FNM Exclusive: Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Model Ebonee Davis on the 'Sneaky' Way She Began Her Career

We often wonder how our favorite models end up in glossy magazines, but we gotta give points to Ebonee Davis for taking the most proactive approach we've heard so far.

"When I was 18 years old, as a senior in high school, I skipped class one day because I though it'd be interesting to go to a casting," says Ebonee, who appeared in 2016's Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. "So I went to an open-call casting at a local agency and they signed me."

"But I had to take the day off of school," she reiterates. "Sneakily."

Rather than skip out on more schoolwork, however, Ebonee started studying to be a mental-health physician at the University of Washington before moving to New York to model full-time — a move which really paid off when she earned a spot in the Swimsuit Issue.

"Being in Sports Illustrated means a lot to me. It's really a dream come true," says Ebonee, who appeared as a finalist in this year's Model Search. "There's so many iconic models who have been featured in the magazine, that it's an honor and a privelege to be amongst them."

"When I saw the images for the very first time, I sort of freaked out," adds Ebonee. "I saw them for the first time when everyone was seeing them. It was like, 'Wow. It's happening. It's real now.' It was incredible."

Watch the rest of Ebonee's interview above to find out why she "couldn't tell anybody" about her SI gig (not right away, at least), then keep scrolling for a look at her modeling shots and Sports Illustrated pics: