"Being No. 1 on the Hot 100 is a little reward for all of the hard work."
Kate Upton has taken Maxim's top spot!
"You know, I work really hard on myself: on feeling good, working out, being strong. Being number one on the Hot 100 is a little reward for all of the hard work," the supermodel told the mag.
As if that weren't exciting enough, ET has learned that Upton will host Maxim's Hot 100 party on July 21 at the Hollywood Palladium. The soirée will be produced by Lagardère Sports & Entertainment and Rooftop2 Productions.
The 26-year-old model, who was discovered at a horse show when she was 12, always thought modeling would be an exciting career.
"It seemed very glamorous," she said. "You know, being able to travel and meet new people and experience new things."
The Israel-based cover shoot had Upton thinking back on her very first international modeling job in Peru.
"I was so excited," she said of both trips. "It was one of my bucket-list trips."
"Israel is such a new country, but obviously with such old, rooted history," she added. "I went to Jerusalem and to the Dead Sea and floated around; my mom came with me."
Upton, who admitted she's "always trying to get attention," wed Houston Astros pitcher -- and World Series winner -- Justin Verlander in November after dating for three years.
"I got to marry my best friend," she said. "He's an amazing man. He's so supportive and focused and motivated, and he inspires me every day. I'm so very lucky that he's my husband."
Back in February, Upton came forward with claims that Guess co-founder and creative director Paul Marciano had sexually harassed and assaulted her in July 2010 after the first day of shooting on a Guess lingerie campaign. The supermodel exclusively spoke to ET about the #MeToo movement later that month.
"I appreciate the support so much. It's such an exciting time for women because now we have a platform to not allow the norm to be the norm anymore," Upton said. "I'm just really excited about this movement and am happy to create a platform for other women to speak their stories as well."
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