Behind The Scenes with Miss July 2015 Kayla Rae Reid | Playmates!
After a rocky year, Ryan Lochte is ending 2016 on a high note.
Two months after popping the question to playboy model kayla rae reid, the Olympic swimmer has revealed that they are expecting their first child together. Lochte, 32, shared the exciting news on Instagram with an underwater photo, naturally.
Kayla posted an announcement of her own, sharing a different picture of the Olympian kissing her belly. Lucky us!
Ryan and Kayla began dating earlier this year. She was cheering him on at the Summer Games in Rio, where Lochte falsely claimed he was robbed at gunpoint. The Dancing With the Stars contestant said the Olympic controversy only made their bond stronger.
Through everything thats happened, weve established ups and downs [that] most people establish in a relationship in 20 years. We did it in a matter of almost a year, Lochte told ET. She stuck right there by me and just was my rock. Thats when I knew. I was like, Im not letting this one go."
He continued, This is what Ive been wanting my entire life: to have a family of my own and to find that right one. I finally found her and Im just so excited!
Spend Some Time At The Beach With Miss July 2015 Kayla Rae Reid
Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte, 32, has an idea for a viral video.
"So, the d**n Daniel thing with the white Vans I wanted to do something just making fun of it, but with Speedos, being like, d**n, Ryan! d**n, Ryan!" And have all these different pictures of me in Speedos, and then at the very end, have a white Speedo, and be like, d**n, Ryan! Back at it again with the white Speedo!"
His fiance, Kayla Rae Reid, 25, thinks Lochte has missed his chance. "The d**n Daniel thing is old now, right?"
I agree that in internet time, d**n Daniel is as fresh as a fossil. Then again, I ask Lochte, "What else are you doing?"
He grins and shrugs. "Nothing."
Lochte has been enjoying time in the cozy Charlotte, North Carolina, house he shares with Reid and his two dogs, Yeezy (yes, as in that Yeezy), a French bulldog puppy, and Carter, a 9-year-old Doberman Pinscher. Soon, the couple will move to Los Angeles, where they hope to pursue opportunities in reality television or film. Lochte plans to compete in the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, but he knows his swimming career won"t last forever, and he wants to try to find something to do when it ends.
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"I could go into acting, who knows?" he says. He tells me he recently shot a short scene for a movie, the title of which he hasn"t been told, where he plays a random guy in a bar who hits on Sharon Stone and asks her to dance. She turns him down, which was a giant relief, actually, because then he didn"t have to dance on camera. Just over a week before our interview, he was let go from Dancing With the Stars, where he learned that, despite being a world-class athlete, he can"t just become Magic Mike tomorrow.
"Dancing is a lot harder than it seems," he says. "I spent my entire life in the water, not on land. And so being graceful and everything on land, and being in dance shoes I was a fish out of water."
Establishing an on-screen career would be difficult for even the few Olympic athletes of our time who are more famous than Lochte. How many, outside of Caitlyn Jenner, can you name who have gone on to successful careers in entertainment, much less anything? Lochte faces the added, considerable challenge of remaking his image following his "over-exaggerated" claims that he and his teammates were robbed at gunpoint in Rio de Janeiro, one of the year"s biggest celebrity scandals, and one that made Lochte a face of white male privilege in America.
Over the course of the latter half of the Rio Olympics, Lochte was one of the world"s biggest news stories: First, he told his mom and NBC"s then-correspondent Billy Bush that he was robbed at gunpoint during a night out with his teammates, validating many foreigners" greatest fears that Rio was a dangerous city unfit to host the games. The story took a sharp, fast turn when the media began unspooling Lochte"s apparent tapestry of lies: After his interview with Bush, security camera footage emerged of Lochte and his teammates arriving back at the Olympic Village after their night out, in possession of their wallets and credentials, looking jovial and unshaken; reports then surfaced that the swimmers had voluntarily stopped at a gas station, urinated on the property, and damaged a sign and the bathroom before armed security guards stepped in, forcing the swimmers to pay for the damage. Brazilian authorities recommended pressing charges against Lochte, who left the country before the world learned his statements about that night weren"t entirely truthful and before he could provide testimony to a judge. Overnight, Lochte went from being one of America"s hottest, goofiest, most-loved athletes that adorably foolish hottie who really should have known better about the effects of chlorine on bleached hair to the object of his home nation"s collective mortification and disgust.
