Q&A With SI Swimsuit Legend Brooks Nader

The 2023 SI Swimsuit cover model was photographed by Yu Tsai for the 60th anniversary legends photo shoot in Hollywood, Fla.

Brooks Nader was photographed by Yu Tsai in Hollywood, Fla. Dress by Versace. Shoes by Gianvito Rossi. Jewelry by Charlie Lapson. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Turning 60 has never looked so good. To celebrate the big milestone in style, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit called upon 27 “Legends”—women of all ages, sizes, tribes and backgrounds—who epitomize trailblazing influence and game-changing impact. 

From supermodel OGs who made their first splash on the magazine’s glossy pages in the 1970s and ’80s to stars newer to the SI Swimsuit sisterhood—the Legends symbolize diversity, inclusivity, empowerment and self-love.  

“The Legends hold the power to represent the collective us,” SI Swimsuit editor in chief MJ Day says. “Each one has played a significant role in the brand’s last 10 years, holding important conversations that have helped shift societal perceptions and led to incredible change for women.” 

The Legends had plenty to say in their one-on-one interviews, held during a three-day SI Swimsuit event at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla., where photo shoots for the 60th anniversary issue were underway amidst a flurry of glam teams, wardrobe stylists and veteran fashion lensmen. The Legends were unfiltered, funny, wise, compassionate, profound, and at times, searingly honest—proving that a woman’s inner beauty is her most important superpower of all.   

See more from the Legends photo shoot here.

Brooks Nader is a 2023 SI Swimsuit cover girl and Swim Search alumna. The Baton Rouge native was discovered through (and won) the open casting call in 2019, and has been featured in the issue every year since.

What does being an SI Swimsuit Legend mean to you?

“It’s surreal because I feel like I was just standing in line for the Swim Search, trying to be around the magazine and meet the team—and [back then] that to me seemed like such a far-fetched dream. To go from being told ‘no’ by my agents, who said I wouldn’t be a good fit for Sports Illustrated and they wouldn’t like me, to actually winning the Swim Search and being in the issue, and then going on to be on the cover, to now being considered a Legend, surrounded by actual Legends like Christie Brinkley, Tyra Banks, Lily Aldridge and Maye Musk—I can’t even describe how incredibly special this moment is.”

View Nader’s 2024 SI Swimsuit legends gallery here.

What are three words you would use to describe yourself?

“Energetic, positive and resilient.”

Brooks Nader was photographed by Yu Tsai in Hollywood, Fla. Dress by Versace. Shoes by Gianvito Rossi. Jewelry by Charlie Lapson. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

What do you love most about being a woman?

“There’s something really special about the female relationship and how we treat our girlfriends—how they really become family to us. I’m the oldest of four sisters, and that relationship is unmatchable; I’ve never ever, ever, ever known any kind of love like that in my life. I’m so happy that I’m a woman and get to be around the sisterhood of SI Swimsuit and all the icons—women I used to have on my bulletin board in my room in Louisiana.”

What excites you most about your life right now?

“It’s such a pinch-me moment to be working with my three sisters—they’re all models. We’ve really enjoyed being behind the camera, doing something different than just modeling. It was always a dream of mine. I’m always evolving in my career and striving for more.”

Brooks Nader was photographed by Yu Tsai in Hollywood, Fla. Dress by Versace. Shoes by Gianvito Rossi. Jewelry by Charlie Lapson. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

What’s your favorite quote?

“Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.” – Winston Churchill