HOLLYWOOD, FLA. (WSVN) - Martha Stewart is out to prove age is just a number. At 81 years young, she’s the cover girl for the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition.
The photo spread is historic, iconic and a true reflection of beauty in the body of an 81-year-old woman.
“I’m going to be the oldest person ever on the cover of Sports Illustrated,” Stewart said. “This is kind of historic.”
Stewart knows this is a moment people will remember.
She even said it herself that she hopes her Sports Illustrated swimsuit cover inspires people to challenge themselves and try new things.
“Breaking barriers is a good thing, and showing people new opportunities is also a great thing, and that’s what it’s all about,” Stewart said.
On Friday, the cover model was expected to walk the red carpet with other big names like actress Megan Fox, Grammy-winning transgender artist Kim Petras and model Brooks Nader.
Stewart did not make an appearance at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Hollywood to kick off weekend celebrations of the launch of the 2023 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue.
But Brooks Nader and several models did take part in the celebration held at the hotel.
“For me to be on the cover with Martha Stewart is like is a dream,” Nader said. “Martha Stewart, Megan Fox, Kim Petras and myself, it’s such an amazing cover class.”
“It’s never too late to change your mind. You can always pivot, you can always change your mind, you can always try something new,” Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Kamie Crawford, “and that’s what I love about this family: they support you no matter what it is you have going on.”
“My favorite cover is Martha because that girl, that woman, that goddess, she is a badass,” said model Sharina Gutierrez.
“It’s never too late to live your dreams, to have a moment to feel beautiful, to take a space,” said model Leyna Bloom.
The theme for the event was inclusivity.
“We want to have very important conversations about what inclusion looks like, what it means to be a woman,” said NJ Day, Chief Editor for the swimsuit issue. “Having like, you know, giving examples for women to see themselves represented on a major magazine, in major media, is really important to us.”
Stewart is proof that you can break barriers at any age.
“My daddy said, when I was about 12, if you work hard, you can do anything,” Stewart said, “and guess what: he was right.”
There will be parties at the hotel all weekened.
The pool will be transformed into a Sports Illustrated swimsuit island.
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