Padma Lakshmi Says She's 'Fully in Command' of Her Body as She Makes Daring Pirelli Calendar Debut (Exclusive)

On a chilly October day, I found myself in a studio-turned-art-gallery in downtown Manhattan to chat with Padma Lakshmi about a "bucket list" modeling gig she'd recently done.

Our interview started off with pleasantries about the weather, a conversation piece New Yorkers are all too familiar with. But, as we began to dive deeper into the details of her latest career move — a feature in the 2025 Pirelli Calendar — our conversation had become one of aging and body acceptance, sparked by the themes of the new fashion calendar: nudity and beauty.

Titled “Refresh and Reveal,” the 51st edition of the calendar — photographed by Ethan James Green and styled by Tonne Goodman — marks a return to the project’s past themes around sensuality, but in a way that is refreshing, personal and beautifully lensed. It also stars John Boyega, Jodie-Turner Smith, Hunter Schafer, Vincent Cassel, Simone Ashley and Jung Ho-yeon.

“I will tell you, I didn't feel that vulnerable, personally," Lakshmi, 54, tells PEOPLE of her photos, which see her modeling in a sheer T-shirt in the middle of Historic Virginia Key Beach Park in Miami. "I may have 30 years ago, but I am fully in command of my body and how I look."

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On set, Lakshmi felt like she was in "good hands," surrounded by a team that gave her space to feel comfortable during the shoot.

The process of achieving the perfect shot with Green was a memorable moment for her. "I had three of his assistants carry this giant piece of driftwood over and it looks heavier than it was. I had security detail to help, and I also had Ethan to humor me."

Lakshmi continues, "I really just was so happy to be a part of it and I felt beautiful. I felt cared for. I felt safe. I felt elegant. The pose in the water is really ... it’s one of serenity. I think that's how I feel at this point in my life, and that's a great feeling, which I didn't always have."

Lakshmi was so excited about the images, that she says she didn't hesitate to share them with her 14-year-old daughter, Krishna as soon as she got them. “I'm very happy to show her these photos. They're beautiful. I want her to see womanhood in all its stages, so I'm very free with my body at home. I'm also very honest and blunt with her, but I always have been in an age-appropriate way.”

While Lakshmi is at peace with her life right now, she's also "feeling great" in her 50s, a decade that has ushered in a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit debut, a lingerie collection and campaign with Bare Necessities (also shot my Green) and the release of The Best American Food and Travel Writing 2024, a collection of essays that she edited.

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“I'm here to tell younger women that you shouldn't be afraid of aging. You shouldn't be afraid that time is running out. You should know that it just gets better and better and better because you learn from life. You become experienced," she says.

"I wouldn't go back to my 20s if you made me a billionaire. Would I like the thighs of my 20s? Of course I would. I would also like my pre-breastfed boobs back, but that's okay. Those are small prices to pay for what I have gained in the interim. So, I'm going to enjoy all of my success as much as I can because it was hard to get here."