Megan Gale: The naked truth

CHRIS BATH: Megan Gale has done a fair few photoshoots in her time but recently the absolutely glowing, heavily pregnant supermodel stripped off for a cover shoot that would put Demi Moore to shame. It took a long time to convince her. In fact, it took her mum to get her over the line.

So here we go -

Megan Gale, Jackie Frank, Marie Claire and a celebration of motherhood that will make you smile.

MEGAN GALE: Hello? I’m here! Hi!

JACKIE FRANK: Hello, how are you? Look at you!

MEGAN GALE: WE’RE here, I should say.

JACKIE FRANK: Oh, don’t you look gorgeous?

MEGAN GALE: Moving? Moving? Not right now.
Lots this morning and last night, though.

JACKIE FRANK: Have you ever done a shoot nude before?

MEGAN GALE: God, yeah! When I was, what, 25 - not when I was 38!

Any woman would know when you’re in your mid-20s, just things are... things are firmer and they’re perkier and things are just all round better.

This is quite daunting for me to do it pregnant at 38.

I think the whole essence of celebrating the pregnant form, that was what was part of the reason why I wanted to do it.

I would be a liar if I didn’t say there weren’t moments where you’re looking at your butt going “Wow! That is quite the booty I’m getting there!”

And there’s not much you can do about it.

JACKIE FRANK: Can I see?

MEGAN GALE: A little bit -
I don’t want to show you too much yet!
And your belly button - how freaky - it just kind of disappears.
Everything, it just... Everything just stretches, doesn’t it?

JACKIE FRANK: It does, it does.

JACKIE FRANK: A few weeks ago on Instagram, you posted “You’re not meant to look perfect when you’re making a baby.
“Baby-making is the perfection.”
I thought that was gorgeous.

MEGAN GALE: And can be fun.

JACKIE FRANK: Can be...? Oh, making the baby!

MEGAN GALE: Don’t put that in!

I saw the obstetrician the other day.

JACKIE FRANK: Yeah, and he said...?

MEGAN GALE: He measured my uterus and he said it’s well above average which means...

JACKIE FRANK: Well, hello! How big is your...?

MEGAN GALE: The baby, everything’s, going to be,
yeah, a bit... Huge.

JACKIE FRANK: But how big is your partner?

MEGAN GALE: He’s 6 foot 8 but, you know, a big baby’s a healthy baby.

JACKIE FRANK: There’s a big age difference between the two of you.

MEGAN GALE: Of course, of course, and whilst I was very mindful of the fact that he’s quite a bit younger than me, I don’t think, um, you know, Brad Pitt gets asked “Why are you so much older than Angelina Jolie?”
They’re 12 years apart, Shaun and I are 12 years apart.
I think when it’s the woman that’s older, for some reason, it’s a bit like “Oh, wow, that’s a bit full on”.

MEGAN GALE: The person that actually got me over the line to do it was my mum.
First she said to me “What are you worried about?”
And I said “Look, I just... “I don’t know -
“I guess maybe a bit is public reaction, maybe - I don’t want to offend anyone
by doing it” and she said “Women all over the country and all over the world go through this every day and it’s nothing to be worried about or ashamed about.”

“It’s not a scandal, really”.

MEGAN GALE: Because I need to - there’s certain... There’s cupping that needs to happen!

JACKIE FRANK: Right, let me have a look.

MEGAN GALE: Is the tape on?

MEGAN GALE: She’s a pervert.
She’s saying “Everybody does this.”

MEGAN GALE: She just looked down my robe!

She says “Everybody does this” -

JACKIE FRANK: I’m telling you, not everybody does this!
I’m saying have a look that your hands are in the right space!
No, no! Exactly, exactly!

JACKIE FRANK: In this country before, no-one has done this before.

MEGAN GALE: You get so aware of your body and so used to how to work your body in front of the camera when you’re modeling but I feel like my body’s - it’s a different body right now.

JACKIE FRANK: OK, we’re going to do it.

MEGAN GALE: Alright.
OK.

JACKIE FRANK: That fabric looks beautiful.

JACKIE FRANK: How are you? You look amazing.

MEGAN GALE: A bit exposed?
A bit overwhelmed and a bit exposed.

JACKIE FRANK: Your skin looks amazing!

JACKIE FRANK: You just did the cover nude - how do you feel?

MEGAN GALE: Relieved now that it’s over. As vulnerable as I felt doing it, it was quite a liberating thing to do as well.
And I have been, I have been enjoying watching my body change and so, it’s kind of... it’s great to record that.

Check out her photo shoot and full interview in Marie Claire Australia.