Inside the turbulent personal life of Elon Musk, who called his estranged father 'a terrible human being' and who says he must be in love to be happy

• Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk prefers not to speak about his personal life regularly.

• But in an intensely candid Rolling Stone profile, Musk discussed topics he usually doesn't, from his breakup with Amber Heard to his estranged relationship with his father.

• Musk has had a stormy personal life at times. He's been through two divorces and his estranged from his father, who made headlines in March after it was reported he had a child with his 30-year-old former stepdaughter Jana Bezuidenhout.

In 2010, Elon Musk said he would "rather stick a fork in my hand than write about my personal life."

But the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX is a fascinating figure, and along the way, he's opened up here and there about his childhood, his parents, and his relationships.

In an an in-depth November 2017 Rolling Stone interview, he got uncharacteristically candid.

He spoke of his breakup with ex-girlfriend Amber Heard, expressing his heartbreak over their parting. Musk also touched upon his estranged relationship with his father Errol, calling him a "terrible human being."

Musk went on to discuss how difficult it is for him to meet people, saying he is looking for a long-term relationship — and a soul mate. Musk, who has been divorced twice, even asked interviewer Neil Strauss if there was anyone Strauss thought he should date.

"If I'm not in love, if I'm not with a long-term companion, I cannot be happy," he told Rolling Stone. "I will never be happy without having someone. Going to sleep alone kills me. It's not like I don't know what that feels like: Being in a big empty house, and the footsteps echoing through the hallway, no one there — and no one on the pillow next to you. F--. How do you make yourself happy in a situation like that?"

Here's a look back at the tech titan's personal life:

SEE ALSO: A look inside the marriage of world's richest couple, Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos — who met at work, were engaged in 3 months, and own more land than almost anyone else in America

DON'T MISS: A look at the demanding schedule of Elon Musk, who works in 5-minute slots, skips breakfast, and largely avoids emails

Musk told Rolling Stone he's struggled with loneliness since childhood. "When I was a child, there's one thing I said," Musk said. "'I never want to be alone.'"

Source: Rolling Stone, Business Insider

Born in 1971 in Pretoria, South Africa, Musk was the eldest of three children. His mother Maye Musk is a Canadian model who's appeared on the cover of Time and became a CoverGirl spokesperson at 69. His father Errol is an engineer.

Source: Vanity Fair, Town and Country, Vogue, Forbes

Musk's childhood was far from idyllic. He was ruthlessly bullied in school, and even ended up hospitalized after his tormentors shoved him down a staircase. When his parents split in 1980, Musk went to live with his father.

Source: Business Insider, Business Insider