In the world of Hollywood, it seems that every rising star has a moment when they grace the cover of Maxim magazine – and Alyssa Milano and Kristen Bell are no exception. However, unlike many of their peers who saw these moments as career-defining, both actresses had a more complex relationship with their Maxim covers.
In the late 1990s, following its debut in the U.K., Maxim magazine gained significant popularity in the U.S., ultimately ranking among the top men’s magazines available. Straddling the line between male-oriented publications like fashion-focused GQ and adult-themed Penthouse, Maxim aimed to deliver content that was both engaging and consistently surprising, as suggested by its official slogan: “designed to enthrall, amuse, and continually astonish readers.
From its very beginning, one of the most eagerly awaited aspects of Maxim has been the famous actress gracing the cover of each edition. These women are often at the pinnacle of their careers. They conduct an interview for the magazine and participate in a photo shoot where they’re dressed quite minimally, with varying degrees of modesty, and numerous ones end up being featured in Maxim’s esteemed Hot 100 list annually.
In its most flourishing periods, which many would place around the late ’90s and early 2000s, a significant number of actresses graced the cover of Maxim magazine. While several were elated at the prospect, some later expressed reservations about their choice to appear in this men’s publication. It’s likely that there are some who posed for the magazine that you might not have expected.
Melissa Joan Hart
In October 1999, when Melissa Joan Hart was at the peak of her fame as Sabrina on “Sabrina, the Teenage Witch,” she appeared on the cover of Maxim magazine. The photoshoot showed Hart with messy hair, lounging on a couch in black lingerie with an unbuttoned top and lying on a bed with only a sheet loosely covering her body.
At the time when Maxim readers weren’t aware, Hart had an extraordinary night before the shoot, which she attended while still under the influence of Ecstasy. Soon after the photo session, during the premiere of her romantic comedy “Drive Me Crazy,” Hart was given some shocking news. As she shared on the Pod Meets World podcast, “My lawyer approached and said, ‘You did a photoshoot for Maxim magazine?’ To which I replied, ‘Yes, I did.’ They responded, ‘Well, you’re being sued and let go from your show.’
Initially, Hart believed her career might suffer due to the provocative photo shoot, but it was the sensational headline – “Sabrina, the beloved witch without an ounce of clothing!” – that sparked outrage. In her agreement with Archie Comics, Hart had promised not to appear as Sabrina Spellman in the nude. “I wasn’t planning to use this for promoting my film; it was meant to be about me,” she explained regarding the pictures. “I didn’t have any say in what they wrote on the cover.” Fortunately, Hart managed to keep her role and starred in the magical sitcom for another four years.
Hilary Duff
From 2001 to 2004, Hilary Duff became a household name among children, tweens, and teenagers due to her popular Disney Channel series “Lizzie McGuire” and romantic comedy “A Cinderella Story.” Just like many child stars, Duff desired to break free from her squeaky-clean image as she matured, eventually pursuing new opportunities to expand her career.
By 2009, Duff was significantly moving away from her Disney image. She starred in the independent film “According to Greta,” released the song “Reach Out” which was quite different from her early hits like “So Yesterday,” and graced the cover of Maxim’s January issue as part of their Young Hot Hollywood special edition. At 21, Duff told Maxim, “Mothers approach me and say, ‘Don’t ever change, you’re such a good girl.’ I am a good girl. But how can I say I won’t ever change?” She continued, “That’s impossible. And let me tell you, being a really good girl can sometimes work against you.
In another part of the interview, Duff talked about why she chose a drama like “According to Greta” instead of something light-hearted from Disney. She stated, “I believe my acting career could span longer than my singing career. I’ve been considering long-term prospects. ‘Greta’ is an independent film, which I appreciate. The character is obsessed with suicide, yet she’s funny, artistic, and endearing – qualities that resonate with me (except for the suicide part).” Since Duff prefers more mature roles, she was disheartened by the abandoned “Lizzie McGuire” reboot concept as it was deemed too explicit for Disney.
Amanda Bynes
Following her success on Nickelodeon’s “The Amanda Show,” Amanda Bynes moved on to become a prominent film actress, featuring in popular movies such as “Hairspray,” “She’s the Man” and “Easy A” from 2010. Interestingly, just before “Easy A” was released in theaters, Amanda Bynes, who was only 23 years old at the time, was titled “America’s Sweetheart” by Maxim magazine and graced their February cover. The photoshoot showcased two distinct styles of hers: a black lingerie set and a pink one with a white overlay.
In an exclusive interview with Maxim, Bynes shared her excitement about her first sensual photoshoot, saying, “I was wearing lingerie and heels, it was a blast! I felt sexy, yet classy, and it was a wonderful experience that made me feel more like a woman.
