At 58, Salma Hayek is proving that age is nothing but a number, and a glittering, gold body chain doesn't hurt either. On Tuesday, May 13, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit dropped a bombshell (several, actually) with the announcement of its 2025 cover stars, and among them was the legendary Mexican star, who just claimed her first-ever SI cover like the red carpet queen she is.
For this year's edition, she joins gymnast-turned-TikTok darling Livvy Dunne, Afro-Latina Olympic medalist Jordan Chiles, and plus-size models Lauren Chan and Denise Bidot.
© IG: Sports Illustrated SwimsuitA Cover That Dares to Reimagine "Sexy"
Shot by famed photographer Ruven Afanador, Hayek is the definition of power-meets-poise. In one shot, she's kneeling in a rippling pool wearing a dark green, glitter-dusted swimsuit with a gold body chain draped like armor and a turquoise necklace. In another, she leans against a jagged cliffside in a crochet-style two-piece. “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,” Salma Hayek shared with the publication. “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.”
Editor-in-chief MJ Day said it best: "Salma Hayek Pinault is a force of nature. 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." According to Day, this year's issue is a celebration of culture shapers, and Hayek is a no-brainer choice. "She has a creative fire that lights up everything she touches. Her passion for life, for storytelling, for humanity is rare. It’s real," Day added.
© @salmahayekWhy this cover hits different
Unlike typical cover girl narratives that hinge on youth and unattainable ideals, Hayek's cover moment radiates wisdom, power, and liberation. This isn't a throwback to her younger days. It's a declaration that the best is now. “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 said.
In 2021, she told Entertainment Tonight how empowering it felt to post bikini photos after a personal health journey. "I had to lose a lot of weight and exercise to get into the bikini," she shared, noting that she went full paparazzi on herself during a vacation, snapping photos left and right because she earned it.
© Salma HayekAt 58, Hayek is rewriting what it means to be a bombshell, and reminding us that sex appeal doesn't expire; it evolves. Whether she's breaking box office records, directing films, producing passion projects, or simply owning the beach in another jaw-dropping bikini, she's doing it her way.