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What Americans and the world didn"t know at the time was that he wasn"t going through this alone. Reid, who met Lochte in January and moved in with him in March, had been by his side the entire time. She was in the stands for every one of his competitions and continued living with him in his Charlotte home after Rio. They didn"t leave the house for a full week after returning to Charlotte, since news vans and paparazzi were "everywhere," Reid says. "People knocking on the door nonstop."
From "7 a.m. to, like, 10 at night," Lochte adds. "She saw my life pretty much going up in flames."
Though the press had noticed, thanks to Reid"s and Lochte"s social media posts about one another, that the two might be an item, the couple decided to keep their relationship officially private so any headlines about Lochte coming out of Rio would relate to his swimming, not his love life. But when Lochte and Reid got off the plane in L.A. coming back from Rio, paparazzi were there to greet them. She told reporters she stood by her man.
"If she posted anything on Instagram, she was getting hate comments," says Lochte, who admits he feared she would leave him. "But she was like, "f**k this, I dont care. Im with you no matter what.""
Locked in the house for those six or seven days, Reid did everything she could to keep Lochte off the internet and away from the television. He"d pick up his phone and she"d take it away.
"You kind of felt violated, in a way," Reid says. "Yes, he did let down a lot of Americans, and Brazilians as well, but at the same time, it felt like it was a murder case or something. It was something just completely, I dont know, catastrophic."
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Reid doesn"t feel disappointed in Lochte. "You train for four freaking years four years! I dont even know what Im doing in a week," she says. "Ill be like, "OK, one month, no drinking," or something like that. Im like, s**t, every day, this is so hard. So imagine just thinking, "I want to go in front of millions of people" its one of the most-watched things in the world "and put myself out there and compete." And then you go out and celebrate one night, and one thing happens, and all the walls just come shattering down. You want to get on your knees and just cry and wonder why."
Lochte did just that. "I was like, "What am I doing here? I should just die and end this." I was getting death threats," he recalls. "It was just the darkest point in my life. I was like, "Im just never going to come out, never.""
Lochte and Reid are aware of the argument that the consequences would have been far worse for Lochte if he weren"t a white man but Reid doesn"t think that take is totally fair. Its just a hard topic, she adds. "I truly hate racial tension. It really hurts my heart and it sucks."
Lochte is more evasive on the subject. "For me personally, it sucked," he says of the aggregate criticism he received after Rio. "Not only was it affecting me, it was affecting [Reid], my family I mean, it was affecting everyone." He largely blames the media for leading the charge against him. [They] made it 10 times worse than it really was, he says, recalling one particularly stinging headline: The Ugly American.
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"I do anything and everything for red, white, blue, and to be like, "Youre a disgrace, like, You dont care" its like, what?" Lochte, who has no desire to find himself squarely in the center of national controversy again, would not tell me who he supported in the presidential election, which took place two days before we meet. But he admitted he did not vote. (In a statement via his publicist after our interview, he added, "I didnt vote in this years election not because I didnt want to, but because I failed to get an absentee ballot on time from my home state. With everything that was happening between training for the Olympics, the drama, the change of living location, and my work, I simply missed the deadline.")
Reid also wouldn"t discuss her political views with me in person, but she has been somewhat vocal about them on Twitter. "If Hilary [sic] couldn"t handle Benghazi she wouldn"t be able to handle America," she wrote Nov. 9. With frustration, she admitted she did not vote either since she was registered in California, and, due to a paperwork snafu, was not able to obtain an early voting ballot before flying to Charlotte.
Getting through the week after Rio with Reid by his side helped Lochte realize he wanted to propose. The two met in January in Los Angeles nightclub Bootsy Bellows after matching on Tinder (they followed each other on social media before that). The club was packed that night, but they recognized one another as his group of guys and her group of girls passed each other in the VIP section.
"We did that double-take like, "Oh my gosh, its you,"" Lochte says, looking at Reid, seated next to him at his dining room table. "And then we reached out and grabbed each others hands."
They didn"t hang out that night but got together the next day for drinks before continuing on to another nightclub, where they took in a Justin Bieber performance.
