If you were watching TV in the mid-90s, you knew the red swimsuit. It was everywhere. But before she was saving lives as Donna Marco on the shores of Malibu, Donna D'Errico in Playboy was the story everyone was talking about. It wasn't just another pictorial. Honestly, it was a total career pivot that most people don't actually remember the details of today.
She wasn't some Hollywood legacy. Far from it.
D'Errico was actually running a limousine company in Las Vegas when a scout spotted her. Imagine that. You’re just out buying groceries or managing a fleet of cars, and suddenly you're being asked to pose for the most famous magazine in the world. She said yes, and the rest is basically history.
The September 1995 Breakthrough
The big moment happened in September 1995. That's when she officially became the Playmate of the Month.
Photographed by Richard Fegley, her centerfold was an instant classic. It’s the kind of shoot that felt timeless even back then—very soft lighting, very classic "girl next door" energy, but with that specific 90s edge. It worked. It worked so well that it didn't just stay on the newsstands; it acted as her literal calling card for the biggest show on the planet.
Within months of that issue hitting the stands, she landed the role on Baywatch.
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Think about the speed of that. One minute you're a business owner in Vegas, the next you're a global icon. The show even leaned into her real-life history. They actually wrote an entire episode around her character's Playboy layout. Talk about meta.
That Second 1996 Cover and the Baywatch Peak
Most people forget she did it twice in a very short span. By November 1996, she was back on the cover. This time, she wasn't just a newcomer; she was the "Baywatch Babe."
The 1996 appearance solidified her status. She was arguably at the peak of her fame, married to Mötley Crüe’s Nikki Sixx, and starring in a show that was being broadcast to over a billion people. But the Playboy connection stayed with her.
Some celebs try to distance themselves from their "glamour" beginnings. D'Errico? Not really. She’s always been pretty open about how that platform gave her the life she has.
Why we are still talking about this in 2026
You'd think a magazine shoot from 30 years ago would be a footnote. It isn't. D'Errico has managed to stay incredibly relevant by basically refusing to age—or at least refusing to act like the world expects a woman in her 50s to act.
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Recently, she even tried to go back.
She actually reached out to Playboy to see about doing a 30th-anniversary shoot. She was feeling herself, looking great, and thought it would be a cool full-circle moment. But the magazine—which is a totally different beast now than it was under Hefner—basically told her they don't do that kind of thing anymore. Kinda wild, right? A legend wants back in, and they pass.
So, what did she do? She took control herself.
- She launched an OnlyFans in 2022.
- She started an AI chat experience called "Call Donna D."
- She constantly claps back at trolls who say she’s "too old" for bikinis.
It’s a masterclass in brand management. She realized that she didn't need the "bunny" brand to maintain the audience she built through it.
The Reality of the "Playmate Curse"
People love to talk about the "Playmate Curse"—the idea that posing for the magazine ruins your long-term career. For D'Errico, it was the opposite. It was a springboard.
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Sure, she’s had her share of tabloid drama. The divorce from Nikki Sixx was messy. Her search for Noah’s Ark on Mount Ararat (yes, that really happened) was a bit of a head-scratcher for the public. But through it all, she’s maintained a massive, loyal following.
She isn't just a "former model." She’s a businesswoman who knows exactly what her audience wants.
Honestly, the way she handles her legacy is pretty refreshing. She’s a devout Catholic, a mom, and a tech-savvy creator all at once. It’s a weird mix, but it’s her. She doesn't apologize for the Playboy years because they were the foundation.
If you're looking to follow her current journey or understand the "Donna D'Errico effect," here are a few things to keep in mind.
- Check the sources. If you're looking for her original 1995 or 1996 issues, they are huge collector's items now. eBay is usually the only place to find them in decent condition.
- Follow the "new" Donna. Her Instagram and OnlyFans are where she actually talks to fans. She’s way more interactive there than she ever was in the 90s.
- Don't believe the "too old" hype. D'Errico is basically living proof that the "expiration date" Hollywood tries to put on women is total nonsense.
The lesson here is basically that you can’t keep a good Playmate down. Whether she's in a magazine, on a TV screen, or on your smartphone, she’s still playing the game by her own rules.