Billionaire David Geffen’s new husband is a former go-go dancer, say former friends

Media magnate David Geffen’s rumoured new husband reportedly has a murky past, with claims he changed his name a number of times.

David Geffen with new husband Donovan Michaels. Picture: David Geffen/Instagram

Billionaire media magnate David Geffen’s new husband is a former go-go dancer with a murky past who has changed his name a number of times.

While 80-year-old Geffen – worth $US7.7 billion ($11.5 billion) – can usually be found on his mega-yacht or one of his palatial homes around the world, one-time model Donovan Michaels, 30, is more used to picking up odd jobs in New York and Miami, former pals tell the New York Post.

Born David Armstrong in Michigan, he started going by Brandon Foster around the time he moved to Florida in 2014 and began dancing and promoting parties at Miami’s gay clubs including “clothing optional” pool parties “along with plenty of other hot sexy guys”.

David Geffen reportedly married Donovan Michaels in a secret ceremony in March.

On a social media account from the time he frequently flaunted his toned physique in raunchy photos and in post from September 2014 said he was “doing a little camming tonight”, adding he would “put on a good show” for anyone who would pay to access his footage.

Michaels left Florida around 2016 or 2017 for the New York City modelling scene, around which time he also adopted his current name.

A former girlfriend who asked not to be identified said she only knew Michaels to date women.

The ex said Michaels was the type to always jump headfirst into any adventure, and wasn’t shocked by news of his nuptials.

“I wouldn’t be surprised. I mean, he’s very attractive,” she said. “He would tell me people just assumed that he was into guys from what he posts on Instagram.

“I know that he was getting comments like that from gay men, that he was really attractive and in really good shape.”

Donovan Michaels has worked as a model and was also said to be a ‘go-go dancer’.

Friends say Donovan Michaels was ‘really determined to improve his life’.

It’s unclear how they met but a source told The Post that Michaels trained Geffen, who famously posted a picture of him and staff quarantining in 2020 on his $US400 million ($600 million) mega yacht called the Rising Sun.

Geffen and his much-younger husband were spotted touching down at a New York City heliport last Monday.

Pictures of the pair’s Big Apple arrival show Geffen flashing a gold band on his ring finger.

It was unclear if his new husband was wearing his.

Just weeks earlier, Showbiz411 reported the couple were married in March in a ceremony attended by only four people.

David Geffen was spotted for the first time wearing a gold band on April 2 in New York. Picture: TheImageDirect.com

Donovan Michaels was also seen wearing a wedding band during the New York outing. Picture: TheImageDirect.com

Angela Armstrong, one of Michaels’ sisters, would not confirm – nor deny – reports of the pair’s nuptials when contacted by The Post.

But one of Michaels’ friends, who asked to remain anonymous, told The Post the former fitness trainer “was always looking for his next adventure and was really determined to improve his life”.

Geffen co-founded DreamWorks as well as several record labels.

Forbes lauded him as a “luxury property aficionado” who boasts “an impressive contemporary art collection”.

He owns several sprawling estates throughout the country, including one of New York City’s priciest apartments, according to the report.

As of Thursday, Forbes estimated Geffen was worth a whopping $US7.7 billion ($11.5 billion).

Donovan Michaels claims he was represented by Soul Artist Management, the same agency that manages model Tyson Beckford.

Sources told The Post that Michaels came from “very humble beginnings” and was one of 13 children in a family from Imlay City, Michigan, a town of just 4000 people.

A former friend recalled how Michaels was “super secretive” and rarely divulged his history.

“It took a while to really get to know him because he was really private about his past,” said the friend, who wanted to remain anonymous.

The pal further described Michaels as “always searching for something to help him understand his past and what he experienced”.

“I think he rebelled a lot when he was younger, and that was a big part of why he left,” the friend went on.

David Geffen holidaying on his yacht in 2016 with then-couple Mariah Carey and James Packe in Capri, Italy.

Daivd Gerren is also friends with singer Katy Perry.

A fashion consultant and casting director who worked with Michaels on a 2016 shoot said he was “a great model” but remembers after their initial gig, Michaels was passed over for subsequent modelling work.

“One thing I noticed was he was really into training and fitness, but as for modelling, I haven’t seen him around in years … and we work with a lot of different brands,” said the source.

Michaels wrote in one of his Instagram posts that he was represented in 2017 by Soul Artist Management, which also represents supermodel Tyson Beckford and a roster of influencers and actors.

A spokesperson for the agency, however, denied the claim to The Post.

This article originally appeared on the New York Post and was reproduced with permission

Originally published as Billionaire David Geffen’s new husband is a former go-go dancer, say former friends