Fame in the family: Jacqui Hunter, sister of model-turned-actress Rachel Hunter

Behind most famous faces there are brothers and sisters. They talk about what it's like living with fame. By JULIE MIDDLETON


What would Jacqui Hunter be doing now if sister Rachel hadn't become a supermodel, and then given her a job as personal assistant?

Jacqui, on her mobile phone from Los Angeles, laughs throatily. "God help me, probably married to somebody in New Zealand and settled down with 10 kids by now!"

Single Jacqui, 35, has been working as 34-year-old Rachel's assistant for the past five years, helping run her career and home, and assisting with Rachel's two children, Renee, 11, and Liam, 8, to ex-husband Rod Stewart.

But she is about to embark on a new role as personal assistant to the owners of Classified Cosmetics. The company specialises in spray-on foundation, bronzer and shimmer, and its recently signed, $9 million "face" is ... Rachel Hunter.

Rachel's fame has given Jacqui a "great" life. "It's all very fabulous flying around to the most amazing places, doing all these most amazing things that I would never have done without Rachel," she says, in a hybrid Kiwi-American accent. "I'm so thankful for it."

But even after all these years, she still finds it "funny and weird" that people spotting her sister in the street go saucer-eyed in surprise. "I just giggle to myself." Celebrities to her are "just normal people".

Paparazzi pics of Rachel often include Jacqui - she's used to seeing photographers camped outside Rachel's home and the nightclubs they frequent - but she says she hates being caught up in the whole celebrity fuss.

However, she is mindful of how her activities might appear to a gossip-hungry press: "If some parties are going on, you've got to pick your situations. There could be some tacky stuff going on, or great stuff going on - you pick the good stuff."

Jacqui describes herself as "very protective of Rachel, like any sibling". So is she bothered by gossip? "Not in the magazines at all, because it's all bullshit," she says.

"They feed off something so minor, and then totally blow it up." But sometimes it does get under her skin: "You know what really hurt was when - God, there was something going on years ago [to do with Rachel], I can't remember what it was now, and it just got me - how dare they slander when they don't know us.

"This is my family, this is my blood. How dare anybody say anything when they don't know exactly what's going on?"

Jacqui describes LA as "probably the worst place" for hunting long-term loves. "I think I'll have to come home [to New Zealand] and start looking," she says, only half-joking.

"There's a lot of beautiful people here ... but there's no commitment. There's no realness, there's no substance.

"There is a lot of plastic and that is why it's good to keep your head on your shoulders and know where you've come from.

"New Zealand is definitely one of the better places in the world to come from. All New Zealanders should just count their blessings."

Neither Rachel nor Jacqui were home for Christmas. Jacqui can't see herself returning permanently unless "I got a nice New Zealand boy - and [returning to New Zealand to live] would be a compromise!"