Sports Illustrated cover model Salma Hayek admits she tried to ‘back out' of racy photo shoot

News.com.au

14-05-2025

Salma Hayek is not showing signs of slowing down.
The 58-year-old Mexican-American actress graces the latest cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, posing in a green bikini, although she admits that she had doubts about going through with the photo shoot.
'I said yes and then when it was time to do it, I tried to back out,' Hayek told the US Today show. 'I said, 'No,' because the bathing suits never fit me, how am I gonna do this? There's nothing my size — I always suffer.''
As Hayek revealed she had a 'very bad case of impostor syndrome,' she continued to reflect on how she never imagined she would appear on the cover.
'I still can't believe it,' Hayek added. 'I remember when I was young and hot, I used to look at this magazine. I wanted to see who was the new gorgeous model, the new girl of the moment.'
'And it never crossed my mind that I could be on that cover because they didn't look like me. My body's not necessarily the model type and I never thought that was a possibility. And for it to happen when I'm 58? It's really shocking.'
She expressed similar sentiments in her interview with the outlet itself, saying, 'I remember when I was young, a long, long time ago, I was always excited to see the Swimsuit Issue of Sports Illustrated, and [thinking] 'Who's going to be in it?' Of course, I didn't look like a model, so it never crossed my mind that one day I would be in it.'
'If somebody had told me I was gonna be in it at 58, I would have sent them to the madhouse, but the world has changed, and that's exciting.'
Hayek continued, 'I feel so fortunate that I am part of a generation that has been able to really experience very tangible change. I could retire, but I don't want to miss out on this time. I fought for it, you know, and I've been part of it, and I think it's really remarkable that a magazine like Sports Illustrated [ Swimsuit ] says that it's O.K., maybe even cool, to be past 50 and still be able to feel not just sexy, but for me, to be free and not be self-conscious of your body like you have to hide.'
This is not the first time Hayek has given fans a glimpse of her bikini body.
Over the years, she has taken to social media multiple times to show off her fit physique in risqué bikinis.
While this is a full-circle moment for Hayek, she admitted on US Today the journey has not always been glamorous. The actress additionally shared that she tried on 'more than 100' bikinis during the Sports Illustrated cover shoot.
The magazine sent her '200 bathing suits,' and the House of Gucci star confessed 'a lot of them needed to be altered.'
She also shared how the suitcase was lost by the time she had to shoot for the cover. However, Sports Illustrated had a 'small selection of extras' on set.
'That's what I wore,' she remarked. 'So you will see, they don't all fit perfectly. If it's extra small, it was accidental!'