Raphael Mazzucco / Sports Illustrated
You’ve probably already seen her bikini-clad snapshot splayed across this week’s cover of Sports Illustrated, but NewsFeed wanted to see what was behind the pretty face. We gathered some of Irina Shayk’s intriguing thoughts from previous interviews.
On her beauty from head-to-toe:
“It’s just a body, and I believe in second life. What’s my life gonna be like next time if I’m not gonna have my face then?” (NY Post)
On the tough times:
“When I am in low spirits I like to write funny poetry.” (Modelinia)
On reincarnation:
“In my next life I want to come back as my dog. He has the best life! Right now he is on vacation in Miami.” (NY Post)
On her tiny hometown of Yemanzhelinsk, Russia:
“One can visit the coal mines, and that’s it, nothing else to see.” (Modelinia)
On details of her love life with soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo:
“You can ask but I wouldn’t respond.” (The Today Show)
On being just like the rest of us:
“Happiness is sometimes just staying in my bed, eating pizza and watching television all day!” (Sports Illustrated)
On seeing herself on this year’s SI cover:
“We Russians, we know all the secrets, but even I didn’t know I was landing on the cover … it was a total surprise for me.” (The Today Show)
(More on TIME.com: See the evolution of the bikini.)