The internet personality and the country singer were in a relationship for over a year before breaking up last fall.
Brianna “Chickenfry” LaPaglia “is not asking for anyone’s permission.”
The 25-year-old podcast host made her debut in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, gracing the cover of the January digital issue. For LaPaglia, the photo spread represents more than just a career milestone—it’s a personal triumph after her difficult breakup with ex-boyfriend Zach Bryan, with a bit of revenge thrown in.
On the shoot, LaPaglia said, “It is just, on a petty level, my favorite f— you.” She went on to explain, “This is me, and I wanted to do this, and now I’m on the digital cover.”
LaPaglia has been open about her past relationship with the country music star, describing it as emotionally abusive. She even claimed Bryan’s team offered her $12 million to sign a nondisclosure agreement after their breakup.
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The couple began dating in the summer of 2023 but split in the fall. LaPaglia shared that by speaking out about her experience, many women reached out to her to share their own stories of emotional abuse.
“During the hardest time of my life, it’s probably been one of the most rewarding experiences to help people in a way that feels much more meaningful than the content I used to create,” Brianna LaPaglia shared. “I know posting fun, lighthearted videos can be helpful and provide an escape, but being able to actually change lives, offer support, or give someone a shoulder to lean on—that’s just extraordinary.”
However, there are still social media users who doubt her story about Zach Bryan or accuse her of speaking out for publicity.
“I wish I could sit down one-on-one with each of my haters,” she said. “I’d say, ‘I wish you could see me for who I really am, not this distorted reflection on TikTok, where the algorithm feeds you only the negative. Once you’re on the negative side, that’s all you see.'”
LaPaglia also expressed frustration with TikTok and the potential U.S. ban, joking, “Pop a bottle of champagne! Let’s get rid of this horrible, hateful app.”
She added that she’s also done with hanging out with A-list celebrities.
“For a year, my life was about hanging out with famous people and doing extravagant things, but if anything, their lives seemed a lot worse than my family’s, who are just regular people, happy and alive.”
Reflecting on her relationship with Bryan, LaPaglia revealed that he made her feel like she needed to “dim herself down.”
“When I walk into a room, I want to talk to everyone,” she said. “At the beginning of our relationship, that became an issue. I was talking too much, being too much, and maybe not letting the spotlight be on him enough.”
Now, she feels like she’s rediscovered herself.
“I’m walking down the street, sparking up conversations,” she said. “I’m talking to the bodega guy for 20 minutes. I’m reconnecting with my hairdresser, where I used to just sit quietly. I’m finding that spark of life again, now that the person who felt like a constant doom cloud is gone.”
LaPaglia also recalled that she was supposed to host Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue’s 60th anniversary red carpet last year but backed out after Bryan called it “trashy.”
“This is so much more than just looking ‘hot’ in a swimsuit,” she said. “It’s about reclaiming who I am as a woman, my body, my choices. This cover represents me taking control of my life again. My body isn’t defined by that experience, and even though I’m not 100% there yet, this is me. This is for me, and it has nothing to do with anyone else.”
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