2010 saw the conclusion of Amanda Bynes’ acting career, as she expressed her discontent with her on-screen appearance in “Easy A” and announced her retirement via Twitter. She admitted to Paper magazine in 2018 that seeing herself on screen made her feel she should never appear on camera again, leading to an official Twitter retirement. In 2013, Bynes had a public breakdown and was put under the care of her mother through 2022 via conservatorship.
Danielle Fishel
Danielle Fishel became a familiar face on television sets nationwide every Friday evening during the ’90s, portraying Topanga Lawrence on “Boy Meets World”, a family-friendly show that was part of ABC’s popular “TGIF” schedule. Unlike many actors who grow out of their early roles as they age, Fishel cherished her fame as Topanga and reprised the character in 2014 for Disney Channel’s “Girl Meets World”, which aired for three seasons.
In April 2013, following the announcement of the spin-off series, Fishel was photographed for Maxim magazine’s cover, wearing a beige bra and blue cardigan, holding a vintage telephone to her ear. Another image from the photo shoot depicted her posing with a vacuum cleaner, dressed in a white bra and blue skirt.
As I reflected in an interview with Maxim (via The Hollywood Reporter), my “Boy Meets World” days hold just as much significance for me as they do for fans. For seven years, we invaded family living rooms every Friday. When I revisit old episodes, it’s like watching personal home movies, so I assume others feel the same way. ABC’s ‘TGIF’ lineup was likely the one night a week when parents and kids enjoyed TV together as one.
Jennifer Love Hewitt
Over a span of thirteen years, I found myself gracing the cover of Maxim a grand total of four times: once in November 1999, another in March 2005, one more in May 2009, and yet again in April 2012. To my delight, they bestowed upon me the title of their Sexiest Cover Girl of All Time!
Hewitt found excitement in posing for various stages of her life and career. During an informal chat with Maxim for her 2009 photo shoot, she expressed, “I feel like a Maxim girl, I enjoy it. It’s beneficial to me because I can display the three covers, representing different periods of my life, as the first one was when I was very young, the second one, I was still quite young, and the third one was when I turned 30. So, it will be nice to revisit these photos and say, ‘Look! I was attractive at various points in time.’
In a 2012 interview with Maxim (as reported by E! News), she openly disclosed her preferred body feature to highlight: her breasts, which she playfully suggested to USA Today that she would insure for $5 million if given the chance: “I’d say yes. Why not?
Lindsay Lohan
Lindsay Lohan, best known for her role in “Mean Girls,” made two appearances on Maxim’s cover, in September of 2007 and 2010. In her first appearance, she wore a few modest dresses. However, for the second time around, she chose a striking black-and-white striped bikini, which some interpreted as a hint towards her upcoming jail sentence.
That summer, I was preparing for a 90-day jail sentence due to multiple legal issues. These included attending an MTV Movie Awards afterparty while wearing an alcohol-monitoring device following my 2007 DUI arrest. Surprisingly, I served only 14 days in prison before being transferred to a rehab facility instead.
During her second Maxim interview at age 23, Lohan expressed optimism for a future free from negative media attention, stating her primary aim was “to concentrate on myself and my work, with the press focusing on the work I produce.” Despite subsequent years marked by more legal troubles, probation violations, and questionable tabloid stories due to her battles with addiction, Lohan ultimately managed to regain control of her life. Now a content wife and mother, she remains a formidable presence in Hollywood, reprising her role as Anna Coleman in the long-awaited “Freakier Friday” sequel. This project was proposed by her co-star, Jamie Lee Curtis, to Disney.
Cameron Diaz
In July 2003, the month when “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle” premiered, it was Cameron Diaz who graced the cover of Maxim for the first time. She was captured in a striking pose, wearing a white bikini amidst her co-stars Lucy Liu (who had a solo cover in September 2002) and Drew Barrymore.
Barrymore has never graced the cover of a magazine alone, but Diaz reappeared on Maxim after eight years as their June 2011 issue cover model. For her carwash cover shot, she donned an outfit reminiscent of the Wild West (a flannel top and low-rise denim shorts), yet inside photos portrayed her as a seductive educator, referencing the film “Bad Teacher” from that year. She shared with Maxim (through OK!) about her classroom appearance, which included a tight dress, glasses, and an apple. “I believe ‘sexy teacher’ is one of the most popular fantasies among men when it comes to costumes,” she said.
