Salma Hayek Pinault slays Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover with confidence
Salma Hayek Pinault is one of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit's 2025 cover stars.
The Academy Award-nominated actress, 58, stuns on the cover of the latest issue of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, which is on newsstands May 17.
In the photo, shot by Ruven Afanador, Hayek Pinault wears a bikini and strikes a fierce pose in the water.
The photoshoot took place at the picturesque Cuixmala luxury resort in Mexico.
In her cover interview with the outlet, the actress recalled always being excited to see who would be included in each year's issue.
"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," she said. "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."
"I feel so fortunate that I am part of a generation that has been able to really experience very tangible change," she continued. "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."
"I don't see why after a certain age, we have to retract ourselves from embracing life to the fullest," she added.
Elsewhere in her interview, Hayek Pinault shared what helped her overcome feelings of self-consciousness during her shoot.
She said that during the very first shot, she spotted a whale in the water and saw it as a sign to take a step back and be in the moment.
"A whale showed up and jumped out of the sea," she said. "I thought, 'OK.' Sometimes by being in your head, you miss out on magic and you miss out on joy."
Along with Hayek Pinault, this year's 2025 cover models include Olivia Dunne, Jordan Chiles and Lauren Chan.
The 2025 issue also celebrates Ilona Maher, Alix Earle, Camille Kostek, Suni Lee, Gabby Thomas, Roshumba Williams and more.
See more at swimsuit.si.com.
