Hilary Duff is redefining the narrative surrounding mothers embracing their bodies in public, proving that societal stigmas are a thing of the past. As announced by Sports Illustrated Swimsuit on Tuesday, May 12, the Lizzie McGuire star has been named one of the 2026 cover models for its annual swimsuit edition, despite her initial apprehension as a mother of four.
"Of course it was flattering," Duff said of the invitation, which made her one of four women – Alix Earle, Tiffany Haddish, and Nicole Williams English – to grace the cover of an individual edition of this year's swimsuit package. "As a mother of four, I'm not exactly a spring chicken anymore," she shared. "I don't typically frolic around in a bathing suit, so it was a bit daunting."
The singer-actress shares her 14-year-old son Luca with her ex-husband Mike Comrie and three daughters with her husband Matthew Koma: Banks, 7, Mae, 5, and Townes, 1. She has been vocal about her pregnancies and has spoken out in the past about how society can complicate body image for mothers. In 2017, she responded to body-shaming tabloids with a message on Instagram.
"I am posting this on behalf of young girls, women, and mothers of all ages," she wrote at the time, sharing a photo that appeared to be a paparazzi shot of herself and Luca at the beach. "Since websites and magazines love to share 'celeb flaws' – well, I have them! My body has given me the greatest gift of my life: Luca, 5 years ago. I'm turning 30 in September, and my body is healthy and gets me where I need to go. Ladies, let's be proud of what we've got and stop wasting precious time wishing we were different, better, and flawless."
Duff is currently enjoying a wildly successful musical comeback, releasing her first album in a decade, Luck… or Something, in February and debuting at No. 3 on the Billboard 200. In June, she will kick off her Lucky Me Tour, which will include two nights at Madison Square Garden in August.
However, in an interview with Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, the musician revealed that prior to her musical renaissance, she genuinely didn't know if she would ever make music again. "People asked me for years when I'd make another album, and I always skirted around that question," she told the publication. "The truth is I didn't really know if I ever would because I had never gotten to make an album the way I wanted to."
