These days, succeeding as a star isn't just about looking good in a bikini - although it doesn't hurt. Brooks Nader has that part covered, but what sets her apart is the charm and humor that have made her more than just a Sports Illustrated knockout who was once reportedly linked to Tom Brady. (She's staying mum on that.) She won over viewers on last year's Dancing With the Stars, and now she's baring it all on her new Freeform reality show, Love Thy Nader (Tuesdays, 9 and 10 p.m.; all episodes streaming on Hulu). The series follows Brooks and her three equally stunning sisters - Mary Holland, 26, Grace Ann, 25, and Sarah Jane, 23 - as they move in together in New York City. It's heavy on sibling spats, romantic drama (Brooks broke up with boyfriend Gleb Savchenko while filming) and plenty of outrageous fun. The bombshell, 28, is relatively new to this whole celebrity thing, but she's showing strong signs of nailing it. Us sat down with her to learn her rules for winning at life in the spotlight. Be Authentic. It Pays Off, Literally! Brooks Nader TIZIANO DA SILVA Part of Brooks' appeal is that she proves over and over that even supermodels are human. For example: She grabbed headlines in July when she posted a photo of her pristine white skirt at Wimbledon, marked with an obvious period stain. Some celebs - especially women famous for and dependent on a flawless image - might have called in a favor to have couture delivered courtside, or at least discreetly tied a jacket around their waist. Not Brooks. She embraced it. "I thought in that moment, I can either cry and go home feeling bad for myself or just keep the skirt on and own it," she tells Us. "I was like, It is what it is. It happens to everyone. People were commenting that it happened during their wedding or at graduation or at prom, and we're just girls at the end of the day. We've all been there, so I'm glad that people resonated with that." Being so relatable had other unforeseen perks: She ended up landing a brand partnership with Kotex! Brooks Nader's Most Relatable Moments: Normalizing Period Stains and More Work Hard and Do What Modeling Legends Tell You Brooks has broken through in part because she's a workhorse - and that's something she's now trying to model for her sisters as two of them embark on their own modeling careers. "I think I've taught them the value of hard work and showing up on time with a smile on your face," she tells Us. "If you're on a photo shoot and it's negative 2 degrees in Antarctica, which I've been on, don't let them know you're cold. Just suck it up and do the job. If you don't, someone else will. There's someone else waiting right behind you. You're blessed and fortunate to be in the position, so you'd better act like it." Brooks credits some of her work ethic to icon Christie Brinkley, who selected her at an open call to appear in Sports Illustrated. When Brooks asked Brinkley for advice on making it, the modeling legend told her it was all about being reliable and positive. "Just having a good attitude... is something that I really took to heart, and I've taken it with me for my 10 years in modeling," Brooks says. "She's one of the most positive people I've ever met." Stay Humble and Appreciate Your Adorable Parents Brooks, Grace Ann, Sarah Jane and Mary Holland Nader Tiziano Da Silva Brooks traded life in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for the big city, but she's a Southern girl at heart - and by keeping her family close, she never forgets that. Her parents, dad Breaux and mom Holland, have a strong presence in Love Thy Nader, and it's immediately clear where the Nader women get their charm and their looks. Brooks tells Us their parents are their biggest supporters, and her dad is convinced he can hack the viewing stats by putting Love Thy Nader on in every room of the house. "I go, 'Daddy, I don't think three TVs is going to move the needle on season 2,'" she says. "He's like, 'Well, no, of course it will. And your grandparents down the street - they've got three TVs. They're going to have it rolling on a loop all the time.' They're just so excited and cute and sweet about it." Brooks Nader Teases 1st Weeks of Filming Reality Show With Her Sisters Embrace Change - And Let The Cameras Bear Witness She might be only in her 20s, but Brooks has already been through a lot, including a recent divorce from businessman Billy Naire, whom she married in 2019. "I feel like a divorcée loser some days, because I'm the old hag that's 28 [and] divorced," she admits. Still, she's happy to roll with the punches on TV as long as she has her support network around her. During the show's production, "I was going through a lot of change," she says. "The cameras were rolling at the perfect time to capture all the things that unfolded. I think the moral of the story is how sisters come together during hard times and happy times, and just stick together." Don't Take Life Too Seriously (or Get Pregnant by a Fish) Brooks looks like she means bu