place to be for London’s most interesting and well-connected creative people. It really gives you a sense of the world Verdin grew up in.

Julia Verdin likely met Maxwell around the mid-1980s. At the time, Maxwell lived at Headington Hill Hall near Oxford – his family home – and was a student at Oxford University. Verdin also lived in the city, and photos exist of the two of them attending charity events together.

While attending sixth form at Oxford, Verdin became friends with Hugh Grant, who was a few years older and studying at New College, Oxford. They acted together in a production of Oscar Wilde’s The Ideal Husband.

He later introduced her to his girlfriend, Hurley, who very soon became Verdin’s best friend.

After graduating from university in London with degrees in English and Drama, Verdin began working as an actor and model, appearing in the television dramas Tenko and Howards’ Way.

She later worked as a producer on the 1987 film The Fourth Protocol. The movie was based on a novel by Frederick Forsyth and received funding from Wafic Said, a Syrian arms dealer, who provided half of the film’s budget simply because he enjoyed the book.

Even after 35 films, this remains Verdin’s most well-known movie, featuring stars Pierce Brosnan and Michael Caine.

Verdin had an 18-month relationship with actor Steven Berkoff after meeting him at a party hosted by Joan Collins. However, the relationship ended when Verdin moved to Los Angeles in 1992.

She then dated veteran actor John Hurt and carried on producing movies and throwing parties.

Life was sweet – she told an interviewer that she knew ‘1,000 people in Hollywood’.

She buzzed around in a new BMW and was seen lunching with Al Pacino.

A friend who knew Julia back then recalls that she owned many Chanel suits and always wore genuine pearls and diamonds, if she wore any at all.

Verdin explained in an interview that she’s a highly successful independent producer. Distributors often reach out to her directly to find out about her upcoming projects, recognizing her strong relationships with talented people and her consistent ability to deliver projects on time and within budget.

Calling her connections with talented people simply ‘good relationships’ doesn’t quite capture the extent of her influence. In the 1990s, she was a central figure, and celebrities seemed to orbit around her and her Los Angeles home.

Late at night or early in the morning, you might spot Robert De Niro having a conversation on the couch, Christian Slater relaxing with a drink, and Leonardo DiCaprio and Billy Zane chatting after a long day of filming Titanic.

Elizabeth Emanuel, the dress designer, frequently stayed on a sofa bed during the hectic workdays. The team also included British expats building their lives in Hollywood, like Natasha Caine (Michael Caine’s daughter), Tamara Beckwith (who was dating Sharon Stone’s brother), socialite Tamara Yeardye (later Mellon, who eventually led Jimmy Choo), and striking blondes Birgit Cunningham and Normandie Keith.

Cunningham famously had a love affair with Kevin Costner – as did Julia Verdin.

Seal, Robert Downey Jr., and the late Michael Madsen were among those who visited the house.

Throughout, Verdin’s best friend Hurley was a constant fixture.

Hurley lived in the house until 1995, when she moved to the UK. Rumor had it that her dog, Nico, had bitten someone, which prompted her to leave town.

Elizabeth Hurley had a public affair with actor Tom Sizemore, whom she met while filming Passenger 57. Both Sizemore and fellow actor Gary Stretch later acknowledged the relationship. Despite this, Hurley’s romance with Hugh Grant appeared unaffected.

When Hurley vacated North Kings Road, her room was taken over by Sean Borg.

Birgit Cunningham, a contemporary of Hurley’s at the Verdin house, recalled mostly social gatherings rather than work-related activities.

In an interview, Cunningham, a former secretary at Universal Studios, recalled a lively period in her life. She joked that having blonde hair, a British accent, and American citizenship was a winning combination in Los Angeles, making it hard to fail.

The atmosphere at these parties was completely dominated by cocaine use. It was so prevalent and openly displayed that I initially believed it was permitted. Arriving at a party felt like being offered a drink and drugs immediately – it was just casually accepted.

Honestly, I was right there with them, doing everything everyone else was, but it was getting… intense. I mean, I had a job, a life to get to, and staying up all night just wasn’t sustainable. It was getting harder and harder, so I decided to stop completely. But then, when I needed a boost, something to just feel okay, I started reaching for vodka instead. It just… happened. It felt like a way to cope when things got tough.

Eventually, Cunningham got sober after her drinking became problematic.

Verdin, too, also turned her back on the partying.

According to my source, this issue lasted only a short time – perhaps four or five years – before people began experiencing difficulties or seeking recovery.

At the time, everyone focused on the drinking and drug use, but that wasn’t the biggest problem. Without anyone realizing it, one member of the group was secretly enabling truly shocking and immoral behavior.

In December 2021, Maxwell received a 20-year prison sentence after a federal jury found him guilty of five crimes related to sex trafficking. These included trafficking a minor, transporting a minor for illegal sexual acts, and conspiring to commit multiple felonies.

Verdin is understandably upset about being linked to this person. When reached for comment this week, she stated, ‘I haven’t seen her in years, and I have no comment.’

Interestingly, one of Verdin’s latest works is a movie about sex trafficking. Released in 2020, Lost Girls: Angie’s Story tells the story of a young woman who manages to escape from a sex trafficking operation.

According to information shared on the website for Verdin’s production company, Rough Diamond, sex trafficking is now the second most profitable criminal activity in the United States.

We urgently need to educate people and raise awareness to protect children from becoming victims of trafficking. Traffickers target individuals from all walks of life – regardless of age, gender, race, or background – making it crucial for communities to understand the dangers of this growing problem.

The fact that Verdin met the most infamous child trafficker of our time is left out of the account.

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2025-10-28 04:11