Olivia Dunne is grateful to have fellow superstar influencer Paige Spiranac in her corner.
In a new interview with Sports Illustrated Swimsuit — where the LSU gymnast will be making her debut in the 2023 issue — Dunne opened up about the support she received from Spiranac in light of a controversial New York Times piece about her meteoric rise.
“Paige is just so great at showing that you can be beautiful and athletic and successful at the same time, so it just really is awesome to have someone like her stand up for me and be on my side,” Dunne said.
The 20-year-old Dunne was highlighted by The New York Times in November as part of a feature chronicling her growing social media profile and bottom line.
The piece, entitled “New Endorsements for College Athletes Resurface an Old Concern: Sex Sells,” wasn’t well-received by Dunne, who hit back at the publication on Instagram.
“Is this too much?” Dunne wrote at the time, tagging The Times’ Instagram handle alongside a snap from the photoshoot.
Spiranac, who has combated critics over the years, immediately backed Dunne on Twitter.
“I’m so sick of women belittling accomplishments of other women because it’s done differently than they would,” Spiranac tweeted.
“@livvydunne is getting hate for making 2 million a year. She’s built a successful business (at 20) all while being a student-athlete. That’s badass.”
With more than 11 million followers across Instagram and TikTok, Dunne is regarded as one of the most influential collegiate stars and the NCAA’s highest-earning female athlete.
And while the New Jersey native frequently shares playful videos and smiling selfies on her pages, there are certain elements of her life she’s chosen to keep off the grid, much like Spiranac, 30.
“That’s something that [she] kind of helped me with … just keeping certain parts of your life private,” Dunne said.
“Making sure not to post certain things that maybe you don’t want people’s feedback on.”
A fellow Sports Illustrated Swimsuit alum, Spiranac boasts nearly four million Instagram followers as the platform’s “OG Insta golf girl.”
Though dealing with online trolls is an unfortunate part of the influencer game, Dunne told Sports Illustrated Swimsuit she tries her best to focus on the positive.
“I really appreciate all the positive comments and feedback, especially from girls and people who reach out and tell me how much respect they have for gymnastics and the hard work I’ve put in so far,” she said.
