Sports Illustrated Swimsuit: Tyra Banks covers issue 23 years after history-making cover
Tyra Banks is making her big return!
The legendary supermodel, 45, came out of retirement as a model to grace the cover of the 2019 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue, which was unveiled on Wednesday, May 8. The cover comes 23 years after Banks became the first ever black woman to cover the coveted issue alone back in 1997 (she had previously appeared on the cover alongside Valeria Mazza in 1996).
See the 2019 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover in the gallery below:
"My first one was 23 years ago, how crazy is that," Banks said on "GMA" Wednesday morning. "I'm like, 'Damn, I'm 45, dog!'"
For her cover, Banks was photographed in Great Exuma, Bahamas, by photographer Laretta Houston. She dons a yellow Andi Bagus bikini for the photo.
For another photo inside the issue, Banks recreated her iconic cover from 1997, in which she wore a red bikini with pink polka-dots on it.
"We couldn't find the exact one in the archives -- it was a polka dot bikini, so we recreated that bikini," she explained. "I recreated it -- 25 pounds heavier!"
Credit: Russell James/Sports Illustrated
A post shared by Sports Illustrated Swimsuit (@si_swimsuit) on May 8, 2019 at 5:34am PDT
Banks' SI Swimsuit cover is one of three covers this year: Soccer star Alex Morgan and model Camille Kostek, who is dating recently-retired New England Patriots star Rob Gronkowski, are this year's other two cover stars.
The 2019 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue hits newsstands on Wednesday, May 8.
See photos of Camille Kostek in the gallery below:
