Lauren Chan and Olivia "Livvy" Dunne are two of the cover stars in Sports Illustrated’s 2025 Swimsuit Issue—and on Tuesday, May 14, they took their celebration to new heights. Literally.
The duo helped light up the Empire State Building in honor of the magazine's latest release, joining fellow SI cover models for a rooftop photo call, interviews, and a ceremonial lighting. Chan called it a "bucket list moment," sharing the spotlight with Dunne in an interview with EXTRA TV. She joked that it was also the closest she'd ever been to her idol, Miss Piggy, who also was in attendance.
How they found out
Both stars were genuinely surprised to learn they landed the cover.
"I was soaking wet in a spa shower when MJ surprised me," Chan said of the moment she found out. She explained that the SI team had tricked her into coming out of the shower under the pretense of shooting more footage—only for her to find editor MJ Day behind a sliding door with the news. "I was speechless."
Dunne was on a family vacation at her grandmother's condo when she got the call. "They put me on a Zoom and showed some behind-the-scenes shots from my shoot, and then suddenly there it was—the cover," she said. "I freaked out, I cried, and almost fell out of my chair." She said after she found out – her first call to someone who didn’t know was to boyfriend and MLB star Paul Skenes.
Breaking barriers and singing each other’s praises
Chan, who once played college basketball and now works as a fashion founder and model, talked about the significance of her cover. "I'm the first out lesbian with a solo cover and the first Chinese person on the cover.”
She added, "If you're watching and feel marginalized in industries like this, I hope this is a message: you can be here too. We’re trying to make the world a better place for all kinds of women and that’s why this brand is so amazing because it actually does that.”
Dunne also praised Chan, saying she was "obsessed" with Lauren's Bermuda shoot. Chan returned the love, applauding Dunne for her success on both the athletic and entrepreneurial stage. "She’s the top-earning college athlete in the country and a real example for young girls."
Both revealed their shoots came late in the season—with Dunne squeezing in her trip to Bermuda between gymnastics competitions, and Chan convinced she might not even make the issue at all. "That looseness probably made it better," Chan joked.
Together these two help embody a new era for SI, where confidence, authenticity, and accomplishment take center stage.
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