On Monday, the 2023 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover stars were revealed, and like year’s past, the line-up was star-filled and diverse. Martha Stewart landed a cover at age 81, and Megan Fox, singer Kim Petras and model Brooks Nader all rounded out the 2023 crew. For Nader, it marked her fifth year working with the publication (and her fourth time being included in the magazine) after she won a spot through the SI Swim Search open casting call back in 2019.
During her shoot in the Dominican Republic, she had no idea her photos would land her the cover. In fact, she only found out two days before the covers were announced that she got the coveted position. “I thought for sure it wouldn’t be me on the cover because it must have been known by then.”
On May 13 she had arrived back in New York City from traveling internationally and was on set doing a photo shoot when the whole SI Swim team appeared. “They popped out with my cover and then we were all crying and freaking — and I mean it because I was in complete shock mode,” Nader tells GRAZIA USA exclusively. “It was an insane shock. I literally almost fainted.”
The first people she told was her family, including her three lookalike sisters, Mary Holland, Grace and Sarah Jane, who have also all gotten into modeling. “I got the cover for a ton of people, not just myself,” says Nader. “My family and I are so close and after having such a small, humble upbringing, it’s just absolutely insane. My sisters were beside themselves. They were hysterically crying, jumping up and down. My parents were as well.”
She may not have known she would land a cover when she was shooting in the Dominican Republic with photographer James Macari, but she knew that red swimsuit that she rocked (by Matthew Bruch) was special. “I’m not just saying this, but when I wore that red one-piece, I thought, ‘Wow, this is amazing.’ My whole inspo board is all the ’90s supermodels and this is so ’90s supermodel. I absolutely loved that one-piece.”
After four SI Swim shoots, she’s a pro in front of the camera, but assures it’s all about one’s attitude. “If you feel good on the inside and if you are in a good headspace, then that will just shine through.”
When asked what comes next after an epic win like this, she says she’s ready to take on even more. “I think the sky’s the limit, and I’m just going to continue to persevere and push forward,” Nader says. “Growing up in a small town I didn’t think this was a remote possibility, but here we are. It is such a dream come true.”
