34 famous women who posed for Playboy
Hugh Hefner founded Playboy magazine in 1953 with just $8,000 and a picture of Marylin Monroe. The businessman who died on September 28th 2017 left an empire and a fortune.
Love or hate it, the Playboy cover has launched the careers of many women and proved an alternative way to promote their work. From a famous Spice Girl to a well-loved TV mum, while not all the women here got butt naked, they all did covers.
Rex FeaturesPamela Anderson
Cover: Many
She was famously ‘discovered’ after appearing on the screen at a football game. Two months later she was on the cover of Playboy. We’ve seen Pamela’s body from top to toe over the years but now the mother of two is more interested in animal charities.
Rex FeaturesElle MacPherson
Cover: 1994
Is this where the supermodel earned her nickname ‘the body’. Probably. The model told photographer Herb Ritts; “OK, you want naked? I'll give you naked - but on my terms',
Getty ImagesDrew Barrymore
Cover: 1995
GLAMOUR favourite Drew posed when she was 19. Asked by ABC news if she’d let her daughter pose for Playboy she said: "I would not let her, I don't think I would. I would influence her not to, because my life choices are not supposed to be the gateway to somebody else's. That's my journey."
Getty ImagesEva Hertzigova
Cover: 2004
Apparently it was Eva’s lifelong ambition to get naked for the pages of Playboy – she said: “This is the first time I got everything I wanted, including the photographer. I picked Sorrenti because of his work. It's artsy, mysterious, feminine and sexy."
Getty ImagesKelly Brook
Cover: 2010
No wonder Kelly was every boys’ pin-up in the 90s – her shoot for Playboy was ‘smokin.
Getty ImagesKim Kardashian
Cover: 2007
Allegedly Kardashian mom-manager Kris convinced daughter Kim to pose for Playboy. To be honest, we can’t imagine she took much convincing. The model is now famous for breaking the internet with her Paper Magazine shoot.
Getty ImagesLa Toya Jackson
Cover: 1989
The sister of Michael Jackson claimed her covers were not always her choice – her husband, she claimed bullied her into them. Her covers were some of the biggest sellers in Playboy history.
Rex FeaturesLizzie Jagger
Cover: 2011
At 27 years old, the daughter of Jerry Hall and Mick Jagger posed for Playboy after her parents eventually agreed to let her do the shoot. She’s a successful catwalk model now and recently walked for Tommy Hilfiger at the LFW.
Rex FeaturesMariah Carey
Cover: 2006
No nudes, but Mariah did do a cover! The singer was promoting her The Emancipation of Mimi tour. Fair enough.
Getty ImagesParis Hilton
Cover: 2005
Another victim of Playboy’s arrogant stance of putting women on the cover without their permission. However Paris and Hugh were always such good buddies, it looks like they cleared up their differences
Rex FeaturesGoldie Hawn
Cover: 1985
On a promotional tour for her film Goldie agreed to appear on the cover. Honestly Goldie – you can do no wrong in our eyes.
Rex FeaturesJerry Hall
Cover: 1985
Supermodel Jerry graced many a magazine cover in the 80s as well as having four children with Rolling Stone frontman Mick Jagger. Her cover featured her in the bath with just a few strategically placed suds.
Getty ImagesJessica Alba
Cover: 2006
She wasn’t the first woman to be put on a Playboy cover without her consent, and no doubt won’t be the last sadly. Hugh and Jessica have since made up (he apologised and donated to her charities) but still.
Rex FeaturesKim Basinger
Cover: 1983
The beautiful actress’s cover was shot in 1981 but came out two years later when the Bond film Never Say Never came out starring Kim as ‘Domino Petachi’.
Rex FeaturesMadonna
Cover: 1985
Madonna has never been shy (have you seen her book Sex?) but that was very much her vision. Her cover and inside spread in Playboy were pictures from earlier on in her career.
Getty ImagesNaomi Campbell
Cover: 1999
Erm, wow! Naomi’s 14-page shoot for Playboy was breath-taking – stylish AND sexy.
Rex FeaturesShannen Doherty
Covers: x3
Shannen, known for her role as Brenda in Beverly Hills, 90210 had a reputation as a sex goddess to uphold – and she did – many times.
