Q&A With SI Swimsuit Legend Nina Agdal

The Danish model returns to the pages of the SI Swimsuit Issue for the seventh year.

Nina Agdal was photographed by Yu Tsai in Hollywood, Fla. Dress by MaisonMet. Shoes by Betzábe. / 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.

Nina Agdal is a successful model and a dedicated health and wellness coach. She has posed for seven different SI Swimsuit Issues, including one cover, after making her debut back in 2012. She made her return to the SI Swimsuit set this year, posing both in Belize and in Hollywood, Fla., the latter of which found her posing alongside fellow brand legends.

Describe yourself in three words: 

“Fun, adventurous, reliable.” 

Nina Agdal was photographed by Yu Tsai in Hollywood, Fla. Dress by MaisonMet. Shoes by Betzábe. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

View Gayle King’s Belize photo gallery here. View her Legends photo gallery here.

What does being an SI Swimsuit Legend mean to you?

“Being an SI Swimsuit Legend is really special. It’s about being part of a group that’s not just about beauty. It’s about being kind, smart, unafraid to be yourself, and pushing boundaries where they need to be pushed.”

What do you love most about yourself?

“When you really get to know me, or if I open myself up to someone, I’m extremely loyal and protective. I will go to war for you. I will never watch injustice happening and not say something. I think standing up for the people who I care about is a big thing for me.” 

Nina Agdal was photographed by Yu Tsai in Hollywood, Fla. Dress by MaisonMet. Shoes by Betzábe. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

What can women do to better empower each other?

“Stop viewing each other as competition, stop comparing, and start embracing individual strengths. There’s a lot of power in unity and supporting each other.”

What are you most excited about in your life right now?

“I'm engaged, so I’m really excited for the next chapter in my life. Family, marriage and just doing that whole thing of adulthood, which is so new to me. Growing up is fun, I'm doing it!”