Sports Illustrated model Camille Kostek reveals she was told to lose weight to get work

Camille Kostek has an enviable career that includes working for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition.

But it was not always smooth sailing as she tells the September issue of Ocean Drive magazine. When when she was a young girl starting out with freckles and high hopes, she was told immediately to lose weight.

The 27-year-old blonde beauty – who dates football star Rob Gronkowski – was warned she would not get work if she did not get her ‘measurements down.’

She struggled: Camille Kostek has an enviable career that includes working for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition. But it was not always smooth sailing as she tells the September issue of Ocean Drive magazine

Too much pressure: When when she was a young girl starting out with freckles and high hopes, she was told immediately to lose weight

Too much pressure: When when she was a young girl starting out with freckles and high hopes, she was told immediately to lose weight

The beauty, who posed for a stunning photo portfolio, said it was a rude awakening. 

‘Growing up, it was hard to associate with some of the women who were being portrayed in the media,’ began the Killingworth, Connecticut native.

‘I was a girl with freckles and grew into a young woman a little bit more quickly, with hips and thighs,’ she added.

Camille tells Ocean Drive magazine. ‘When I finished school, I started going to open calls in New York. But I was getting the same response every time: “Get your measurements down” and “Take X inches off your thighs and your hips.”‘

People are weight obsessed: The 27-year-old blonde beauty - who dates football star Rob Gronkowski - was warned she would not get work if she did not get her 'measurements down'

People are weight obsessed: The 27-year-old blonde beauty – who dates football star Rob Gronkowski – was warned she would not get work if she did not get her ‘measurements down’

She then got a break. 

The model and Rob Gronkowski

The model and Rob Gronkowski

‘In February of 2017, I was still not represented by a major agency. But an agency in L.A. asked me how I would feel about gaining weight because the plus size initiative was flourishing. It felt like defeat. But I am a firm believer in the law of attraction and manifesting. That March, I was on Instagram and SI posted about their first-ever open casting call. It said, “Are you the next Chrissy Teigen? The next Kate Upton? Then submit a 60-second video telling us why.” I was like, “Screw the agencies, I’m doing this myself!”

The star then broke down the process: ‘I called up a friend of mine from my small town in Connecticut to help me shoot the video. I reserved a house in Malibu on Airbnb so that we could have our SI Swimsuit moments. It was getting to the end of the day and I was like, “I’ll sit in front of a white wall and tell you about why I want to do this.” He said, “That’s not you.” He threw the camera over his shoulder and said, “Why do you want to do this?” I was like, “You know why I want to do this!” And I passionately told him why and that we needed to go back to the house, now. 

A hard fact to face: The beauty, who posed for a stunning photo portfolio, said it was a rude awakening

A hard fact to face: The beauty, who posed for a stunning photo portfolio, said it was a rude awakening

‘He said, “It’s all set, I got that on tape.” We submitted it and four days later I got a DM from Sports Illustrated Swimsuit with a blue check mark: “Congratulations, you’ve been selected as a finalist.”‘

Inside the glossy pages, Camille gets playful in a vintage photo spread and shares her mission to change the way young women and men view their bodies. 

Earlier this year, the bombshell model landed the coveted spot on the cover of the legendary Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and this is just the beginning.

The stunning ‘Rookie of the Year’ describes her role in upcoming film Free Guy and how she went from New England Patriots cheerleader to national icon.

No good role models? 'Growing up, it was hard to associate with some of the women who were being portrayed in the media,' began the Killingworth, Connecticut native

No good role models? ‘Growing up, it was hard to associate with some of the women who were being portrayed in the media,’ began the Killingworth, Connecticut native

She was a sweet, healthy child: 'I was a girl with freckles and grew into a young woman a little bit more quickly, with hips and thighs,' she added

She was a sweet, healthy child: ‘I was a girl with freckles and grew into a young woman a little bit more quickly, with hips and thighs,’ she added

Model agents tried to shame her: Camille tells Ocean Drive magazine. 'When I finished school, I started going to open calls in New York. But I was getting the same response every time: "Get your measurements down" and "Take X inches off your thighs and your hips"'

Model agents tried to shame her: Camille tells Ocean Drive magazine. ‘When I finished school, I started going to open calls in New York. But I was getting the same response every time: “Get your measurements down” and “Take X inches off your thighs and your hips”‘

Coming from a small town, Camille says her first call when she landed the SI cover was her mom. Now, she’s on a mission to use her fame to teach self-acceptance and continue breaking down industry size barriers.

In her feature interview, Camille opens up to Ocean Drive about her biggest struggles and how she is planning to change the way young women and men from all communities look at their bodies. She also gets personal on her relationship with Gronkowski and what it’s like to date an NFL player. 

‘We both admire each other,’ she told OD. ‘I always get asked what’s it like dating an NFL player, and for as much as I love watching him play football, and that’s what he’s best known for, I see what goes on behind the scenes—going back to his hometown and getting to know his family and being by his side through injuries and everything else. I’m a firm believer of “work in silence, let your success speak.” And he does the same thing.’

The photos for her shoot were done by RIOCAM (Camilo Rios). 

New tude: Coming from a small town, Camille says her first call when she landed the SI cover was her mom. Now, she's on a mission to use her fame to teach self-acceptance and continue breaking down industry size barriers

New tude: Coming from a small town, Camille says her first call when she landed the SI cover was her mom. Now, she’s on a mission to use her fame to teach self-acceptance and continue breaking down industry size barriers

The shutterbug: The photos for her shoot were done by RIOCAM (Camilo Rios)

The shutterbug: The photos for her shoot were done by RIOCAM (Camilo Rios)

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