Rex FeaturesSharon Stone
Cover: 1990
The actress who crossed/uncrossed her legs during that infamous scene in Basic Instinct was lusted after by many in the 80s. The 1990 cover was to promote her movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger, Total Recall.
Rex FeaturesAnna Nicole Smith
5 X Covers
Poor Anna Nicole’s life ended tragically after the death of her 20-year-old son and the birth of her daughter all in a short space of time. Anna Nicole was famous for her raunchy lifestyle, TV shows and old rich husband. She did five playboy covers in total.
Getty ImagesAnna Faris
Cover: 2008
Hard to imagine Anna getting down and dirty for the magazine shoot (and as far as we can see she didn’t) the cover was promoting her movie The House Bunny.
Getty ImagesCindy Crawford
Covers: 1988 & 1998
Dressing lite for the beach, supermodel Cindy hit the cover in just a hat and a sarong. Ten years previous she was shot by Herb Ritts in a beautiful closeup.
Rex FeaturesDolly Parton
Cover: 1978
Please god NO! Tell us it’s not true. Well it’s ok actually – calm yer boots. Dolly graced only the cover in little bunny ears to promote her 20th album Heartbreaker.
Rex FeaturesJenny McCarthy
Cover: MANY
“I remember back in the day when I was a Playmate and they said, ‘What do you want to do next?’ I said, ‘Comedy,’ And they said, ‘Now that’s funny. There’s no way a Playmate will ever do a sitcom or comedy,'”
Rex FeaturesKate Moss
Cover: 2013
Supermodel Kate didn’t hold back on her Playboy shoot in 2013 – we could barely look! Moss was celebrating the magazine 60th anniversary and was just a month away from turning 40.
Rex FeaturesAzealia Banks
Cover: 2015
Azealia’s shoot for Playboy was seriously raunchy as she poured milk over her fully naked body in a pink paddling pool. The interview caused controversy when the rapper was equally candid in revealing her past sexual encounters.
Rex FeaturesBarbra Streisand
Cover: 1977
We knew it would be a cover-only for Barb – and thank goodness this was indeed the case. Just after the singer won an Oscar for Evergreen she did an interview and cover.
Getty ImagesCarmen Electra
Covers: x3
Carmen was regular on the covers of Playboy and helped her establish a mainstream modelling career.
Rex FeaturesCharlize Theron
Cover: 1999
Charlize was unaware her nude pictures would make the cover of Playboy (as seems to be a reoccurring theme) and tried and failed to sue. Bastards.
Rex FeaturesDenise Richards
Cover: 2004
Denise was Hollywood’s darling when she posed for the magazine just five months after giving birth. After her role in Wild Things, the actress was VERY popular. Can’t think why.
Getty ImagesMarge Simpson
Cover: 2009
In a bid to reach out to a younger audience, someone, somewhere in the Simpsons/Playboy space thought it was ok do this. I MEAN.
Rex FeaturesSherilyn Fenn
Cover: 1990
The Twin Peaks starlet was a major heartthrob in the 90s and her fans were delighted with her no holds barred shoot in the magazine.
Rex FeaturesBrooke Shields
Cover: 1986
At just 21 years of age, Brooke appeared in Playboy magazine. But it wasn't the first time she'd she'd appeared nude - rather shockingly her mother pushed her into acting and modelling at a very young age.
Getty ImagesGeri Halliwell
Cover: 1998
The Spice Girls singer was no stranger to nude photos in her pre-band days, but when they surfaced in an 8-page spread in Playboy it's hard to say whether it was a help or a hindrance. Certainly was a major talking point though!
Rex FeaturesDita Von Teese
Cover: 2002
It's not really much of a surprise the burlesque performer was on the cover and inside Playboy. She told Elle: "When I was on the cover of Playboy I remember being like, Oh my God, I'm going to be on the cover. Like Demi Moore, Drew Barrymore, Sharon Stone, Sherilyn Fenn, it was still a moment when it felt like a big thing. But I don't know, the last great cover was the Kate Moss one. I think it's sad that that kind of photography might go away."
