Hilary Duff made her Sports Illustrated Swimsuit debut for the 2026 issue, but not without setting her own boundaries first.
The 2026 issue, also featuring cover stars Alix Earle, Nicole Willliams English and Tiffany Haddish, hit newsstands on May 26. The former Disney Channel star’s cover shot stands out from the others for one reason:
Duff, 38, isn’t wearing a bikini—but it was intentional.
Hilary Duff: No Bikini on Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Magazine Cover
On an appearance on the Not Gonna Lie with Kylie Kelce podcast, the “So Yesterday” singer opened up about the conditions she had when agreeing to do the iconic cover shoot, which has featured stars like Kate Upton, Megan Fox, Kim Kardashian and Tyra Banks, to name a few.
One of those conditions was saying no to wearing a bikini.
GettyThe actress told Kelce that she had conversations with Sports Illustrated ahead of time.
“It was great to have conversations with them and be like, ‘Hey, I’m not going to wear a bikini. I have had four kids. I feel comfortable showing this. I feel comfortable showing this. I don’t feel comfortable showing this.’ And they were like, ‘Got it. Got it. Got it,'” Duff said.
“There’s so much power in that. I am so proud of my body,” she added.
Duff, a mom of four, also shared her immediate reaction to being asked to be on the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover.
“My first reaction wasn’t like, ‘Oh my God! Yes, I’ll do it,'” Duff said. “My first reaction was like, [expletive]. I thought I’d get in, like, rip-roarin’ shape.’ And I’m also, I’m not a model. I’m 5’2”, had four kids … it scared me.”
GettyKelce pushed back, complimenting the “A Cinderella Story” star on the stunning shots.
“These photos suggest otherwise, Hilary. They seriously do,” Kelce said.
Hilary Duff Stuns on Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Cover
Duff, who is gearing up for her “The Lucky Me Tour” kicking off in late June, is featured in the 2026 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue. She graces the cover in a cream-colored plunging one-piece swimsuit.
According to People, the photoshoot took place in South Caicos, with photos taken by Kat Irlin. Duff also posed in other swimwear, including black. red, blue and brown one-pieces, plus a tasteful mesh-covered, high-waisted two-piece.
“a make believe day with fairytale people ✨🌞💛,” Duff captioned her post on Instagram featuring photos from the shoot and some behind-the-scenes shots.
Hilary Duff to Embark on World Tour This Summer
GettyIt’s been a big year for the “Lizzie McGuire” star who recently finished a run of intimate shows before setting off on her world tour in June.
Duff also released her sixth studio album, “Luck… or something,” back in February. It marked her first studio album release since “Breathe In. Breathe Out.” in 2015.
In about a month, Duff will sing across North American with dozens of dates scheduled across the U.S. and Canada, before jetting off to Europe.
Check out Hilary Duff’s tour dates here.