Lochte had to go back to Charlotte to continue training for the Rio Games, but he and Reid talked constantly over the phone, FaceTime, and text. "The biggest thing we connected on was our life morals and goals," Reid says.
Due to his training schedule, Lochte couldn"t travel to see Reid in L.A. By March, she sold her stuff, leased her apartment, and hopped a flight to Charlotte, so she could move in with him while he was training. She describes the move as "the biggest risk" of her life. She told him she would take it under one condition: "I was like, "You better find me a good trainer.""
Lochte continued his 30- to 35-hour-a-week training regimen: He"d get up and train for two hours, come home for lunch, and then return to practice. "He was busy. Literally, I would just cook and clean, basically like a housewife," she says. (She did get out of the house to work out with her trainer though.)
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Then came Rio and the ensuing chaos. Paparazzi knew Reid was in the house with Lochte. They would follow her to the gym just a short drive away.
"People were saying, Oh, you know, a Playboy models with him," she says. "I don"t like the term "Playboy model.""
I ask what bothers her about it.
"I"m not a Playboy model. I"m a centerfold," she explains. "Once youre a centerfold, youre a centerfold for life. I have a month designated for me. No one can take that away. I am Miss July 2015 like, thats it."
Lochte has chosen not to look at Reid"s Playboy photos. "I don"t want to see her as just that," he explains. "Theres more depth [to her]."
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Reid is looking for work opportunities outside of modeling, which she describes as "such a rough, harsh industry," in no small part because of the constant pressure she felt to lose weight. "Theres only so much you can take," she says. "I cant eat freaking celery every single day and go work out." She wants to live a life where she doesn"t have to worry if she eats a slice of pizza. (Lochte says she "has to" eat pizza now, since, as part of a family tradition since he was 8 years old, he eats pizza and wings every Friday.) "Im in that transitional phase where Im having my quarter-life crisis," she says. "Like, what now?"
Well, there are a lot of possibilities. She"s considering writing a cookbook. She and Lochte will continue pursuing a reality show about their relationship, possibly beginning it with a drive across the country to start their new lives in L.A. And Lochte wants to travel around the country in a bus together the kind rock stars have and teach swim clinics to kids.
And of course, they"re working on planning their wedding. They haven"t decided on much yet: They would like to do it in California on the beach next year, any time between August and December; they want a small ceremony and a giant party afterward; Reid wants "a few" dresses to wear throughout the day. Michael Phelps and his family will be invited though Lochte says they"re "not that close we"re more teammates."
One thing Lochte does know is that he wants to be heavily involved in the planning process. Reid taught him how to use Pinterest, "but Im not good at it," he says. He expresses excitement at choosing flowers.
"My favorite flower is that orange one," he says.
"Orange one?" Reid looks at him, confused.
"It"s like a tangerine."
"Tangerine is a fruit."
"No, it starts with a "T.""
"Tulip?"
"No."
"Maybe it doesnt start with a "T,"" Lochte says as he Google Images orange flowers on his phone.
"This one," he says, showing me his search results. I inform him that his favorite flower does not start with a "T" at all but is, in fact, a lily.
"I just love it," he says wistfully, gazing at his phone. "I just think it looks so pretty."
Hair and makeup: Bryce Carey
Ryan Lochte and Kayla Rae Reid are part of Cosmopolitan.coms list of 2016"s most fascinating people on the internet. See the rest of the list:
1. The Culpeppers
2. Huda Kattan
3. Simone Biles
4. Jerika and Jen Bolen
5. Joanne the Scammer: Branden Miller
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6. Spencer and Heidi Pratt
7. Makela St. Fort
8. Janice Joostema
9. #MrStealYourGrandma: Irvin Randle
10. Russian Leo: Roman Burtsev
11. Dicks Out For Harambe: Brandon Zaboklicki and Brandon Wardell
12. Chewbacca Mom: Candace Payne
13. The d**n Daniel Boys: Daniel Lara and Josh Holz
Related: 6 Things You Didn"t Know About Ryan Locthe"s Relationship With Kayla Rae Reid
The Olympic swimmer and current Dancing With the Stars competitor announced his engagement to Playboy model Kayla Rae Reid on Sunday night.
