Brianna ‘Chickenfry’ LaPaglia stuns as SI Swimsuit cowl mannequin
Brianna “Chickenfry” LaPaglia is popping a brand new web page personally and professionally.
On Wednesday, the Barstool Sports activities persona made her Sports activities Illustrated Swimsuit debut as a canopy mannequin for the publication’s January 2025 digital situation, the place she spoke about “reclaiming” herself following a messy breakup with nation singer Zach Bryan final fall.
“It’s much more than me trying quote-unquote sizzling in a swimsuit — it’s me reclaiming who I’m as a lady, reclaiming my physique and my choices and my decisions. This cowl is me being me once more and taking management of my life. That is my physique; my physique isn’t that have, and regardless that I’m not 100% in it proper now, that is me. This doesn’t have something to do with anyone else,” the 25-year-old LaPaglia mentioned.
First linked in 2023, Bryan revealed in October of final 12 months that he and LaPaglia had parted methods by way of a social media announcement — one thing that caught LaPaglia abruptly.
“I simply woke as much as Zach posting on his Instagram that we broke up, and I had no concept that submit was going up,” an emotional LaPaglia expressed in a YouTube video.
“He didn’t textual content me, he didn’t name me.”
Shortly after the cut up, LaPaglia alleged Bryan supplied her $12 million if she signed a non-disclosure settlement prohibiting her from discussing their relationship.
“After every little thing was executed, I used to be approached by [Bryan’s] workforce and I used to be supplied some huge cash, an enormous lump sum of cash and some choices,” she mentioned on a November 2024 installment of the “BFFs” podcast with Barstool founder Dave Portnoy and Josh Richards.
LaPaglia, who additionally accused Bryan of emotional abuse, spoke to Sports activities Illustrated Swimsuit about what it means to regain her confidence.
“Once I stroll right into a room, I need to discuss to everybody. When the connection first began, that grew to become an issue for him; I used to be speaking an excessive amount of or I used to be being an excessive amount of, and possibly the highlight was not on him sufficient. That’s how he made me really feel: Oh, I have to dim myself down,” she defined.
“I’m strolling down the road, I’m on the crosswalk—I’m sparking up a dialog. I’m within the bodega, speaking to the bodega man for 20 minutes too lengthy now. I’m lastly speaking to my hairdresser once more, the place I used to only sit within the chair. I’m discovering that little spark of life again in myself now that one person who felt like a doom cloud over me always is gone.”
On being the latest addition to the SI household, LaPaglia — who shot on-location in LaQuinta, Calif. — isn’t mad about sticking it to her ex.
“It’s simply, on a petty stage, my favourite f— you. That is me, and I wished to do that, and now I’m on the digital cowl,” she mentioned.
Weeks earlier than her digital cowl reveal, LaPaglia spoke candidly about closing the “worst f–king” chapter that was 2024 and looking forward to new beginnings.
“On a critical word this 12 months did change my life for the higher, taught me greater than I might have ever imagined and actually formed me as a lady,” she posted on Instagram on Jan. 1.
“The misfortunes we’re met with all through life are all the time tangled with consolations.”
