Sports Illustrated cover model Salma Hayek admits she tried to 'back out' of racy photo shoot

Salma Hayek is not showing signs of slowing down. 

The 58-year-old Mexican American actress graces the latest cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, posing in a green bikini, although she admits that she had doubts about going through with the photo shoot.

"I said yes and then when it was time to do it, I tried to back out," Hayek told the "Today" show. "I said, 'No,' because the bathing suits never fit me, how am I gonna do this? There's nothing my size — I always suffer.'"

SALMA HAYEK CELEBRATES NATIONAL BIKINI DAY: ‘NOT A THROWBACK’

Salma Hayek covers Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, on newsstands May 17. (Ben Watts/SPORTS ILLUSTRATED)

As Hayek revealed she had a "very bad case of impostor syndrome," she continued to reflect on how she never imagined she would appear on the cover.

"I still can't believe it," Hayek added. "I remember when I was young and hot, I used to look at this magazine. I wanted to see who was the new gorgeous model, the new girl of the moment. And it never crossed my mind that I could be on that cover because they didn't look like me. My body's not necessarily the model type and I never thought that was a possibility. And for it to happen when I'm 58? It's really shocking."

She expressed similar sentiments in her interview with the outlet itself, saying, "I remember when I was young, a long, long time ago, I was always excited to see the Swimsuit Issue of Sports Illustrated, and [thinking] ‘Who’s going to be in it?’ Of course, I didn’t look like a model, so it never crossed my mind that one day I would be in it."

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Salma Hayek attends the "Corps Et Ames" Exhibition at the Bourse De Commerce Pinault Collection on March 4, 2025 in Paris. (Luc Castel/Getty Images)

"If somebody had told me I was gonna be in it at 58, I would have sent them to the madhouse, but the world has changed, and that’s exciting."

Salma Hayek had previously posted photos of herself on a boat in a yellow bikini. (Salma Hayek/Instagram)

This is not the first time Hayek has given fans a glimpse of her bikini body.

Over the years, she has taken to social media multiple times to show off her fit physique in risqué bikinis. 

Salma Hayek sizzled in a sexy swimsuit to celebrate National Bikini Day. (Getty Images/Instagram)

While this is a full-circle moment for Hayek, she admitted on "Today" the journey has not always been glamorous. The actress additionally shared that she tried on "more than 100" bikinis during the Sports Illustrated cover shoot. 

The magazine sent her "200 bathing suits," and the "House of Gucci" star confessed "a lot of them needed to be altered."

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Salma Hayek walked the red carpet at the premiere of "Emilia Perez" at the Cannes Film Festival in 2024 in a black figure-hugging strapless Saint Laurent gown. (Gisela Schober/Getty Images)

She also shared how the suitcase was lost by the time she had to shoot for the cover. 

However, Sports Illustrated had a "small selection of extras" on set. 

"That's what I wore," she remarked. "So you will see, they don't all fit perfectly. If it's extra small, it was accidental!"

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