The Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue is being released on Monday (yes, it’s still at thing) and according to Page Six, there’s some behind the scenes drama about the cover involving Kate Upton.
The magazine is working on three covers (like they had last year) reportedly featuring Serena Williams (YES), Christie Brinkley (who is 63 – YES) and Kate Upton. OK?
Kate Upton’s big break came in 2011 when she was named SI Rookie of the Year (other rookies include Ashley Graham, Nina Agdal and Kelly Rohrbach). This year, the alleged drama stems from Kate – who has covered Vogue– wanting to only shoot if she was going to get the cover. She wanted her own hair and makeup people. She supposedly had an attitude because she’s an actress now.
Kate Upton is no doubt one of the most famous swimsuit models of her generation, and if she’s tired of being referred to or looked at like a swimsuit model… don’t model for Sports Illustrated? What could the SI swimsuit issue possibly be except women, in various forms of bikinis, on sandy beaches? (They usually throw in a cold location, too.) Hot women + bathing suits. That’s it. There is nothing else to the SI swimsuit issue. She knows the drill and can’t possibly expect Mario Testino. When it’s Testino and Vogue, Kate is the all-American bombshell with tasteful, nostalgic overtones. Basically the opposite of hot women + bathing suits.
The Vogue cover was supposed to be a major break-out moment, but Anna Wintour has never truly warmed to Kate the way she has the younger generation of models like Cara Delevingne, Gigi Hadid, and Kendall Jenner. Remember when Kate had to pay for her Met Gala ticket? And the plausible rumour that she was bumped for Kim and Kanye?
She’s absolutely a popular model, but so are the other women at play here. If the rumours are true, she will be sharing the spotlight with one of the greatest tennis players to ever live and an OG supermodel. Kate actually seems like the least accomplished out of all of them.
In response to Page Six, the SI people said there’s always speculation about the cover and people will just have to wait and see. No one dismissed the idea that Kate was making waves because the magazine benefits from the suspense. And they still have a few days to do whatever they like. They have options, including someone outspoken, cool and popular -- Chrissy Teigen. She’s was part of the cover in 2014 and she is more widely known today than she was then. And as Duana pointed out, she’s actually getting more charming and candid and funny the more famous she gets. When does THAT ever happen? There has been no blandification of Chrissy Teigen.
Which is almost unfair, because Kate seems to be working at a charm deficit.
Attached - Kate Upton at an event in LA late last month.
