Martha Stewart did not come to play.
The 81-year-old stunned audiences on the cover of Sports Illustrated as the oldest woman to land the gig alongside other beautiful and powerful women including actress and model Megan Fox, singer and trans activist Kim Petras, and model Brooks Nader.
The publication revealed the four new covers on Monday, with Stewart describing the moment as "historic."
Speaking to hosts Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb during an interview with Today, the businesswoman revealed her feelings about the shoot as well as what she did in order to prepare her for such an occasion.
"I'm sort of shaking because it's odd to go to an island and get changed into nine different bathing suits in one day in front of all those people," Stewart said, after debuting the cover for the first time on the show. "I like that picture... And it all turned out okay!"
In one shot, you can see a tanned-looking Stewart donning a black one-piece with a crochet skirt, and in another shot, the entertainment veteran smiled into the camera while wearing a white one-piece with a puffy orange shawl draping her shoulders.
When she first got the call about the opportunity back in November 2022, she described it as a "kind of a request that I've never had before," adding that while it was a challenge because of her age, she feels as though she "met the challenge."
When asked what she had to do in order to prepare herself mentally as well as physically, the lifestyle guru said: "I didn't starve myself, but I didn't eat any bread or pasta for a couple of months.
"I went to Pilates every other day and that was great; I'm still going to Pilates every other day 'cause it's so great. And I just, I live a clean life anyway — good diet and good exercise and healthy skincare and all of that stuff."
She also explained how her appearance has become "a testament for good living."
"I think all of us should think about good living, successfully living, and not aging," she told the hosts. "The whole aging thing is so boring. You know what I mean? I have a hospital called the Center for Living at Mt. Sinai. I started this hospital with Mt. Sinai and it's all about growing old gracefully.
"We don't think about aging, we think about successful living and we try to install in people the desire to eat well, exercise well, have friends to have pets — to do all the things that make you happy as you get older. So that's what I'm all about," Stewart said.
However, she did also credit her genes for her great physique.
"My mom was my role model. After four kids, she was still wearing a two-piece bathing suit. And she still had two more after that and she was still wearing a two-piece bathing suit, so that's pretty fabulous. My genes are good," the cover star added.
Reflecting on the shooting process, the 81-year-old deemed the experience as "fun," saying: "I mean, they were prodding me and pinching me and pouring water all over my head! ... There's no tricks. They tell you you look okay. That's nice. They sort of reinforce that it's okay to be doing what you're doing."
The Housekeeping Handbook writer also had some advice for others, telling them to not let fear take hold of their lives - instead, they should say "yes" more.
"When you're through changing, you're through. That's one of my mottos," Stewart said during the interview. "And so change is very good, evolution is very good, trying new things — being fearless is very good. Don't be afraid. Don't be afraid of anything."
"I hope [this cover] does give people, women especially, an opportunity to revisit their lives and get with the picture," she added.
Far too often women are subjected to scrutiny, especially when it comes to their physical appearances and this idea of "aging gracefully" but Stewart proved, as she has time and time before, that age is really but a number.
We stan!
