Matilda's Heart-To-Heart How Art's Love Keeps Me Strong

With her soulmate beside her, she can face anything!

When Matilda Rice fell head over heels for her Bachelor hunk Art Green, you could say the bubbly blonde got more than she bargained for.

Not only did the reality TV star meet her one true love and future fiancé, but Matilda’s lovable nature and overwhelming popularity on the matchmaking show also propelled her into a career that the 27-year-old never thought possible.

Business owner, blogger and author extraordinaire, in just three short years, multi-talented Matilda has built her personal brand and carved out a social media empire that’s become a full-time gig.

“I went on to The Bachelor all those years ago with a completely open mind and open heart. I still feel so lucky to have met Art, but I was completely blind to all the other opportunities the show would open for me,” says Matilda, who now adds TV presenter to her already impressive resumé as the host of TVNZ 2’s Heartbreak Island.

“It wasn’t like I ever set out to gain a bunch of followers – it just kind of happened that way.

One minute, I was regular old Matilda and the next, I was on TV and dating Art, and people were so invested in our relationship.

“When I left the show, I felt like I got thrown in the deep end – like I was on a crash course on how to market myself. These days, my brand is definitely important, and I am mindful of that when I’m making decisions about what I represent, the jobs I take and the products I endorse.

“But they’re never tough decisions because you can call it a brand, but at the end of the day, it’s who I am. I’ve never tried to portray something I’m not. The weird, goofy person you get online is the same me Art gets every day.”

Island girl