Carmen Electra is not ready to hand over her sex symbol crown. At 54, the actress and model is returning to «Playboy» three decades after becoming one of the magazine's most iconic cover stars, with a clear message for critics: age is not calling the shots.
Electra appears in the Summer 2026 issue of «Playboy», which is on sale now. She first appeared in the magazine in 1996 at age 24, and her new shoot features the «Baywatch» alum posing in fishnets. She also answered readers' questions about love as part of the issue.
Electra said she wants women to reject the idea that getting older means fading into the background. «Don't let anyone tell you you're too old,» she said. «That's a myth. You are living your own life. You're not living your life for other people. And honestly, if you're manifesting that, that's what it's going to be for you. You have to change your thought process. You have to start telling yourself every morning that you are beautiful, that you are good enough, that you look great. Whatever it is that you want to be, you can be that.»
Reflecting on her outlook, Electra said she read a number of books about Buddhism and remembered a lesson about never losing your inner child. «I've always been a bit childish,» she said. «So I always thought I was not going to lose it. I never want to lose that, and I'm not going to. I think the people who are older than me, who are still in this business and who I think are beautiful, have a youthful spirit. People will love you for being who you really, truly are.»
Electra admitted she never expected to return to «Playboy». «I just thought I was going to go with the flow of life,» she said with a laugh. But she decided that after posting revealing photos on Instagram, the opportunity was a natural fit. «It's Playboy. Playboy is so iconic,» she said. «So let's do it. And I'm so happy that I did.»
Getting camera-ready for the shoot was not the elaborate gym routine she originally planned. Electra said she had been busy and the team went straight into shooting, so she relied on daily neighborhood walks to make everything happen on time. She said she was happy with how the photos turned out and even happier with the reaction from fans.
Electra said she reads the messages she receives and has been flooded with support since news of her return spread. The response has not always been that way. She recalled that some people criticized her in the past, and she eventually learned not to take it personally. «I came to terms with that,» she said. «And once I came to terms with that, my followers changed a lot. Every once in a while, somebody will say something negative. I ignore it, whatever. For the most part, it's all about love.»
Electra has a tattoo on her wrist that reads love and says she has always tried to lead with love. She acknowledged that not every attempt to try something new on Instagram will be a hit, but her fans have supported her through it.
Confidence, she explained, comes from being busy. «I feel the most confident when I'm working, and I've been working a lot,» she said. «It's weird; you would think that by now I'd be over it. But I'm just not. I love it. And the more I work, the more confident I feel. When I'm in love, I feel confident. But I don't have someone in my life right now. But I'm still confident because I'm working.»
Electra now looks forward to the next chapter of «Baywatch». The series is being rebooted, with Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover model Brooks Nader set to star as series regular Selene. Fox announced the project in 2025, nearly 25 years after the original show ended in 2001.
She offered advice to the new cast, urging them to get into strong physical shape before filming. «My advice to the ladies is to be in the best shape of your life because you're really going to be out there on the water,» she said. «You're going to be running through the sand, diving through waves, jumping over waves and diving off boats. You're going to be doing some crazy stuff. So just get into your best shape and be ready.»
She also encouraged them to keep improving their swimming and to enjoy the challenge. «If the show is going to be anything like it was back in the '90s, it's really hard,» she said. «But you know what? I did a good job. You just have to be prepared for it and enjoy the ride because it's going to be so huge, hopefully all over the world again.»
Because she is happiest when she is working, Electra is not ruling out a return to the role that helped define her career. She said she would love to make an appearance in the upcoming «Baywatch» reboot.
