Salma Hayek, 58, says SI bikini shoot made her feel 'sexy' as Lauren Sanchez and Eva Mendes melt

Daily Mail​

14-05-2025

Salma Hayek is determined to embrace life 'to the fullest'.
She appears on the cover of the new Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, and the actress relished the experience of posing for the magazine.
'I think it's really remarkable that a magazine like Sports Illustrated says that it's OK, 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,' the Fools Rush In actress told the publication.
'I don't see why, after a certain age, we have to retract ourselves from embracing life to the fullest,' added the mother of one.
The 58-year-old actress has witnessed a 'very tangible change' in attitudes in recent years, and Salma doesn't have any intention of slowing down.
'I feel so fortunate that I am part of a generation that has been able to really experience very tangible change,' noted the pinup.
Meanwhile, her celebrity friends like Carmen Electra, Lauren Sanchez, Emily Ratajkowski and Eva Mendes shared their enthusiasm for the photo shoot on Instagram.
'I could retire, but I don't want to miss out on this time,' the brunette beauty told Sports Illustrated.
Salma 'didn't look like a model' during her younger years, and she never imagined appearing in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.
The Eternals star - who is married to businessman Francois-Henri Pinault - said: 'I remember when I was young, a long, long time ago, I was always excited to see the Swimsuit Issue of Sports Illustrated.
'I was 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.'
Meanwhile, MJ Day - the editor in chief of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit - has heaped praise on Salma, describing the actress as a 'force of nature'.
MJ added: 'As an actor, producer, philanthropist and champion for women, Salma is a beacon for Latinx communities, a tireless advocate and a person whose passion for art, life and humanity has few rivals.
'Her why is rooted in her ability to inspire generations to come, by showing us all that living on your own terms is the ultimate power.'
The From Dusk Till Dawn standout is one of the few actresses to pose for the prestigious cover.
The 2025 cover lady is joining athletes Livvy Dunne and Jordan Chiles and model Lauren Chan.
'It's so bizarre!' Hayek told the publication. 'I'm nearly 60! At this stage, it wouldn't have crossed my mind. The first thing you get is—what is that word?—imposter syndrome. You have the imposter syndrome immediately.'
She also appeared on the Today show with Savannah Guthrie where she said she could not 'believe' it.
'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,' said the siren.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by TODAY (@todayshow)
'Sports Illustrated Swimsuit has always been about more than swimsuits and stunning imagery,' MJ Day, the editor in chief of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit said of the actress' first-ever cover.
'It's about creating a platform to capture moments that define our times, celebrating people who are shaping culture, and showcasing beauty on a world stage.'
The shoot was by photographer Ruven Afanador.
'Every single woman included this year brings with her a unique and powerful reason for being featured in the issue. Whether it's about what she represents, the impact she's making, or the change she's driving in her own life and the world around her, these women show up with passion and purpose,' Day added in the press release, calling Hayek 'a force of nature as an actor, director, producer, and champion for women.'
In 2021, Salma told ET: 'I had to lose a lot of weight and exercise to get into the bikini towards the end of last year,' she said at the time.
'I'm glad I took a lot of pictures, I have no shame on it because it was the first week of the vacation,' Hayek added, referring to a recent vacation.
Sports Illustrated Swimsuit will be available on newsstands on May 17.
The Mexican beauty previously revealed she stays fit by practicing restorative yoga, juice cleanses, and walking her numerous dogs whom she's called her 'trainers.'
'I thought getting older meant I wasn't going to work. I'm working. I thought getting older maybe meant that you're not in love anymore. I'm in love,' the half-Mexican, half-Lebanese American told Glamour last year.
'I don't feel that I lost my flexibility or my agility or even my strength...Hell, I'm still going. Shocker. I'm still here. They tried to get rid of me a thousand ways. I'm still here.'
The age-defying brunette beauty continues to look decades younger than her years and has said she does not use Botox or fillers.
There's no magic or expensive beauty products behind her flawless skin. But she does use a product derived from the bark of a tree.
'I use an ingredient called Tepezcohuite that's used in Mexico for burn victims because it completely regenerates the skin,' Hayek told Elle way back in 2015.
'Some of the ingredients, when I took them to the American labs, they were like, 'Oh my God! How come nobody is using this?' This is why I have no Botox, no peels, no fillers.'
Salma and her billionaire husband François-Henri Pinault, 62, have been in a relationship since 2006 and tied the knot in Paris in 2009.
He is the son of billionaire French businessman Francois Pinault, whose company Kering bought Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent in the 90s.
His company also owns Boucheron, Balenciaga, and the British fashion house Alexander McQueen.
François-Henri took over from his father as CEO of Kering in 2005 and also owns Stade Rennais FC, a French soccer team.