He posted a photo of the two kissing, with a view of the ocean as a backdrop, on both Instagram and Twitter. The photo was shot at an angle that showed Reid"s engagement ring.
Lochte was embroiled in a scandal this summer after it was revealed that he lied about being robbed at gunpoint along with three other swimmers while they were in Brazil for the Olympics.
During the premiere of ABC"s DWTS in September, two protesters rushed the stage in a protest against Lochte. Last week, prosecutors charged the two men with interfering with a performance and leaving a spectator area and entering a stage, both misdemeanors.
In the middle of "Dancing With the Stars" rehearsals, the Olympic athlete decided to escape and pull off a special proposal to girlfriend Kayla Rae Reid.
"Memories forever!!! #thelochtes #LA," Ryan shared on Instagram Sunday evening as his fiancee showed off a stunning diamond ring.
Kayla added, "Speechless. Absolutely beautiful. So in love with YOU." The proposal occurred at sunset along the Malibu Canyon.
The proposal may comes as a surprise to fans. After all, some speculated that the gold medalist was totally single when he was in Rio competing in the Summer Olympics.
But in recent months, the pair has been inseparable as Lochte continues competing on "Dancing With the Stars" alongside partner Cheryl Burke.
If you thought Ryan"s Olympics scandal would hurt their relationship, we"ve learned that it only strengthened the pair"s bond.
Lochtes Olympics: One Gold and One Big Lie
"My family says, Don"t you think it"s a little too soon?" I"m like, "Can you put a time on love? Can you?"" Ryan recently shared with USA TODAY Sports. "When I realized this was the one" was when she stuck behind me through this. She still loves me and she"s still right there with me."
Celeb Hookups: Ryan Lochte Engaged
The pair first clicked in January 2016 when they met at a Los Angeles nightclub. Ever since the surprise run-in, Ryan knew that she was something special.
"From the very first time I met her, everything has like clicked,"" Ryan shared. "That"s why I know I can propose to her because everything that"s happened and she"s been keeping me so positive. She doesn"t care about my fame. She doesn"t care about anything. All she cares about is me being happy."
Congratulations to the couple on the big news.
Published at 7:57 AM EDT on Oct 10, 2016 | Updated at 10:37 AM EDT on Oct 10, 2016
Original Post: Ryan Lochte Is Engaged! Olympic Swimmer Proposes to Girlfriend Kayla Rae Reid Copyright E! Online
Spend Some Time At The Beach With Miss July 2015 Kayla Rae Reid
Ryan Lochte says Michael Phelps wasn"t there to support him during the fallout from the controversy in Rio.
Kayla Rae Reid can expect a marriage proposal from Ryan Lochte, says the swimmer.(Photo: David Becker, Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. Its only a matter of time before Ryan Lochte removes himself from the list of eligible bachelors.
Lochte, the U.S. Olympic swimmer, said he is ready to propose Kayla Rae Reid, the former Playboy model Lochte said he met in January.
My family says, Dont you think its a little too soon? Im like, Can you put a time on love? Can you? Lochte told USA TODAY Sports. When I realized this was the one was when she stuck behind me through this.
This refers to the controversy that engulfed Lochte after the much-publicized gas station incident during the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Reid was staying with Lochtes mother during the competition, flew back to Charlotte with Lochte and headed with the swimmer to Los Angeles, where he is competing on Dancing With The Stars.
She still loves me and shes still right there with me, Lochte said.
They met Jan. 22 at Bootsy Bellows, a nightclub in Hollywood, when the swimmer and the former Playboy model crossed paths in the VIP room, according to Lochte.
The instant he saw Reid, Lochte said, he reached out to her and they clasped hands. But their friends pulled them apart, according to Lochte, who said he sent Reid a message on Instagram.
I was just like in awe when I saw you, Lochte recalled writing. I didnt want to let go.
Lochte, who said he was visiting friends in the Los Angeles area while training for the Olympics, said his romance with Reid began three days after the encounter at Bootsy Bellows.
From the very first time I met her, everything has like clicked, Lochte said. Thats why I know I can propose to her because everything thats happened and shes been keeping me so positive. She doesnt care about my fame. She doesnt care about anything.
