FNM Exclusive: Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Model Ebonee Davis on the 'Sneaky' Way She Began Her Career
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}We often wonder how our favorite models end up in glossy magazines, but we gotta give points to Ebonee Davis for taking the most proactive approach we've heard so far.
"When I was 18 years old, as a senior in high school, I skipped class one day because I though it'd be interesting to go to a casting," says Ebonee, who appeared in 2016's Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. "So I went to an open-call casting at a local agency and they signed me."
"But I had to take the day off of school," she reiterates. "Sneakily."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Rather than skip out on more schoolwork, however, Ebonee started studying to be a mental-health physician at the University of Washington before moving to New York to model full-time — a move which really paid off when she earned a spot in the Swimsuit Issue.
"Being in Sports Illustrated means a lot to me. It's really a dream come true," says Ebonee, who appeared as a finalist in this year's Model Search. "There's so many iconic models who have been featured in the magazine, that it's an honor and a privelege to be amongst them."
"When I saw the images for the very first time, I sort of freaked out," adds Ebonee. "I saw them for the first time when everyone was seeing them. It was like, 'Wow. It's happening. It's real now.' It was incredible."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Watch the rest of Ebonee's interview above to find out why she "couldn't tell anybody" about her SI gig (not right away, at least), then keep scrolling for a look at her modeling shots and Sports Illustrated pics: