Playboy model Hayley Hasselhoff says she wasn't 'glamorizing obesity' with history-making curvy cover
Hayley Hasselhoff isn’t done making a splash.
The pinup and actress made history in 2021 when she became the first curve model to land a European Playboy cover. Her titillating Playboy Germany cover was shot by famed photographer Ellen von Unwerth.
"The biggest misconception [curve models] get is that we are glamorizing obesity," Hasselhoff told Fox News Digital. "That’s probably the biggest question I’ve been asked around the world. In the 10 years of my career, I would hear, ‘Do you feel like you’re glamorizing obesity?’ And I would say, ‘No. I feel like I’m making someone feel better in their skin and that’s a beautiful thing.’ I think everyone has the right to feel comfortable, beautiful, valued and desired in their skin, no matter what shape or size they are."
There are other "hurtful" misconceptions curve models face, Hasselhoff pointed out.
"One of the older misconceptions that I hope has left the building is that curve models are lazy, they don’t work out and they aren’t fit," she said. "Being curvy and voluptuous doesn’t mean you don’t want to take care of yourself. As a model, I still want to be healthy and fit. And you’ve got to remember, mental health still means you’ve got to take care of your physical health because that’s all intertwined. Your mental health is connected to your body too. The idea that plus-size models don’t take care of themselves like straight models do is outdated… At the end of the day, I’m still a model. Whether you’re a curve one or not, you want to feel strong and good about yourself."
Now, the daughter of "Baywatch" star David Hasselhoff and ex-wife Pamela Bach is joining Playboy Centerfold, the outlet’s creator platform. Fans on the digital hub can pay their favorite creators for exclusive access to photos, video calls and other messaging features. It encourages creators to "express themselves, their creativity and their sexualities unapologetically."
"Making history with Playboy Germany was one thing, but to see the overwhelming response was another," the 31-year-old revealed. "When Playboy US reached out, it was a no-brainer just because I still get messages, to this day, from girls and women about that issue. Some even ask where they can get the issue for their husbands."
"Playboy Centerfold allows you to have a one-on-one experience," she shared. "I can have a one-on-one conversation with my audience and get to know them… You can get everybody in one place all together at once."
"And I love getting to know women," Hasselhoff added.
According to the body positive advocate, it’s been an "empowering" experience connecting with women who can identify with her.
"There are so many different platforms out there, but of course, I’m so excited to continue my partnership with Playboy," Hasselhoff explained. "It was a privilege to make history as the first-ever curve model to help women feel like they are valued, wanted and seen. Now I can get to do that in my home country… It’s wonderful to have these open conversations and let these women know they have a friend in me, a real sister, a real best friend in me."
Previously, the "Huge" actress admitted she didn’t follow the outlet. It wasn’t until the pandemic that she was offered an opportunity to "kick down walls."
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"It was the most respectful set I’ve ever been on," Hasselhoff reflected. "It was also the most creative experience. From the second I got that call, I was able to choose which photographer I thought would be perfect for the shoot. We chose Ellen von Unwerth, who has a cinematic approach to the female gaze and what it means to make women feel beautiful, no matter what shape or size they are. I wanted this to be a celebration of self."
Playboy previously made history in 2016 when Fluvia Lacerda became the first plus-size model to be on the cover of any Playboy magazine, People magazine reported. According to the outlet, she graced the cover of the Brazilian edition of the magazine.
For Hasselhoff’s shoot, which took place in Paris, stripping down to skimpy lingerie was "fun."
"I’m so comfortable in lingerie – it’s just a piece of who I am," she explained. "I have worn silk nightgowns and robes since I was 14, 15 years old. [Growing up], Victoria’s Secret didn’t even have my size. I had to get bras from this little Parisian shop near my house. And these older women told me I should start wearing nightgowns at a young age so that my bosom doesn’t go down. And I got obsessed with old, beautifully crafted nightgowns from the ‘40s and ‘50s… All my friends know that silks are a part of me… And I’ve shot a lot of lingerie in my career."
Growing up, Hasselhoff wasn’t always comfortable in her skin. She started modeling at age 14, a time when "the media never represented my size." Her parents, supportive of her blossoming career, were hands-on in taking her to casting calls and shoots.
"I remember there was a young girl who came up to me and my mom," Hasselhoff recalled. "And she said, ‘I’ve never seen anyone bigger than their mom.’ That really hit me. It never appeared to me that I was even bigger than my mom, but it appeared to her in that way… I didn’t really choose the path to be a body positive advocate – it chose me."
Today, Hasselhoff hopes her image will inspire other women to embrace their bodies, no matter what stage they are in life.
"When I did my shoot, it was about celebrating me," she said. "I want other girls and women to feel that they aren’t alone… All my experiences, everything I’ve been through have brought me to where I am today. Body positivity is everything to me. It’s something that I live, breathe, speak about every single day, whether I’m talking to you, or I’m talking to my sister, or I’m talking to my cat."
"I tell myself, ‘I love you. I just love everything about you. I love your body,’" said Hasselhoff. "Why wouldn’t you share that message with somebody else right now? Why wouldn’t you share the love that you have for yourself to hopefully encourage somebody else to find that same love within themselves? Why wouldn’t you want to help them take that first step to look at themselves in the mirror and love themselves? That’s all I’m asking for – for someone to help someone else embrace themselves, love themselves. That's my message to the world."
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"When I did my shoot, it made me go, ‘Wait – even though you love your body shamelessly and without judgment, you do have to check in with yourself,'" she shared. "Sometimes you still have to take time to look at yourself – really, really look at yourself – and just admire yourself. That’s what I did with Playboy. And I want everyone to feel like they’re included in the party. I want them to know they are welcomed, they are seen, they are heard, they are valued, they are loved and they’re sexy in whatever body they have."