A Very Happy Birthday, Kate Upton: 21 Facts and 21 Photos to Celebrate 21 Years

Swim Daily Staff | Jun 9, 2013

Two-time SI Swimsuit Issue covergirl Kate Upton turned 21 today. To mark the merry anniversary, we've assembled the ultimate Upton primer: 21 facts and 21* photos.

*Some of the facts include visual aides, pushing the total number of Kate Upton photographs in this post above 21. We hope that's ok.

1. She was a stunner in high school, too, just with more clothing.

2. She advises guys to forgo cheesy pick-up lines and focus instead on their aroma.

3. The Best Offense is a Good Defense, and the Best Defense is Kate Upton.

In March of 2012, Kate Upton attended a Suns-Thunder game in Oklahoma City. An NBC Sports story indicated that there were 10% fewer shots made on her side of the court than the opposite one.

4. She pokes fun at the Jets like a boss.

It's okay Notre Dame this happened to the Jets every week

— Kate Upton (@KateUpton) January 8, 2013

5. She doesn't just wear foxy swimsuits. She also designs them.

6. Her family tree is stacked.

Her great-grandfather Frederick Upton co-founded Upton Machine in 1911. It would later be renamed the Whirlpool Corporation and become a Fortune 500 company that has an annual revenue of $18.4 billion. Her uncle Fred Upton (R-MI) has been the US Congressional Representative of Michigan’s 6th district since 1987. Her mother Shelley Upton was a former state Tennis champion from Texas.

7. Gambit, of the X-Men, gets her all worked up*.

*Not necessarily a fact-fact.

8. She had a Super Bowl commercial banned in 2012 …

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBGzcx_7xLk

11. Kate made her movie debut in the 2011 film Tower Heist.

13. … but ended up being banned from that, too.

14. She never breaks character, even during staged photobombs by Ken Jeong.

15. She’s a Michigan Wolverines fan.

Yayyy @lucyaragon @David_Upton_ pic.twitter.com/fTrpaYr4Lc

— Kate Upton (@KateUpton) April 9, 2013

16. … and they're fans of hers.

@KateUpton hey saw you at the game last night, thanks for coming out! Hope to see you again 😉

— Spike Albrecht (@SpikeAlbrecht) April 9, 2013

17. Kevin Durant may be the only man to have rejected her.

Do your day a favor and browse the rest of this Kate GIF gallery.

18. She competed in multiple American Paint Horse Association World Championships.

The APHA is extremely proud of her.

19. She makes far-fetched teenager dreams sorta come true.

20. She's a pro at MLB 2K12.

Meanwhile, the creatives at the agency that produced this spot are pros at innuendo.

21. She’s the first model to be on the Swimsuit cover in consecutive years since Tyra Banks in 1996 and 1997.

And we're happy to have enabled that fact.

********

And now, those 21 photos …

Year: 2013; Swimsuit by ERES; Photograph by Derek Kettela

Year: 2012; Swimsuit by Lands' End Canvas; Photograph by Stewart Shining

Year: 2012; Swimsuit: Top by Emporio Armani Swim; Swimsuit by Tori Praver Swimwear; Photograph by Walter Iooss Jr.

Year: 2012; Swimsuit by Martha Rey; Photograph by Walter Iooss Jr.

Year: 2012; Swimsuit by Gucci; Photograph by Walter Iooss Jr.

Year: 2011; Swimsuit by Beach Bunny Swimwear; Photograph by Raphael Mazzucco

Year: 2011; Swimsuit: Top by Letarte by Lisa Cabrinha; Swimsuit by Tori Praver Swimwear; Photograph by Raphael Mazzucco

Year: 2011; Swimsuit: Body Paint and Makeup by Joanne Gair; Swimsuit by Seafolly; Photograph by Stewart Shining

Year: 2011; Swimsuit by Missoni; Photograph by Raphael Mazzucco

Year: 2012; Swimsuit by Beach Bunny Swimwear; Photograph by Stewart Shining

Year: 2012; Swimsuit by Aguaclara; Photograph by Stewart Shining

Year: 2012; Swimsuit by Elizabeth Southwood for Sauvage Swimwear; Photograph by Walter Iooss Jr.

Year: 2013; Body Paint and Makeup by Joanne Gair; Photograph by Walter Iooss Jr.

Year: 2013; Body Paint and Makeup by Joanne Gair; Photograph by Walter Iooss Jr.

Year: 2013; Swimsuit by Rica Swim; Photograph by Derek Kettela

Year: 2013; Body Paint and Makeup by Joanne Gair; Photograph by Walter Iooss Jr.

Year: 2012; Swimsuit by Suit Yourself Bikinis by Kathleen Bruening; Photograph by Walter Iooss Jr.

Kate Upton ::Walter Iooss Jr./SI

Kate Upton :: Walter Iooss Jr./SI

Year: 2012; Swimsuit by Maui Girl by Debbie Wilson; Photograph by Walter Iooss Jr.

Year: 2011; Swimsuit by Debbie Wilson for Maui Girl; Photograph by Raphael Mazzucco