Trish Stratus Reveals Why She Rejected Playboy and How Vince McMahon Reacted

Trish Stratus may be remembered as one of WWE’s most iconic sex symbols, but that never meant she was interested in baring it all for Playboy. While Torrie Wilson, Sable, Chyna, Christy Hemme, and others posed for the magazine during their WWE runs, Stratus stayed firm—and now she’s explaining why.

Speaking on Pod Meets World, Trish admitted the offer came up more than once, and the pressure from WWE leadership—especially Vince McMahon—was intense.

“No, it’s just not for me,” she said when asked if she ever regretted turning down Playboy. “I’m like a Tomboy, even though I am known as a sex symbol, I suppose. That is not me. That is my character. It was not even an option. ‘That is not me.’”

Even the standard Divas Swimsuit issues made her uncomfortable. She described feeling awkward when WWE shifted toward lingerie photoshoots for the Divas Magazine, saying she tried to put her own spin on it just to cope with the situation.

“Even when I had to do lingerie stuff, it just wasn’t me. It was very put on. One time, they had these annual magazines called the Divas Magazine, which was our Swimsuit Magazine where we would go to exotic locations. I don’t know if it was budget cuts or ‘horny writer storylines,’ but suddenly, instead of the annual bikini issue, they wanted a lingerie issue and I was like, ‘Eww.’ I didn’t want to do it. It felt so silly to me, so I made this whole sports lingerie look.”

When Playboy officially came knocking, Trish stood her ground—even as Vince McMahon ramped up the pressure behind the scenes.

“When Playboy came along, I was like, ‘Absolutely not interested.’ Vince, oh my God, hounded me like crazy. He’s like, ‘It’s a great opportunity.’ I was shown during that time, ‘If you turn this down, we’re going to give your opportunity to her. Are you sure?’ ‘No, I still don’t want to do it. Thank you.’ They came to me for years and years, and I was like, ‘No.’”

Years later, Stratus says she has zero regrets—and she’s glad she stuck to her values.

“I do not regret it. It’s just not my thing. Now that I have a kid and everything, I can’t even imagine. That is my decision and I stand by it.”

Trish Stratus may have played a character that leaned into sex appeal, but behind the scenes, she remained true to herself—something fans continue to respect her for.

Do you think Trish made the right call by saying no to Playboy despite WWE’s push? Let us know your take in the comments.