Playboy’s Million-Dollar Modeling Offers

From its first issue featuring Marilyn Monroe, Playboymagazine has sought well-known women to pose on its pages, a strategy that has made it one of the most iconic American magazines in history.

Securing some of the world’s most recognizable sex symbols to pose for photo shoots has been a key strategy of Playboy,allowing it to sell millions of copies — sometimes with the allure of a single model. Many of the most in-demand women are also reluctant to appear in the magazine, however, leading Playboyto make big offers — some reportedly in excess of $1 million — to encourage well-known celebrities to pose for featured spreads. In the most recent example, troubled actress Lindsay Lohan had reportedly been offered close to $1 millionto appear in Playboy.

When contacted, Playboywould not comment on offers made to prospective celebrity models, but many have confirmed through news outlets and celebrity publications that they have been offered large sums to appear in the magazine.

So, which celebrities have reportedly been offered huge sums to appear in Playboy? Which have turned them down? Click ahead to find out.

By Paul Toscano
Posted 25 Oct 2011

According to then-fiancée Spencer Pratt,celebrity Heidi Montag was offered $1 million to pose in Playboyin order to show off her “new” body following reconstructive surgery. Although Montag eventually appeared in the September 2009 issue, she broke with Playboyconvention and appeared with no nudity. It is unclear whether she was paid the original $1 million for her appearance.

After Jennifer Aniston’s revealing appearance on the cover of GQmagazine in 2008, Playboyreportedly offered the former “Friends” sitcom star $4 million to pose for the magazine. To the dismay of many Playboy fans, Aniston declined the offer, reportedly telling publisher Hugh Hefnerthat, “GQwas art, but Playboyis sex.”

Another huge offer made by Playboywas to recording artist Ashlee Simpson, to the tune of $4 million, according to TMZ.Like Aniston, Simpson, the younger sister of singer Jessica Simpson, turned down a $4 million figure, demonstrating that big paychecks alone aren’t always the best way to secure a photo shoot.

According to the New York Post,rapper Foxy Brown said in July 2011 that she was contemplating a $2 million offer to pose for Playboy.Brown’s music career has been hindered by everything from hearing loss to criminal convictions, and a $2 million paycheck would signal a reversal of fortune for the artist, who pled “not guilty” to a felony charge in 2010.

According to reports from TMZ,Lindsay Lohan recently finalized a deal for “almost a million dollars” to appear in the magazine. When contacted by CNBC.com, a Playboymagazine spokesperson would not comment on the report. TMZ says that Lohan initially balked at an offer of $750,000, but eventually reached a deal. It is unclear when Lohan’s photos will appear in the magazine.

Another celebrity who was reportedly offered a huge paycheckto appear in Playboy was actress Melissa Joan Hart. According to reports, Hart was offered a cool $1 million to pose for the magazine during her time on the hit TV show “Sabrina the Teenage Witch.” Although she said she was tempted to “shed her good girl image,” Hart eventually turned down Hefner’s offer after a less revealing photo shoot with Maximearlier in her career made her uncomfortable.

Neither Pamela Anderson nor Denise Richards are new to Playboy,with Anderson appearing a record 13 times and Richards gracing the front cover in 2004. The duo, who had become friends while working on the movie “Blonde and Blonder” in 2007, reportedly had been offered $1 millionto appear together in an issue. This proposal never came to fruition, however, and Playboyhas declined to comment on the offers it makes. In Anderson's most recent Playboyappearance, she was reportedly paid $25,000, which she donated to charity.

Another high-priced offer from Playboywas made to supermodel and actress Rachel Hunter, who reportedly had been sought by the magazine since she was 17. Hunter eventually appeared in the April 2004 issue at the age of 35, after reports surfaced that she had been offered $1.8 million to pose for the magazine.