Big is beautiful, and curvy model Hunter McGrady proves it. Featured on the cover of Sports illustrated Swimsuit’s 2024 60th Anniversary Legends issue, the size 16 model is a positive and inspiring role model to young girls with her perspective on body image.
Despite beginning her career as a regular-sized model at the age of 15, she transitioned into plus-size modeling at the age of 19 due to her inability to meet the unrealistic beauty standards of the agency she signed with. Here are some more surprising facts you never knew about this bodacious blond who is taking over the fashion industry:
- She was born in Los Angeles on May 4, 1993, to an actor father, Michael McGrady, and a model mother, Brynja McGrady.
- Hunter McGrady’s net worth is approximately six million dollars.
- She has an older sister, Michaela McGrady, who is also a model. Together, the sisters host a well-known podcast called Model Citizen. Their younger brother passed away in a car accident in 2021.
- In high school, Hunter McGrady experienced bullying. She says that people would constantly call her too tall while criticizing her for not being pretty or skinny enough.
- She’s married to a man called Brian Keys, who workes in advertising. They met on Snapchat. The couple has a son and a daughter. Their first baby, born in 2021, is a boy. They also had a daughter in 2023.
- Right after Hunter married her husband, they went to Disneyland on the way to their honeymoon. On her Instagram, she wrote, “The honeymoon comes later, Disney comes now! My Prince Charming.”
- Hunter McGrady made history as the first plus-sized model to appear on The Knot’s cover.
- Hunter has her own size-inclusive clothing line with QVC called All Is Worthy. The sizes start at XXS and go up to 5X. The model started the line because she wanted to empower people and ensure they knew they were worthy. She has also collaborated with Playful Promises, another size-inclusive brand, on a swimsuit collection.
- When she first started plus-size models, her inspiration was a photoshoot with plus-sized models Candice Huffine, Tara Lynn, and Robyn Lawley, who co-starred in a “Vogue Italia” cover from June 2011.
- She first appeared in the SI: Swimsuit Edition in 2017.
- When she was still a straight-size model, Hunter was turned down by agencies for having hips that were too large, even though she was only a size four.
- She loves to play basketball, which she picked up as a hobby during quarantine during the pandemic. She started the sport when she was bored of doing her usual workout routine.
- Hunter McGrady loves to travel the world. When she did a Sports Illustrated photoshoot in Indonesia, she went on Instagram and called the trip her “Eat, Pray, Love” moment. She has also said that her favorite vacation destination is Italy.
- Hunter and her husband went to Heidi Klum’s iconic Halloween party in 2019. They dressed up as The Little Mermaid and Prince Eric.
- Not only is Hunter a mom, but she’s also a stepmom to her husband’s nine-year-old daughter. On their wedding day, she even recited her vows to her.
- She did a photo shoot for Sports Illustrated called “In Her Own Words,” which was a tribute to the #metoo movement. On the set, the photographer told her to write words on her body that held meaning for her. For Hunter, some of those words were “confidence,” “fearless,” and “worthy.”
- Hunter is an advocate for mental health. She’s an ambassador for the JED Foundation for Suicide Prevention and believes it’s important to speak out about struggles.
- Hunter’s favorite gift from her husband was an updated engagement ring.
- She has a hidden talent for surfing.
- The craziest thing the model has ever done was DJ on stage with Snoop Dogg. Now, that’s a bucket list experience!