‘Black Mirror’ Star Salma Hayek’s (60) Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Photos Are Making the Rounds Again, and Fans Can’t Look Away

Few Hollywood careers have had the staying power of Salma Hayek’s. She went from breakout roles in the 1990s to Oscar-nominated producer and one of the most recognizable Latina stars in the business. Along the way, she has made a habit of challenging what people expect from an actress her age.

That reputation is part of why her recent moments keep going viral. She has been steadily in the spotlight this fall, from a beachside birthday celebration to a burnt orange red carpet look in September. Her fans never seem to tire of seeing her.

Now, a set of her Sports Illustrated Swimsuit photos has resurfaced online and is drawing huge attention. The images, which carry the magazine’s watermark, show Hayek posing against a warm orange wall in white swimwear, and they have racked up tens of thousands of views and thousands of likes within a day. One shows her in a white crochet bikini with a matching crochet cover-up and delicate layered necklaces, while the other has her in a white triangle bikini with a gold body chain, her dark waves tousled by the wind.

Salma Hayek for Sports Illustrated, aging like wine ❤️‍🔥🔥🥵 https://t.co/C7Mlqdsgmb

— Mrunal (@MrunalKSays) October 7, 2026

The pictures appear to come from her debut with the magazine in the 2025 Swimsuit Issue. Hayek was one of four cover stars that year, alongside Olivia Dunne, Jordan Chiles and Lauren Chan, with the print issue arriving on newsstands May 17, 2025. She was 58 at the time.

Photographer Ruven Afanador shot her in her home country of Mexico, at the Cuixmala luxury resort. Sports Illustrated has credited a range of designers for her looks, including Johanna Ortiz, Sara Cristina and Ark Swimwear. Jewelry from brands such as Jacquie Aiche added the gold layering that shows up in these frames.

Salma Hayek for Sports Illustrated at 58! Amazing! https://t.co/DeOzHnqx5n

— Celeb Fun 10K 🔥💋 (@SmallIlscas) May 13, 2025

Hayek has been candid about how unexpected the opportunity felt. She has said she grew up excited to see who would appear in the Swimsuit Issue, but never imagined she would be one of them because she didn’t see herself as a typical model. Speaking about the feeling on set, she told SI Swimsuit that she “kind of wanted to cry.”

On a TV appearance in May 2025, she described a “very bad case of impostor syndrome” and admitted she nearly backed out of the shoot. The magazine had sent her 200 swimsuits to try on, many of which needed alterations, and her luggage then went missing on the way to Mexico. The team had a set of extra suits on location, and she wore those instead.

Once she reached the beach, her nerves faded. Hayek recalled that a whale appeared in the background as she walked onto the sand, a moment she called magical, and she said she felt free. It’s the kind of detail that explains why the shoot became about more than the swimwear.

Coverage of the cover also highlighted the message she hoped to send, which was that feeling sexy and unselfconscious after 50 is not something to hide. The magazine’s editor in chief has described her as a force of nature, pointing to her work as an actor, producer and advocate. For many readers, that framing was as much a part of the story as the photographs.

Hayek’s family played a role too. She sent behind-the-scenes snaps to her husband, who understands the legacy of the Swimsuit Issue, and her daughter Valentina told her she looked great. That personal encouragement helped quiet the voice of doubt she had described.

The timing of the renewed attention is fitting. Hayek turned 60 this September, and Sports Illustrated marked the occasion by noting that her beachside birthday pictures took them back to her first Swimsuit feature. She has also appeared alongside other SI Swimsuit models at the Kering Foundation Caring for Women dinner.

The magazine has kept her in its coverage since, publishing pieces on her red carpet style and even a “confidence crash course.” That ongoing relationship suggests her debut was no one-off. It turned into a lasting connection between the star and the brand.

Part of the staying power comes down to the images themselves, which are bright, simple and confident. Against a saturated orange backdrop, the white swimwear stands out, and Hayek’s relaxed poses give the photos an easy, sun-warmed feel. It’s no surprise they keep circulating.

They also land in a cultural moment where conversations about age and beauty in Hollywood are changing. Hayek has long been part of that conversation, and these photos serve as a reminder of what her presence in the issue meant to many fans. A year and a half later, the reaction is still strong.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!