13 Things You Didn’t Know About Brianna LaPaglia

From her favorite snacks to her favorite songs, get to know the January digital cover model.

Brianna LaPaglia was photographed by Katherine Gougen at The Austin Estate. Swimsuit by SAME Los Angeles. / Katherine Gougen/Sports Illustrated

We just welcomed content creator and podcast host Brianna LaPaglia to the SI Swimsuit family as our January digital cover star and we couldn’t be more excited. The 25-year-old, best known for her candid, relatable takes, says her SI Swimsuit feature is her way of “reclaiming” her body and life and finding her vibrant personality and confidence again after leaving a toxic relationship last fall.

The Massachusetts native was an absolute blast to have on set in La Quinta, Calif., while she was being photographed by Katherine Goguen. We had a chance to deep dive into LaPaglia’s fun sense of humor and quirky traits and learned a lot about her.

Leading up to the photo shoot, she thought she would be super nervous on the big day, but she was totally wrong, and her images are truly radiant. View her full gallery here.

“I thought everyone was going to be like, so snooty or whatever, just because it’s like so prestige, and it’s like bikinis and super sexy girls,” she shared. “Everyone was so nice. And this was very, very fun.”

Here’s 13 things you didn’t know about LaPaglia.

Her favorite mantra is inked on her hand

LaPaglia lives by the mantra: “be a decent human.” She’s so committed to the idea that she has it tattooed on her hand as a permanent reminder. In the past, she also used to abide by a more carefree motto: “Sleep when you’re dead.” However, with a laugh, she admits, “I gave up on that mantra. I’m so tired I need to go to bed.”

She had dreams of becoming a race car driver

Forget typical childhood dreams—her aspirations were anything but ordinary. “I was training to be a race car driver, actually. That’s real.” The adrenaline-fueled ambition might seem surprising, but it tracks with her adventurous personality.

She misses her pink hair

When asked about her favorite hair color, LaPaglia doesn’t hesitate. “My pink hair was my favorite hair in the whole entire world. I wish I still had pink hair,” she reveals. “I don’t know if I would be able to do this shoot if I still had pink hair, but I miss it every single day.”

She’s a diehard Lumineers fan

LaPaglia is a self-proclaimed diehard fan of The Lumineers. She attended a concert at Forest Hills Stadium in New York with her best friends and “it was magical.”

Her biggest fear is being framed for murder

“I should stop saying it because I feel like I say it so much that people are gonna start to frame me for murder,” she says.

She was a shy yet creative kid

Looking back at her childhood, LaPaglia describes herself as “reserved” but eager to stay busy. “I was kind of quiet and I was very creative. I always wanted to be doing something. I always had to have an action,” she says. “I always wanted to film something, or play with toys or go outside. And I would just force people to play with me.”

Her current favorite Taylor Swift song

“I Hate It Here” from The Tortured Poets Department.

She has quirky late-night snack preferences

While some people reach for candy, LaPaglia prefers a more unconventional trio. “Hot dogs, pickles and sour cream and onion chips,” she says.

Her social media feed is full of hamster raves

LaPaglia’s TikTok algorithm is dialed into something unique. “I follow a lot of hamster raves on TikTok,” she explains. “They livestream hamsters on wheels, and they just spin. It’s like they’re at a rave. It’s therapeutic somehow.”

Wendy’s is her favorite fast food

“Wendy’s chicken nuggets never fail with a Frosty,” she says. “And I dip my chicken nuggets in the Frosty.” Taco Bell is a close second, but nothing beats her go-to sweet-and-savory combo.

Her beauty icons span generations

LaPaglia draws inspiration from a variety of iconic women, citing Miley Cyrus, Aubrey Plaza, Meryl Streep and Lola Young as her beauty icons.

She’s been told she looks like two famous actresses

People often tell LaPaglia she resembles Cristin Milioti and Aubrey Plaza.

Her favorite compliment is being told she smells good

Her signature scent is the cult-favorite Le Labo Santal 33, a fragrance known for its woody, spicy notes.

https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/v1736891128/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/si_swimsuit/01jhkcegkwhyjfxwp4an.jpg. Brianna LaPaglia. https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/v1736891678/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/si_swimsuit/01jhkcz6qagw1dethpwj.jpg. Brianna LaPaglia Gallery. https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/v1736890702/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/si_swimsuit/01jhkc1n3zs5pfa9wva7.jpg. Brianna LaPaglia Model Page. Brianna LaPaglia Cover Story