Martha Is This Year's Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Cover Model—See the Stunning Images Here

Martha's legendary career has landed her on many magazine covers—including several of her own—but today marks a major first for the multi-hyphenate: Martha is a 2023 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition cover star. She revealed the news, and the stunning cover, on NBC's TODAY show, where she discussed preparing for the Dominican Republic photoshoot and being open to new experiences at every phase of life.

"I like that picture!" Martha said when hosts Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb flashed the final cover—which shows Martha, photographed by Ruven Afanador, in a white swimsuit and gold wrap—on the screen. Martha revealed that she was approached by Sports Illustrated in November 2022, which gave her roughly three months to prepare for the end-of-January shoot—an experience she walked into with confidence. "When you're through changing you're through. That's one of my mottos," Martha said.

Though Martha, the oldest model to be featured on a Sports Illustrated cover, briefly shared how she prepared for this historic moment (she called on her previous modeling experiences, ate well, and did lots of Pilates), she already had everything she needed in her toolbox. "It is a testament to good living. I think all of us should think about good living and not about aging," she said. "The whole aging thing is so boring."

Martha also explained that confidence is learned, pointing to the life lessons she gleaned from her parents. "I think you can instill it in children early on," she said, adding that her father told her she could do anything she put her mind to with education and hard work.

Ultimately, Martha hopes the cover inspires other women, especially after a challenging few years. "Taking care of the family, working at home—it's been tough. I hope [the cover] gives women an opportunity to revisit their lives," she said. "Trying new things is very good. Being fearless is very good. Don't be afraid of anything."

The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition will hit newsstands on May 18.