Valerie Bertinelli Embraces Nude Photo at 65 After Iconic Bikini Shoot

The actress says posing nude for her new book "feels better" than her famous 2009 green bikini cover

Published on Mar. 6, 2026

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Valerie Bertinelli, the 65-year-old actress, says posing nude for the cover of her new book "Getting Naked" "feels better" than her iconic 2009 PEOPLE magazine cover where she was photographed in a green bikini after losing 40 pounds. Bertinelli calls the nude photo "my stupid bright idea" but also says she had fun doing it, adding "if I can look good, do it." She notes that being "naked emotionally" was the most important part of the book, so she decided to "expose myself there too."

Why it matters

Bertinelli's decision to pose nude at 65 represents a shift in her self-acceptance and confidence, moving away from the pressure to conform to unrealistic beauty standards. Her honesty about her struggles with self-image over the decades has resonated with many of her fans, and this latest move showcases her embracing her body and age with a newfound freedom.

The details

Bertinelli says she had a "weird quirk" that if she's afraid of something, she'll "walk right through it," which led her to do the nude photo shoot. She notes that at 65, if she can "look good," she wants to "do it," adding "I'm never going to do it again but it was fun to try it once." The actress also discusses how her approach to exercise has changed, now focusing on functional fitness rather than just appearance.

  • Valerie Bertinelli posed nude for the cover of her new book "Getting Naked" in February 2026.
  • Bertinelli's famous green bikini cover for PEOPLE magazine was published in 2009.

The players

Valerie Bertinelli

A 65-year-old actress who has decided to pose nude for the cover of her new book "Getting Naked," a move she says "feels better" than her iconic 2009 green bikini cover for PEOPLE magazine.

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What they’re saying

“Part of me also feels like at this age, if I can look good, do it. And I don't know what I'm going to look like when I'm 80 but at 65 it looks pretty f---ing good. I think you're allowed to feel good about yourself. I have felt bad about myself for too many decades. I'm going to feel good about myself now.”

— Valerie Bertinelli (PEOPLE)

“Because getting naked emotionally was the most important part of the book, I thought 'Well, I might as well expose myself there too.'”

— Valerie Bertinelli (PEOPLE)

What’s next

Bertinelli's new book "Getting Naked" is set to be released on March 10, 2026 and is available for pre-order now.

The takeaway

Valerie Bertinelli's decision to pose nude at 65 for the cover of her new book represents a powerful statement of self-acceptance and a rejection of societal pressures to conform to unrealistic beauty standards as we age. Her honesty and vulnerability have resonated with many of her fans, and this latest move showcases her embracing her body and age with a newfound freedom.