Swimsuit

SI Swimsuit Swim Search Profile Spotlight: Danielle Gray

Get to know the Los Angeles-based fitness instructor who is impacting women everywhere, one step at a time.

Alisandra Puliti

Danielle Gray

The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Swim Search isn’t just an open casting call—it’s a movement redefining beauty, confidence and inclusivity. As the ultimate open casting call, Swim Search provides aspiring models from all backgrounds, shapes and sizes the chance to grace the pages of one of the most iconic magazines in the world. It’s a platform that celebrates empowerment, diversity and breaking industry norms.

Every year, the talent pool grows with incredible women hoping to be a part of the SI Swimsuit family. Camille Kostek knows a thing or two about applying as she won the inaugural Swim Search in 2018 along with Haley Kalil.

“I never let fear or doubt get in the way,” Kostek has said. “So I think that would be big advice to give to the girls that are going to apply this year and in future years to come is just think about yourself. Be in competition with yourself. Don’t compare yourself to any other submissions. Don’t compare yourself to any past submissions. Be inspired and be motivated by them, but lean into what makes you you and what makes you unique, and forget about the ‘nos,’ forget about all of it and just get excited.”

The 2025 Swim Search competition to find the next rookie for the 2026 issue is underway until March 31, 2025. Apply for the 2025 program here. In the meantime, let’s meet one of the applicants.

Meet Danielle Gray

Danielle Gray is no stranger to the Sports Illustrated Swim Search as she has applied several times before and made the top 24 in 2023. “The song ‘I Hope You Dance’ by Lee Ann Womack holds a special pace in my heart because when given the choice to sit it out or dance, I dance,” she says. “This Swim Search is me dancing, taking my fifth leap since 2018, each time getting closer than the last.”

Never a follower, Gray has been a gymnast since she was four and has always led others, from teaching her classmates to hosting retreats around the world. She is a member of the Today Show family as a Start Today trainer and fitness contributor and has collaborated with the California Surgeon General on multiple mental health campaigns. The Los Angeles resident also mentors underprivileged ambitious women.

“It's not about chasing what others want you to be but about continuing to do big things and letting serendipity work its magic,” the USC graduate explains. “I'm working towards a world where mental health is as respected as physical health, where sharing your truth feels safe, and where others recognize how capable they really are. I want to show others that being too much or not enough in someone else's eyes should never hold you back. By confidently embracing who we are, we inspire others to share their unique gifts with the world.”

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Alisandra Puliti
ALISANDRA PULITI

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