By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2025-01-15 16:40:11 | Updated at 2025-01-15 18:51:38
2 hours ago
After her very public split with country star Zach Bryan last year, Barstool Sports podcaster Brianna LaPaglia is starting 2025 with a bang.
The 25-year-old has posed for the latest digital cover of Sports Illustrated's swimsuit edition, flying to California for a photoshoot and giving an interview about her goals for the year ahead.
'It’s a lot more than me looking quote-unquote hot in a swimsuit - it’s me reclaiming who I am as a woman, reclaiming my body and my decisions and my choices,' she said.
'This cover is me being me again and taking control of my life. This is my body.
'My body isn’t that experience (from her last relationship), and even though I’m not 100% in it right now, this is me. This doesn’t have anything to do with anybody else.'
In a separate SI video, LaPaglia says: 'It's Bri LaPaglia and I am on set right now for my Sports Illustrated digital cover.
arstool Sports podcaster Brianna LaPaglia has posed for a Sports Illustrated swimsuit cover
LaPaglia is starting 2025 with a bang after her public breakup with Zach Bryan last year
'I'm freaking out, I am nervous, I am happy, I am scared, I am feeling all of the emotions. I can't wait, I am so excited.
'It means so much more to me than feeling sexy and being in a cool location. I am allowed to do what I want to do, I am allowed to do it in any fashion, in any amount of clothes in front of whoever I want.
'No one has the control over you to tell you what you can and cannot do. To me, it isn't just like "check it off the bucket list, that was really cool". This is just like, reclaiming myself, and that is what this all means to me.'
She also shared her reactions on Instagram early on Wednesday as the cover shoot was released.
Sharing a selfie with her hand covering her face in shock, she wrote: 'Not me being on the digital cover of Sports Illustrated??? I'm gonna throw up????'
She added: 'Like WHATTTTT I can't wait for you guys to see the full interview and shoot. It means so much to me for so many reasons. RECLAIMING MYSELF.'
It comes as LaPaglia also took a greater role leading the popular Barstool podcast BFFS, after Dave Portnoy stepped aside from the show at the end of 2024.
The first episode launched last week, with LaPaglia now co-hosting it alongside Josh Richards.
LaPaglia shared an emotional reaction early on Wednesday after the shoot was launched
Last year, LaPaglia endured a high-profile split from the famous country singer Zach Bryan
Earlier this week, LaPaglia was spotted at an influencer event on Richard Branson's Necker Island.
In a video posted to the brand's TikTok on Sunday, the BFFs podcast host, who very well could have been tipsy, admitted she was looking forward to having 'a lot more drinks' - and possibly turning her plus one into her 'real boyfriend.'
'Hey. I'm Bri. I brought my fake boyfriend,' she said in the video. 'I'm looking forward to having a lot more drinks and maybe making him my real boyfriend.'
LaPaglia's Barstool boss Portnoy threw his support right behind the influencer last year when it emerged that she had split with Bryan in November.
He launched a diss track at the singer called 'The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived' and repeatedly attacked him on multiple podcast appearance.
The guy is a piece of s*** and you should never have anything to do with him. He's the worst,' Portnoy said in November at a Barstool college football show.
