How Halle Bailey’s ‘The Little Mermaid’ Inspired Jordan Chiles’ Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Debut

Jordan Chiles can do it all. The Olympic gymnast is on the cover of Sports Illustrated’s 2025 Swimsuit issue, and Access Hollywood caught up with Jordan at the launch party in New York City on May 15. The gold medal winner opened up about what gracing the cover of such a world-renowned publication means to her. “It took me about 22 years to really embrace my body,” she said. “Especially being a woman of color, it’s already very hard, but being able to step out of our comfort zone, step into a place that we can feel authentic to who we are and feel very bold and beautiful.” Jordan also said that she felt inspired by “The Little Mermaid” while shooting the cover in Boca Raton, Fla., and thanked Halle Bailey for the representation she gives Black and brown girls among the Disney princesses.