Camille Veronica Kostek (born February 19, 1992) is an American model, host, and actress. She appeared in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and was featured on the cover of the magazine's 2019 edition. Kostek is the Correspondent of the game show Wipeout on TBS, and in 2022 hosted NBC's Dancing with Myself. She also appeared in the film Free Guy (2021).
Early life and education
Kostek was born in Killingworth, Connecticut on February 19, 1992, to Alan, a general contractor, and Christina (née Decosta), a gym manager.
She is the eldest of four siblings, and is of
Polish Americans,
Irish Americans and Jamaican descent.
She started taking ballet lessons when she was three years old, and continued her training at Broadway Dance Center in New York City while competing nationally.
At Haddam-Killingworth High School in Higganum, Connecticut, she was a Cheerleading, lacrosse Varsity team captain, and host of her high school's broadcasting program. She majored in communications with a minor in business at Eastern Connecticut State University. She played lacrosse for Eastern before becoming a full-time member of its dance squad, and an anchor of its network show. Kostek is a certified barre instructor.
Career
Professional cheerleading
Kostek started her professional cheerleading career at age 19 with the Hartford Colonials of the United Football League.
In 2013, while a junior at university, Kostek made it to the roster of the National Football League's (NFL) New England Patriots Cheerleaders.
She landed the cover of its annual Swimsuit Calendar which was shot in
Saint Lucia in 2014.
She also joined the NFL Tour in China as Patriots ambassador.
Kostek was featured in advertising campaigns for
Patriot Place,
and served as spokesperson for the cheer team.
In her last game before retirement, she performed at the University of Phoenix Stadium in
Arizona for Super Bowl XLIX where the Patriots beat the
Seattle Seahawks on February 1, 2015.
Hosting
Kostek was a
Journalist for NESN's
Dirty Water TV from 2016 to 2017 covering travel as well as sports events, including
NASCAR.
Since 2018, she has hosted and
Correspondent for South by Southwest, the Super Bowl, the National Hockey League,
and
Music festival, as well as lifestyle,
red carpet and
events for
Maxim and
Sports Illustrated.
She has also co-hosted radio shows on SiriusXM.
Out of college, Kostek was offered a job on
ESPN's
Saturday Night Football, but turned it down for the opportunity to travel while modeling.
In September 2020, she was announced as on-field host of game show
Wipeout on TBS.
Modeling
Kostek's first modeling job was for a series of television commercials for boutique
Boutique in 2013 which aired on
MTV,
E! News, VH1, and ABC Family.
She joined her first
modeling agency in
Boston in 2015,
and became brand
Brand ambassador and model for
Benrus,
Equinox Fitness, and
Dune Jewelry.
Her early work consisted of print and television advertisements for brands like
Nissan,
New Balance, and Rebag.
Kostek did editorials for
Elle,
and appeared on the covers of
Ocean Drive,
BELLA,
Haute Living, The Improper Bostonian among others.
Kostek has done campaigns and ambassadorships for various clothing and Cosmetics brands. including L'Oréal, Victoria's Secret, and Clarins. She also did ad campaigns for fashion line Kittenish, and walked the runway for its Spring/Summer 2019 collection at New York Fashion Week. Kostek is a longtime model and ambassador for Reebok, headlining the brand's PureMove Bra and Nano X1 campaigns.
Kostek initially found difficulty securing modeling Modeling agency as agencies kept telling her she was not tall enough at 5'8", or thin enough at dress size 4/6. She submitted a video of her experience to the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue which was conducting an open casting call. She was scouted, and walked the runway for the SI Swimsuit Fashion Show during Miami Beach Swim Week in July 2017. The following month, she was photographed by Yu Tsai in Belize for the 2018 issue. Kostek was chosen from 5,000 open casting call candidates and won the inaugural Sports Illustrated Swim Search in March 2018. She walked the runway for Miami Beach Swim Week for the second time in July 2018, and closed the show the following year. The first model announced for the 2019 issue, Kostek shot in South Australia with photographer Josie Clough, and landed a solo cover in her official year as a rookie. Kostek has been called an "American Bombshell" and sex symbol for her blonde hair, blue eyes and curves. Connecticut Magazine named her in their "40 under 40" list of influential people of 2018, and she was included in Maxim's Hot 100 list of Sexiest Women in the World in 2019.
Acting
Kostek made her film debut with a
cameo appearance in STX Entertainment's 2018 comedy
I Feel Pretty starring
Amy Schumer.
This was followed with a supporting role in 20th Century Studios's science fiction film
Free Guy (2021) with
Ryan Reynolds.
She played Portia in the
Tubi original film
Classmates (2023).
Other ventures
Since 2018, Kostek designs her namesake
Jewellery collections for
Dune Jewelry.
In 2020, she released a clothing and accessory collection inspired by her trademark phrase "Never Not Dancing" with Shine the Light On, proceeds of which benefit mental health charities.
Her body-inclusive
swimsuit and
Casual wear collection Swimsuits For All was released on May 3, 2021.
Kostek toured U.S. universities and colleges in 2019 for her "Own It" Tour, where she gave talks on
self-acceptance and
body image.
Personal life
Since 2015,
Kostek has been in a relationship with American football player
Rob Gronkowski.
They
Cohabitation in Foxborough, Massachusetts, and Tampa, Florida.
Filmography
Film
|
2018 | I Feel Pretty | Hostess | Extra | |
2021 | Free Guy | Bombshell | | |
2023 | Monsters of California | Meg | | |
2023 | Classmates | Portia | Tubi original film | |
Television
|
2018 | Sports Illustrated Swim Search | Self / Winner | | |
2019 | NHL Awards | Self / Presenter | | |
Ridiculousness | Self | | |
2020 | Fashionably Yours | Sam | Hallmark Channel television film | |
Kirby Jenner | Self | Episode: "A Jennerous Gift" | |
NHL Pause: Post to Post | Self / Host | | |
2021 | Beat Shazam | Celebrity player | Episode: "Beat Shazam Celebrity Challenge!" | |
Entertainment Tonight | Self / Guest co-host | 6 episodes | |
Love, for Real | Emily | Hallmark Channel television film | |
2021–present | Wipeout | On-field host | 25 episodes | |
2022 | Is It Cake? | Judge | Episode: "Fake by the Ocean" | |
Dancing with Myself | Host | 8 episodes | |
2023 | Ridiculousness | Self | | |
Music videos