Hayley Hasselhoff credits her dad for supporting her dreams of being a plus-sized model

Fans are used to seeing a topless David Hasselhoff, running in slow motion across the beach with a lifeguard’s buoy matching his red swim shorts. But in 2007, fans were shocked when a video emerged of him, topless on the floor, wearing a pair of jeans that were likely stained by the burger he sloppily crammed into his mouth.

Hasselhoff’s daughter Taylor Ann can be heard in the background, warning him that if alcohol is found in his blood, he’d be fired from his starring role in the Las Vegas production of The Producers.

The highly publicized events were sobering for Hasselhoff, who is now praised by his daughter Hayley for his support in chasing her dreams as a curve model.

Hayley Hasselhoff and David Hasselhoff during David Hasselhoff Honored with a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California, United States. (Photo by Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)

The epic burger episode was filmed when Hasselhoff, known as “the Hoff,” was at the tail end of a messy divorce (2006) with actor Pamela Bach, his wife of 16 years, also the mother to Taylor Ann and Hayley.

When the video of his drunken antics went viral, Hasselhoff’s visitation with his two daughters–Taylor Ann and Hayley who were 16 and 14 at the time–was temporarily revoked. In the same year, he was awarded primary custody of the two girls, after Bach reportedly tested positive for cocaine, and was intoxicated at Taylor Ann’s sweet 16 party, which was days after Hasselhoff’s incident.

Hasselhoff, now 70, is sober and living his best life with his much younger (by 27 years) wife, model Hayley Roberts.

The 1980’s heartthrob first gained popularity when, from 1975 to 1982, he appeared as Dr. Snapper Foster on Young and the Restless. Then when he starred on Knight Rider (1982 to 1982), he became a household name as Michael Knight, the crime fighter with his car KITT, driven by artificial intelligence, as his sidekick. His next major role was as Mitch Buchanan a Navy SEAL turned Lifeguard, on the hugely successful show Baywatch (1989 to 2000). Though his career as an actor slowed down, Hoff became a platinum recording artist in Austria and Germany, where he’s worshipped as a vocalist.

David Hasselhoff and Hayley Hasselhoff during David Hasselhoff and Family Departing LAX for New York – September 26,1996 at LAX in Los Angeles, California, United States. (Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)

It’s no surprise that his daughters followed in his footsteps.

Taylor Ann, 32, is a beautiful blonde bombshell who’s now working in luxury real estate. The former star of Rich Kids of Beverly Hills recently appeared on Listing Impossible (2020), a TV series that followed Taylor Ann as a realtor.

In February 2023, Taylor Ann had her father escort her down the aisle when she married Madison Fiore.

On her wedding day, Taylor Ann was a puddle of tears when she saw her dad. She said, “I think the reason I started crying is when I saw my dad, because he was just such a big light in my life. He’s also just so supportive and so loving.”

Hayley, 30, a plus-sized model, posted a photo of her and her older sister on the big day, with the caption, “Tay you’re not just my sister, you’re my best friend, my inspiration in empathy and my true partner in crime…What I love the most about our sisterly love is how protective we are of one another.”

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Growing up with parents, both of Baywatch fame, couldn’t have been easy for Hayley, who’s a fashion designer, actor, and an advocate for body positivity. Typecast as the big girl in a beauty-obsessed Hollywood, Hayley leaned on the support of her family to help her overcome challenges with body shaming and judgements over her weight.

Speaking with Yahoo Life, she explained, “I’ve always been curve–beautifully curve–but, you know, it came with its own set of challenges. I grew up in Los Angeles. The idea of society’s standard of beauty was not [curvy] at that time.”

In fact, her biggest role was in Huge (2010), a TV show about teenagers who are sent to “fat camp” to lose weight. Before that, she appeared as a child on two episodes of Baywatch and later had a cameo in the 2016 film Sharknado.

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 08: Hayley Hasselhoff attends the Remus Pre-Award Tea Time event at The Beverly Hills Hotel on March 08, 2023 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Paul Archuleta/Getty Images)

Hayley explained that both her dad and mom boosted her confidence, which led to her exploring a career as a curve model when she was only 14.

“I never, ever looked at it as, ‘Oh, look at their bodies’ or an idea of society’s standard of beauty. I’ve always had love and support from them about my body and celebrating my body.” She continued, “My mom and my dad are just so proud to see how far that I’ve come and how resilient I think that I am.”

Hayley also repeatedly expresses gratitude towards her dad, who she says allows her to be vulnerable and supported her dreams of being a plus-sized model. She said he told her, “This is something that you want to do, then you have to give it your 110 percent and never half-ass anything.”

And that is exactly what she did.

Carving out a space where she could flourish, Hayley broke down barriers as the first curve model to land the cover of a European Playboy, specifically Playboy Germany.

Proudly sharing the 2021 cover photo on her Instagram, Hayley wrote, “I am overcome with emotion around what this cover signifies for inclusivity and its greater purpose towards female empowerment.”

Hayley continued, “I feel empowered to be able to wake up and know that I get to live unapologetically myself. I hope to inspire women to face their fears of the unknown and to lead a life of purpose in which your body does not define you.”

It’s so great to see that David Hasselhoff’s daughters have grown into incredible, confident women.

Hayley is doing some amazing things by empowering women of all sizes, and we can’t wait to see what she does next! Tell us what you think about the Hoff and his daughters!