In her career, “Bad Teacher” was one of Cameron Diaz’s last movies before she took a break from acting. However, she has since returned to the silver screen for a Netflix comedy/action film titled “Back in Action,” and also provided voice-overs for Fiona in the upcoming “Shrek 5.
Milla Jovovich
Milla Jovovich, a Ukrainian-American actress who has become famous for her roles in numerous “Resident Evil” films and “The Fifth Element,” graced the cover of Maxim magazine in the U.S. for September 2009. Interestingly, the same photoshoot was also used for the Australian edition of the magazine in March 2012.
As a fan, I can share that the photos of Milla Jovovich in this spread are quite bold. Some images have her wearing a sleek black lingerie set, while others are more suggestive, reminiscent of Melissa Joan Hart’s daring cover, with just a white sheet to conceal the essentials. In an interview with Maxim, Milla shared that she had the freedom to wear as much or as little as she desired, and there were numerous dresses available if she wanted something more conservative. However, she chose to embrace her body and opted for lingerie and a sheet instead, stating, “I told them, ‘I do Vogue, alright? I’m not here to promote a designer – I’m here to show my body.’ Lingerie and a sheet, that was the goal.
In another part of the interview, when asked about being dubbed a “dream girl for geeks” due to her film roles, particularly the “Resident Evil” series, she expressed that she was fond of this label: “I really dig it! I think it’s fantastic because it suggests that intelligent men like me. Moreover, geeky guys are the ones who turn out to be cool in the end. In other words, wouldn’t anyone prefer to date a wise, rather than a dull athlete?
Shannon Elizabeth
In the late ’90s and early 2000s, Shannon Elizabeth was one of the most popular women, often referred to as the “it” girl. As a result of her popularity, she graced Maxim magazine’s cover not just once, but on three separate occasions: in January 2000, December 2003, and June 2008. Each time, Elizabeth opted for a distinctive appearance, moving from a beige corset to a white tank top and shorts, then to an off-white mini dress that subtly revealed her bra.
In an interview for Maxim Australia’s October 2020 edition, Elizabeth fondly recalled her three cover appearances, expressing nothing but appreciation. She stated, “Whenever I worked with Maxim, I was always confident that I would be in capable hands. I knew we’d have top-notch photographers, hair stylists, makeup artists, and costume designers. The results were always breathtaking!
In addition to the main topic, Elizabeth delved into several other areas during the interview. For instance, she talked about giving up meat, which role as an actress she enjoyed most – specifically Buffy from “Scary Movie”, and her heartfelt commitment to animal welfare through the Shannon Elizabeth Foundation.
Alyssa Milano
In March of 1998, Alyssa Milano was chosen as the cover model for Maxim magazine’s issue, aligning with the debut of “Charmed” on The WB. For the photoshoot, the actress from “Who’s the Boss?” donned tie-up leather trousers and a combination of black and white tank tops. Fast forward fifteen years, at the age of 40, while publicizing her new drama series “Mistresses,” Milano graced Maxim’s cover once more, this time flaunting white undergarments and an open blue flannel, revealing nothing beneath it in the July 2013 edition.
In a later interview with Maxim, Milano looked back at her days as a child star in the ’80s and the awkward situations that came with it. “It wasn’t strange because I didn’t know any better. I went through puberty like everyone else,” she explained (via The State Journal-Register). “What made me cringe was when the show would incorporate my personal experiences, such as ‘Samantha’s First Bra.’ It felt like, ‘Come on, guys, is this really necessary?’ But looking back, it’s a great reminder of that era!
Kristen Bell
By 2006, Kristen Bell had become widely recognized due to her role as the main character in “Veronica Mars,” a drama series that debuted two years earlier and spanned four seasons over a 15-year period. Following the trend for popular actresses, Bell graced the March 2006 cover of Maxim, modeling various types of black lingerie, occasionally with a black cardigan slipping off her shoulders.
Although some cover models, including Amanda Bynes and Jennifer Love Hewitt, viewed their Maxim appearances as once-in-a-lifetime chances, Bell felt nothing of the sort. In a 2009 interview with The Orange County Register, she openly admitted that she didn’t desire to participate in the photoshoot, but felt pressured to do so. “…I resisted it strongly at the time. You can’t imagine how much I resisted it. It came down to choosing the lesser of two undesirable options,” she explained.
In response to being asked about the reasoning behind her decision, Bell admitted that she had chosen to do the magazine shoot to avoid upsetting certain individuals and potentially damaging her career. She stated that although it was not a path she would normally take, she felt compelled to do so and tried to maintain a tasteful approach. Furthermore, she emphasized that unlike some other actresses in Hollywood, she did not view posing for Maxim as a required milestone in her career.
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2024-10-15 14:31