Inside Brooks Nader’s ‘crazy’ family bond as model goes topless with her dad despite strict religious upbringing

HAVING appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated, there is no doubt that Brooks Nader has a body worth showing off. And the 29-year-old model did just that when she stripped off on a family holiday to Sardinia, choosing to go topless in front the whole group, including her dad during a boat trip. Baywatch star Brook Nader, 29, was recently snapped soaking up the sun topless in front of her dad Credit: BackGrid The Sports Illustrated stunner was enjoying a lavish family getaway in Sardinia Credit: BackGrid After a lavish lunch at an exclusive restaurant, the family boarded their tender for a quick dip when Brooks stole the show, topping her tan topless. She showed no inhibitions as she topped up her tan in full view of her dad Breaux Nader who enjoyed a dip in the ocean. Sign up for the Showbiz newsletter Thank you! While the model – who has earned her more than 2million followers on Instagram, lucrative brand deals – is clearly comfortable in her own skin now, it was not always the case. Brooks grew up in strict religious upbringing, admitting that her childhood had been a very conservative one. Brooks stole the show after ditching her top – despite her mum’s ban on showing off too much flesh Credit: BackGrid Since making her Sports Illustrated debut in 2020, the 29-year-old has become one of the most sought-after models Credit: Splash Brooks with her parents before she found fame decades later Credit: instagram/brooksnader Brooks (centre) with her sisters Mary Holland, Grace Ann, and Sarah Jane Credit: instagram/maryhollandnader Brought up in sleepy Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Brooks never imagined she would one day be dubbed the next Pammy. When she was young, her dad Breaux Nader earned the equivalent of £10,000 a year working for a Christian sports organisation while Brooks’ mum Holland was a school nurse. “For the majority of our childhood, my dad was working for a non-profit, and my mom was at home with the babies,” Nader recalled. “We didn’t have a lot of money. We really just had each other and had to be self-entertaining. I wouldn’t trade that upbringing for the world.” Most read in Fabulous Brooks has previously told of growing up with her three sisters – Mary Holland, Grace Ann, and Sarah Jane – revealing: “We had humble beginnings, living on my grand-parents’ property in a small, two-bedroom house. “We are close in age — all four of us are five years apart — so we entertained ourselves and played in mud piles. “Being Southern, we were into bows, hair and smock dresses. My mum thought it was adorable. “We went to church every Sunday at 8am in our dresses and bows and stayed for three hours. “Dad worked for the Fellowship Of Christian Athletes and had four daughters when he was 25. “He made $12,000 a year. Our whole upbringing was centred around Christian camps, sports and Christianity.” The glam Nader sisters – (L-R) Sarah Jane Nader, Mary Holland Nader, Brooks Nader and Grace Nader Credit: Getty Brooks also appeared on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars where she was paired with Gleb Savchenko Credit: Disney Speaking on Olivia Attwood’s Olivia’s House podcast, Brooks added: “There wasn’t any alcohol, there wasn’t any cursing. “We did everything as a family, so I feel that bonded us in a crazy way.” Despite being raised “extremely Christian and extremely conservative,” Brooks was obsessed with Hollywood and fashion, and would sneak off to read magazines while in the grocery store – where she would also rip out the photos of Britney Spears and Paris Hilton before pinning them to her walls. The model, who split from Taron Egerton earlier this year, said she “always found myself getting in trouble” for this. “My mum would get so angry and be like, that’s a life of sin. That’s not fulfilling. I thought it was a fairytale.” The Love Thy Nader star always fantasized about pursuing her big-city dreams but told Maxim magazine her religious parents were “totally against” the idea. “I always wanted to express myself and I wanted to look sexy. I fantasized about living in L.A. or New York, but it seemed worlds away. I also had to toe the line because of where I’m from.” Nader went to Tulane University on a full-ride scholarship and after someone said they could connect her with a model scout, the then-18-year-old saw the early inklings of a new path. “I called my parents and said, ‘I’m moving to the Hamptons for the summer!’ They were totally against it, but I moved and got a finance internship all on my own.” After she got connected with an agent, Brooks subsequently called her parents to announce her grand plans – that she was to drop out. “They said, ‘This is the dumbest thing you could ever do.’” And for a while, perhaps, it was. During her early years in New York City, taking trains to shoot images for lingerie websites in freezing cold Brooklyn and New Jersey warehouses paid then aspiring model “very little money”. But looking back at her journey, Brooks believes it taught her grit and resilience. “I’m thankful and grateful for those jobs to this day; they kept me afloat. You can’t wait for other people—it’s all up to you. You have to put in the work, go do it, and see the vision for yourself.” Comment now