Addison Rae at 2026 Grammy Awards
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Addison Rae is going viral again, but this time, it’s not for a new project. Instead, older bikini photos of the social media star from a trip to Italy have resurfaced online, quickly reigniting conversation around her body and appearance. The candid shots show Addison walking along a rocky seaside in a simple black bikini, keeping things minimal and natural. While the images aren’t new, that didn’t stop social media from treating them like a new drop, and the reactions came pouring in.

Fans Split Over Addison Rae’s Bikini Moment

Addison Rae at Variety's 2024 Power Of Young Hollywood
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As the photos made their rounds again, the internet wasted no time weighing in, and opinions were all over the place. Some users took a critical approach, with one comment reading, “She has gained a bit of pounds, nahh,” while another bluntly wrote, “Overrated and overweight. Some women wear their weight well. Addison Rae does not.”

Others, however, praised the look for being refreshingly real. “Finally, I see a celeb whose body type I actually have. She looks stunning,” one fan shared, while another added, “The most natural body I have ever seen.”

One comment summed up the sentiment many were feeling: “A real body,” while another defended the moment entirely, writing, “Hot as f-ck. The belly means nothing; in this instance, it actually adds character.”

See The Photos!

While the resurfaced photos have once again put her at the center of online chatter, Addison Rae has been open about the complicated relationship she’s had with social media, even long before fame.

She’s previously shared that she joined Instagram at just 11 years old, admitting she had “no idea” what she was doing at the time and posted whatever came to mind. Drawing inspiration from early Tumblr culture, Rae said she still views social media as a kind of creative outlet, something you learn as you go, with the goal of simply having fun.

Addison Rae Opens Up About The ‘Toxic’ Side Of Social Media

Addison Rae at 2026 Grammy Awards
ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA

But that same platform that launched her career hasn’t always been easy to navigate. Rae has acknowledged the darker side of online fame, calling social media “toxic” at times and describing the constant criticism as an uphill battle.

“The comments can be so cruel,” she’s told ELLE, noting how surprising it is that people feel comfortable saying harsh things behind a screen. Ultimately, Rae believes the negativity often says more about the commenter than the person being targeted, adding that if more people focused on self-love, there would be far less judgment directed at others.

Rae Gets Real About Body Acceptance

Addison Rae at Spotifys 2026 Best New Artist Party
Tammie Arroyo / AFF-USA.com / MEGA

Rae has also been candid about her journey toward body confidence, admitting it didn’t happen overnight. While she says she feels comfortable in her skin now, getting to that point took time, growth, and a lot of self-work.

She’s acknowledged that learning to embrace the parts of yourself that others may criticize can be especially challenging, but it’s also where real confidence begins. For Rae, body acceptance hasn’t been about perfection; it’s been about choosing to love herself anyway, even when outside voices try to say otherwise.

Addison Rae Says Confidence Is The Real ‘Sexy’

Addison Rae at Spotifys 2026 Best New Artist Party
CraSH/imageSPACE / MEGA

For Rae, it’s never just been about clothes or appearance; it’s about what you project. She believes confidence and energy play a much bigger role, describing “sexiness” as something that comes from within and shows up in how you carry yourself, speak, and move through the world.

At the core of it all is staying authentic. Rae has made it clear that trusting her own instincts has guided her career from the start, and she has no plans to change that. For her, the real power move is sticking to who you are, no matter what outside voices might say.