Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue 2026 features Brooks Nader, Molly Sims and Bethenny Frankel in skimpy bikinis

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It sure seems to be Brooks Nader’s year.

The reality TV star will appear in the upcoming Baywatch reboot and has also been chosen to be featured in the 2026 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.

Nader is among a group of nine women—including Bethenny Frankel, Molly Sims, Livvy Dunne, and Haley Baylee—selected this year, it was revealed on Tuesday.

The 29-year-old woman, originally from Louisiana, showed off her fit physique while wearing a black bikini in Loreto, Mexico. A shell necklace completed her look.

The actress, who has previously been romantically connected to Kevin Costner and Tom Brady, styled her blonde hair in loose waves.

The magazine wrote on Instagram: ‘BROOKS NADER SPORTS ILLUSTRATED SWIMSUIT 2026.’

Nader then added in the comments section, ‘Year 9 baby!!!!❤️❤️❤️.’ 

The issue comes out in May 2026.

After winning Sports Illustrated’s Swim Search in 2019, Nader quickly became a popular model for the magazine, appearing in the Swimsuit Issue from 2020 to 2022. She reached a career high in 2023 by landing the cover, and returned for another feature in the 2025 issue.

James Macari’s Sports Illustrated shoot also featured Bethenny Frankel, famous for her role on The Real Housewives of New York, and Molly Sims, who started as an actress in Las Vegas and now produces movies.

Haley Kalil, who also goes by Haley Baylee, is a model and social media influencer. She first became well-known in 2018 when she competed in the inaugural Sports Illustrated Swim Search.

Lauren Chan is a Canadian model, editor, and businesswoman. She created Henning, a clothing brand for plus-size women.

The Baywatch reboot is a chance for Nader to develop her acting career.

In the 2026 reboot of Baywatch on Fox, Nader stars as Selene, the witty and outspoken leader of the Zuma Beach lifeguards.

This character appears frequently on the show and is known for her dramatic, hands-on style of rescuing people, which contrasts with the lead character, Hobie Buchannon, portrayed by Stephen Amell.

The show also stars Hassie Harrison, Shay Mitchell, Livvy Dunne, and welcomes back David Chokachi.

Selene is a fiercely competitive captain who isn’t afraid to speak her mind, and her unusual methods for saving people often clash with Hobie Buchannon’s way of doing things.

The show is a 12-episode,2026 reboot of the classic series, set in Los Angeles.

Filming for the show is happening in Los Angeles, primarily around Venice Beach and the Fox studio lot in Century City. The production also received a $21.1 million tax credit from California.

The series introduces Selene as the head lifeguard at Zuma Beach, according to character details released about the show.

Although she’s a skilled professional, her methods for saving lives often clash with those of Baywatch Captain Hobie Buchannon, leading to ongoing disagreements.

Things were never great between them, but it really started to fall apart when Hobie brought his daughter, Charlie, into the mix. It became obvious pretty quickly that their competition wasn’t just about being the best lifeguards – it was something much more personal, a real deep-seated rivalry. As a longtime fan, it was heartbreaking to watch it unfold!

RJ Amell stars as Hobie Buchannon, the son of Mitch Buchannon – a role originally made famous by David Hasselhoff. In this new version of the show, Hobie has followed in his father’s footsteps and become a lifeguard captain.

The story picks up with Hobie several years later, and his life is turned upside down when his daughter, Charlie (played by Jessica), shows up wanting to follow in her family’s footsteps as a lifeguard.

The reboot is being showrun by Matt Nix, who serves as executive producer.

Matt serves as an executive producer with the pilot’s director, McG, and other producers including Michael Berk, Greg Bonann, Doug Schwartz, Dante Di Loreto, and Mike Horowitz.

The new series is a co-production between Fox and Fremantle.

Oh my gosh, you won’t BELIEVE how much effort Fox put into finding the perfect cast! They held this massive open call – seriously, around 2,000 people showed up hoping to be lifeguards or just regular beach people in the show. It was insane! They really wanted to get it right, and I’m so glad they did. Every single face just felt right for the beach, you know?

In November Nader said she is ‘still working on [her] self-confidence’.

The model has openly discussed using medications like GLP-1 to help with weight loss. Brooks has shared that she’s still working on improving her health and adjusting to the medication.

When asked about continuing to use GLP-1 medications and potentially stopping them in the future, Brooks explained to Us Weekly that it’s a process of learning and figuring things out as she goes.

I’m still building my self-confidence, and it’s an ongoing process. Things are definitely changing for me now.

Brooks also confessed that she deals with the same struggles as ‘everyone else’.

The reality TV star explained: ‘I fluctuate like everyone else. So it just depends.’

Earlier this month, Brooks confessed that she’s used weight-loss drugs as a ‘crutch’.

The model has openly discussed using GLP-1, a medication for type 2 diabetes and obesity, but admits it’s ‘not healthy’ for her.

Reality TV star Brooks, from the show Love Thy Nader, recently told Bustle that he was surprised by how many people contacted him to admit they also rely on GLP-1 medications. Many expressed feeling embarrassed to discuss it, citing a strong social stigma and admitting the medication feels like a temporary fix.

I’ll admit, I’m still really struggling with it. It’s become something I lean on, almost like a habit, and I know that’s not good for me. Honestly, I need to break free from it, and I’m finally acknowledging that.

Even so, Brooks now knows she’s stronger than she thought, having gone through a difficult divorce.

After finalizing her divorce from Billy Haire earlier this year, the model shared a realization: ‘Once I was through it, I understood I was capable of anything I set my mind to.’

After a decade with someone, I finally made the tough decision to end things, and honestly, it was the best thing I ever did. It really showed me what I’m capable of – if I can bring a child into the world, build a business from scratch, and move on from anyone, I feel like I can handle anything. That feeling of strength and freedom? It’s incredible, truly euphoric.

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2026-03-24 21:51