Cara Delevingne is speaking candidly about how sobriety has reshaped her intimate life in a new Playboy summer 2026 cover story.
Delevingne dived into her romantic life directly, saying, "Sex sober after all of that is definitely difficult. It changes, but it's so much deeper and so much more emotional."
She also reflected on the role sex once played in her life before recovery.
"I used to put a higher value on sex and validation from people,” she explained. “I used to think, 'Oh, I'm a pervert. I'm a really horny person.' But I think [I was] seeking love and validation through sex."
Delevingne described how her perspective has shifted.
"Sex is a language, too, and your own sexuality, what turns you on, is like a beautiful dance you play with yourself,” she said. “So many people spend so much more time on how they want to be perceived by others, and not their own sexual relationship with themselves—loving yourself and turning yourself on."
Delevingne has been with her girlfriend, the singer Minke, since 2022. She spoke warmly about their relationship, describing the dynamic as one built on difference.
"She's a normie. I mean, she's not sober, but she has a drink. We're very different,” Delevingne said. “I can't date someone like myself, ever—I come with a lot of stuff."
Of Minke, she added, "She's the most incredible person I know. We're best friends, obviously, lovers, and everything else, but I've never had a relationship like it and felt so close to someone and felt so seen."
On sobriety itself, Delevingne was emphatic about its value.
"Even when I go out, people want to talk to me about their own sobriety, and it saved my life,” she explained. “It's no small thing. It's not like talking about my eyebrows."
Elsewhere in the story, Delevingne spoke about her debut album that’s supposed to arrive later this summer. She said that she initially thought about releasing it under a different name to let the music stand alone from her modeling and acting career but ultimately decided against it.
After teasing songs on social media, Delevingne officially revealed her new era in an Instagram post.
“Music. It’s forever been my biggest fear and my greatest love,” she announced. “‘I Forgot’ and ‘Out of my Head’ are the first peek inside my stream of consciousness over the last few years. I cannot quite believe we are finally here.”
