The trailblazing woman behind Sports Illustrated’s most iconic era finally receives the deeper examination her career has long deserved.
In a new exclusive interview with FlickDirect, filmmaker Jill Campbell and model-turned-television personality Roshumba Williams open up about the life, influence, and cultural impact of legendary Sports Illustrated editor Julie Campbell. Their documentary, Beyond the Gaze, reframes Julie’s legacy not as a figure defined solely by controversy, but as a visionary who transformed a sports magazine feature into a global cultural force while elevating the women whose images helped define generations of fashion, media, and body-image conversation.
The project began close to home. Campbell knew Julie personally for decades as her mother-in-law, long before she began documenting her story on camera. During the pandemic, as Julie entered her nineties, she became increasingly reflective and eager to share her experiences. What started as simple family footage quickly evolved into an urgent portrait of a woman whose professional achievements, artistic instincts, and complicated personal sacrifices shaped an entire industry.
From Fashion Editor to Cultural Architect
Before Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue became a phenomenon, Julie Campbell was a fashion editor with a sharp eye for composition and an instinct for storytelling through imagery. The now-iconic 1964 swimsuit cover was, to her, less about provocation and more about opportunity. Faced with a slow sports calendar in February, she brought fashion sensibilities into a sports context, turning a scheduling gap into an event that would reshape magazine publishing for decades.
The documentary emphasizes that Julie never saw her work as objectifying women. Instead, her goal was to champion them, present them as confident and athletic, and offer them a platform that could launch global careers. In the interview, Jill explains how Julie’s decisions on casting, location, and tone contributed to a new visual language around beauty and strength that broke from many of the era’s high-fashion norms.
Mentorship, Protection, and Life Lessons
Roshumba Williams provides some of the film’s most personal insights. As one of Julie’s regular models, she recalls starting her career as a teenager traveling to remote locations such as Africa and Bora Bora with small crews and demanding schedules. In those environments, Julie was more than an editor; she was a mentor and protector. Williams remembers being taught to plan for life beyond modeling, to maintain financial independence, to set clear personal boundaries, and to recognize her own value in an industry that often treated models as disposable.
These stories underscore one of the film’s central themes: Julie’s impact extended well beyond the pages of the magazine. For many of the women she worked with, she served as a guide and anchor, helping them navigate both professional opportunities and the pressures that came with sudden visibility and fame. The documentary uses these firsthand accounts to ground its narrative in lived experience rather than nostalgia.
A Complex Figure in a Changing Industry
Beyond the Gaze does not shy away from the complexities of Julie’s career. Jill acknowledges that, like many strong-willed women in leadership, Julie could be demanding and direct. Some models adored her; others found her difficult to work with. Long, intensive shoots in distant locations required discipline and cooperation, and Julie had little patience for unprofessional behavior. The film situates these dynamics within the broader context of a male-dominated media landscape, highlighting how Julie’s insistence on high standards was both a survival mechanism and a path to influence.
At the same time, the documentary explores how public debates about the Swimsuit Issue often reduced Julie’s work to a single question of objectification, overlooking her role as a business strategist and cultural architect. By tracing the evolution of the issue from a seasonal filler to a major revenue driver, the film positions Julie as one of the key figures in modern magazine history.
Legacy, Influence, and the Modern Swimsuit Issue
Julie’s influence is still visible in the current era of Sports Illustrated. Williams notes that contemporary editor MJ Day embodies many of the same values Julie championed: authenticity, inclusivity, and the importance of giving models space to own their narratives. Today’s Swimsuit Issue, with its broader range of ages, body types, and backgrounds, can be seen as an extension of the foundations Julie laid decades earlier.
The documentary also connects Julie’s legacy to the careers of modern supermodels and influencers who built brands on their public image. While many may not know her name, the opportunities they enjoy were shaped by decisions she made in an era with far less institutional support for women in media.
Why Julie Campbell’s Story Matters Now
As discussions about body image, representation, and the “male gaze” continue across film, television, fashion, and social platforms, Beyond the Gaze offers timely context. Jill and Roshumba argue that understanding figures like Julie is essential to understanding where the culture has been and where it may go next. The film encourages viewers to reconsider easy judgments and instead examine how women navigated and reshaped systems that were often not built with them in mind.
In preserving Julie Campbell’s story, the documentary reframes her not as a symbol of controversy, but as a pioneer whose work continues to influence how women are seen, represented, and celebrated in media. For viewers interested in the history of publishing, the evolution of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, or the stories of women who broke new ground in a male-driven industry, Beyond the Gaze serves as a compelling and timely watch.
