Ashley Graham Poses Nude in Super Sexy Photo Shoot, Opens Up About Hitting 'Bottom'
Ashley Graham is gorgeous!
The 29-year-old model posed nude for a steamy photo shoot for V Magazine, and the black-and-white photos just have to be seen to be believed.
WATCH: Ashley Graham Dazzles in Behind-the-Scenes Bikini Shots From 'Sports Illustrated' Shoot
Graham talks to Black-ish star Tracee Ellis Ross in the magazine, and gets candid about not always loving her famous physique.
"Being told, 'You're fat,' 'You’re ugly' or 'You're just not good enough,' and trying to live in these model standards, that was my normal," she says about growing up. "I think I hit bottom around 18. I was disgusted with myself and told my mom I was coming home. And she told me, 'No, you're not, because you told me that this was what you wanted and I know you’re supposed to do this. It doesn't matter what you think about your body, because your body is supposed to change somebody's life.' To this day that sticks with me because I’m here today and I feel that it's OK to have cellulite."
Graham also shares how her mom helped her through her initial feelings about cellulite in middle school.
"I remember telling my mom, 'Isn't it disgusting? It's so ugly,'" she recalls. "She pulled her pants down and said, 'Look, I have it, too.' And I was like, 'Gasp!' She looked at me, then at it, and just rolled her eyes. She didn't tell me that it’s beautiful or ugly. She just made it a nonissue. It doesn't define my worth. If women like you and me continue to preach that, then I feel like younger girls are going to grasp it and they’re going to be like, 'Who cares!'"
These days, the beautiful brunette actively works to remain positive about her body.
"I grew up in a very Christian home, so words have power," she explains. "I took that with me into every area of my life. If you say, 'I'm fat,' that’s how you're going to feel. If you say, 'I'm stupid,' that’s how you’re going to start your day. I wake up sometimes and I feel like the fattest person alive, but I'm not going to let that affect the rest of my day. Say to yourself, 'I like this day. I am bold, I am beautiful, and I am brilliant.' For me, that hits the interior, the exterior, and it makes me feel smart."
Graham also has a few idols who inspire her.
"Growing up, I idolized Beyonce, J.Lo, and the Spice Girls," she shares. "I was a mix between Ginger and Scary Spice. I wore the Scary buns and Ginger’s slutty, leopard outfits. Today, I have two role models. One of them is my mom. Just seeing how happy she has been going through [life] and how she's handled every curveball is like, 'That's a women who has integrity and dignity and has been kind and generous to people around her.'"
"Business-wise, it's Kathy Ireland," she adds. "She's OG. When she was younger and in Sports Illustrated she was like, I’m going to sell some socks and make a business. Now she has a billion-dollar company. Kathy Ireland, if you’re out there, I’m still trying to be your best friend. You're on my vision board."
ET spoke to Graham last week at the 2017 Time 100 Gala in New York City, where she talked about almost falling on the red carpet.
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