NEW YORK — Flocks of women confidently sauntered down the red carpet Thursday night at the Hard Rock Hotel in New York to celebrate the 2023 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit release.
And closely trailing behind them were their supportive partners. Rob Gronkowski watched as SI Swimsuit model Camille Kostek host a live stream, Larry English took a step back as wife and SI Swimsuit rookie, Nicole Williams English, basked in the spotlight and then mayhem hit the red carpet: Machine Gun Kelly popped up behind cover model Megan Fox, whispering in her ear before heading inside.
The couple’s latest public appearance, although brief, seemingly shut down recent rumors that the pair had split. Although Fox, 37, and Kelly, 33, did not discuss the current state of their relationship with press during interviews, they appeared to be a united front.
‘I better look really good’:Martha Stewart stuns on Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover at 81
The rocker exited the red carpet shortly after joining the “Transformers” actress and waited for her at the entrance to the venue.
Fox, Martha Stewart, Kim Petras and Brooks Nader were named the cover stars of this year’s Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue on Monday. They were joined by veteran models and rookies for a diverse array of talent.
Padma Lakshmi promises ‘the best is yet to come’ after appearing on Sports Illustrated Swimsuit
Padma Lakshmi’s success continues on an upward spiral. “The best is yet to come,” the 52-year-old tells USA TODAY of what her SI Swimsuit debut taught her.
“I never believed it when older women said that, but it really does. I couldn’t have planned that I’d be on Sports Illustrated, Time 100 or that my show (‘Taste the Nation’) would have a second season. All of this happening at the same time … is a really big blessing,” she says.
The timing is right when it comes to her recent wins. “I would’ve never predicted this would happen so late in life, but now I realize it’s not late, it’s actually early,” Lakshmi says.
Padma Lakshmi on ‘Taste the Nation,’political eating and how long she can host ‘Top Chef’
Nicole Williams English on posing for Sports Illustrated 7 months pregnant
This year’s issue embraced women at different stages of their lives. Former “WAGS LA” star English was seven months pregnant when she had her photoshoot as an SI Swim rookie. Her daughter India Moon, whom she shares with former NFL player Larry English, is now 5 months old.
English says she initially resisted doing the photoshoot pregnant. “At first that did run through my mind, like, ‘No I’m pregnant, I wanna do it when my body’s back,'” the model shares. She eventually came around and says she felt “so confident and so beautiful knowing that my daughter was with me, just in my belly (and) so protected.”
“It was so beautiful to me. I’m so happy that I got to shoot pregnant,” she adds.
Megan Foxopens up about body dysmorphia in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover
Leyna Bloom on making SI Swimsuit history in 2021 as first transgender woman of color
Leyna Bloom has had her foot on the gas pedal since she made Sports Illustrated Swimsuit history as a Black and Asian transgender woman to grace the pages of the special issue. Bloom continues to push for trans inclusion because “there’s still so much to talk about.”
“For me, it’s about making sure that people understand that the conversation is still here,” she stresses. “The more that we’re in spaces like this, the more we can see each other and talk about each other. And then you can look at me and say ‘Hey, we’re the same.'”
A lot of pressure came with being the first trans woman of color to be in the decorated swimsuit magazine, but the “Port Authority” star doesn’t mind. In fact, she “would like a little bit more” because that’s how she’s able to grow.
Zooey Zephyr, Dylan Mulvaney:Is all the anger, fury really about transgender rights? Maybe not.
SI Swimsuit models Kamie Crawford, Angel Reese on when they feel confident and sexy
Looking at the women on Sports Illustrated, it’s hard to imagine some of them have struggled with confidence.
“Catfish” co-host Kamie Crawford admits her journey to self-love didn’t happen overnight.
“When I was younger, I was definitely not confident at all and I let other people’s feelings about me dictate how I felt about myself,” she says. “I just decided not to anymore. It was really a decision that I had to make just for my own personal happiness and it’s changed my life.”
LSU basketball star Angel Reese says she was teased as a young girl.
In her case, it was due to her height — the very aspect now aiding her basketball career. As Reese grew older, she realized not too many women embrace their differences. “I wanted to be the one to embrace that for the little girls that look up to me,” she said. “Yeah, you can be a tall girl. You can be cute on and off the court.”
Read more on the 2023 SI Swimsuit models making waves here.
