“Not Necessarily The Model Type”: Salma Hayek Strips Down For Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Cover
Salma Hayek Pinault made her big debut as a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover model at age 58. And it involved 200 swimsuits, one missing suitcase, and an appearance by a whale.
Proving that her modeling days are not yet behind her, actress spoke about nearly backing out of the photoshoot and struggling with a “very bad case of imposter syndrome.”
Salma Hayek Pinault made her big debut as a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover model at age 58
Image credits: salmahayek / Instagram
The Academy Award nominee was one of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit’s 2025 cover girls, alongside former LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne (also known as Livvy Dunne), Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles and model Lauren Chan.
Salma said she felt “fortunate” to be part of a generation that is witnessing “very tangible change” in the industry when it comes to aging.
Image credits: salmahayek / Instagram
“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,” she said during her shoot in Mexico.
“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,” the star continued.
“I could retire, but I don’t want to miss out on this time,” the Oscar-nominee said
Image credits: salmahayek / Instagram
The Frida actress recalled flipping through the pages of the magazine when she was young and thinking she would never be on the cover of the magazine.
The models at the time “didn’t look like me,” she said on the Today show. “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.”
Image credits: si_swimsuit / Instagram
After accepting the offer to be one of the SI cover stars, Salma initially felt some regret and even tried to back out from the magazine shoot.
“I said yes and then when it was time to do it, I tried to back out,” she said on the 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,’” she continued.
Salma said she initially tried to back out of the magazine shoot because she was worried about fitting into the bathing suits
Image credits: Ruven Afanador/Sports Illustrated
In order to make her comfortable with the idea, Salma said SIsent over around “200 bathing suits” for her to try on.
“I tried more than 100,” she recalled, noting that “a lot of them needed to be altered.”
Image credits: Ruven Afanador/Sports Illustrated
The swimsuits were altered in LA and were packed in a suitcase, along with other items, to be sent from Hollywood to Mexico. But unfortunately, the suitcase went missing during the travel.
“They lost the suitcase,” she said.
With no other choice left, Salma had to choose from “a small selection” of extra swimsuits available on the set.
She was sent around 200 bathing suits and tried about 100 of them before traveling to Mexico
Image credits: Ruven Afanador/Sports Illustrated
“They don’t all fit perfectly,” she said. “If it’s extra small, it was accidental!”
With the shoot already off to a bad start, she revealed that she wasn’t feeling confident and was “very nervous” about posing for the cover.
Image credits: Ruven Afanador/Sports Illustrated
Eventually, when she stepped on the beach, she laid eyes on a whale jumping behind her, making her instantly feel a shift in her mindset.
“All of a sudden I felt, ‘This is magical. This is my land. I’m 58, I’m doing this,’” she said.
She reflected on how her generation of female stars were convinced that they would be “dismissed” at the age of 35. And that inspired her to positively embrace her time posing for the magazine cover.
The actress is one of four SI Swimsuit cover stars, along with Olivia Dunne, Jordan Chiles and model Lauren Chan
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“My generation, especially Mexican women, we thought we were going to be dismissed at 35,” she said. “And I got so excited, I felt really free. I put on Bad Bunny, I started dancing, I loved it!”
All four cover stars for the 2025 issue “brings with her a unique and powerful reason for being featured in the issue,” according to MJ Day, the editor in chief of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit.
MJ described Salma as “a force of nature,” a “tireless advocate,” and a “beacon for Latinx communities.”
“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,” she said.
Image credits: Ruven Afanador/Sports Illustrated
“She has a creative fire that lights up everything she touches,” she continued. “Her passion for life, for storytelling, for humanity is rare. It’s real.”
The From Dusk Till Dawn actress recently spoke about her beauty regimen through the ages.
The 58-year-old actress touched upon some of the cosmetic procedures she undertakes as part of her beauty regimen
Image credits: salmahayek / Instagram
“I’ve been very consistent and very simple. I didn’t go into any of the beauty trends, not in my 30s, not in my 40s, and not in my 50s, but the only thing I’ve been using consistently is radio-frequency treatments,” she told The Cut last month.
At some point, she hit a “plateau” with the treatments and is now an advocate for the Ultherapy PRIME procedure, which is like a “nonsurgical lift,” according to the Ultherapy PRIME website.
Image credits: Ruven Afanador/Sports Illustrated
She also said she is a big fan of dancing and listens to music every night while removing her makeup and washing her face.
“I try to exercise while I’m putting on my cream. Stretch the muscles, it’s an organic way of working out,” she told the outlet. “That’s what my rituals look like, non-robotic.”
Fans showered her with praises, calling her “stunning” and “gorgeous” in the magazine pictures
