5 things you didn't know about Maye Musk, Elon's mum

From desert adventures to breaking age barriers in modelling, Maye Musk’s remarkable journey is just as captivating as that of her son Elon. Here are five fascinating facts about the matriarch of the Musk family:

1. She posed nude at 50+ on a magazine cover

In 2011, Maye made waves by appearing nude on the cover of a popular magazine, recreating Annie Leibovitz’s iconic "hand bra" pose (famously done by Demi Moore). The bold shoot accompanied an article questioning societal norms about older parenthood, with the headline: "Is She Just Too Old for This?"

Maye began modelling at 15 and refused to retire, becoming CoverGirl’s oldest spokesmodel at 69 in 2017. Now in her 70s, she continues to walk runways and star in campaigns for brands like Chanel and Balmain. She’s also part of a growing trend of “senior influencers,” inspiring Gen Z and millennials with her ability to “age gracefully.”

2. She raised three business tycoons

Maye raised Elon and his siblings Kimbal Musk, who is a restaurateur and philanthropist, and Tosca Musk, a filmmaker and CEO of Passionflix.

Maye instilled a strong work ethic in their children. The Musk kids were always encouraged to think entrepreneurially, with plenty of freedom to explore their ambitions.

This upbringing clearly paid off—Elon, Kimbal, and Tosca all became successful innovators in their fields.

3. She worked five jobs to support her family

Maye married South African engineer Errol Musk in 1970, and they had three children: Elon, Kimbal, and Tosca. After their divorce in 1979, which she later implied was due to an abusive relationship, she raised her kids as a single mother, working tirelessly to make ends meet.

At one point, she juggled five jobs—including research, teaching, and modelling—just to pay rent and put food on the table. Despite the struggle, she instilled a relentless hustle mentality in her children. As Elon once said, "My mom taught me that if you don’t work, you don’t eat."

Interestingly, she chose to keep her ex-husband’s last name rather than revert to her maiden name, Haldeman.

4. Her childhood was a real-life Indiana Jones adventure

Maye’s parents were explorers who took the family on yearly expeditions to the Kalahari Desert in search of a mythical lost city. Their adventures included flying a single-engine plane, camping among wildlife, and navigating with paper maps.

"My parents taught us to be fearless," Maye says—a trait that clearly influenced Elon’s ambitious ventures, like SpaceX’s mission to Mars.

5. She has a twin sister named Kaye

Maye has a fraternal twin named Kaye. Growing up in South Africa, Kaye was always very close to Maye. They often modelled together in their teens and early twenties.

Like Maye, Kaye also pursued a professional career. She worked in business and health-related fields, but she mostly stayed out of the spotlight.

Kaye is now based in Canada, and the sisters remain very close.