The Pirell Calendar 2025 was photographed between May and June 2024 on the beaches of the Historic Virginia Key Beach Parks in Miami and in a specially set-up studio in the same area. The cast included actors, artists, singers, and models of various ages and nationalities, many of whom had previously worked with Green.

Third Appearance

Padma Lakshmi (Image: The Cal)

Among the 24 photographs in «Refresh and Reveal», which feature twelve individuals in both color and black-and-white images, are American actress and activist Hunter Schafer, Indian-American TV host and author Padma Lakshmi (image above), French actor Vincent Cassel (image below), Italian singer and actress Elodie, British actress Simone Ashley and South Korean actress Hoyeon (image at the top).

The cast also includes British actress Jodie Turner-Smith, American artist Martine Gutierrez, American model and fashion illustrator Connie Fleming, British actor John Boyega and American model Jenny Shimizu (who was featured in Richard Avedon's 1997 calendar).

«Refresh and Reveal» also features Ethan James Green himself, marking the third appearance of a calendar photographer, following Prince Gyasi in 2024 and Bryan Adams in 2022.

An Unexpected Birthday Gift

Vincent Cassel (Image: The Cal)

Green is a star in the world of fashion photography and portraiture, and the youngest of 43 artists (including some editions by photographer duos) to be commissioned for the 61-year history of the Pirelli Calendar, from 1964 to 2025.

The photographer revealed that he learned about his selection in a particularly memorable way. «I found out in February», he shared. «On my birthday, I got a call from the Pirelli team, who, of course, didn’t know it was my birthday... It was an unexpected gift. Being included among the legendary photographers who have created the calendar before me—many of whom inspired my journey into photography—this is a tremendous honor.»

New Approaches

Elodie (Image: The Cal)

In conversations with the media, Green revealed that he was influenced by previous calendars: «I was deeply moved by the work of Richard Avedon and Herb Ritts from the 1990s, who created beautiful, timeless images. This is an important goal of my work: To create something that people can look back on in 20 or 30 years and still find relevant, something that will hopefully be referenced in the future,» Green further explained.

The name «Refresh and Reveal» was chosen because the project reflects on the calendar's past while celebrating the human body in new ways, capturing the spirit of the times, as discussed at the London presentation.

If the Subject Feels Comfortable

Regarding the selection of subjects, Green said: «The cast represents diversity in all its forms, with actors, artists, singers, and models of different ages and from various countries. Casting was a crucial part of my work, and I was fortunate to have worked with many of the protagonists throughout my career.»

«Some of the people were new to me, but they all embraced the concept of the project, trusted the team, and allowed us to create truly beautiful images. The most important lesson I’ve learned as a photographer is that you get the best picture when the subject feels comfortable,» Green said.

A Liberating Decision

Hunter Schafer (Image: The Cal)

Including himself in the cast was a liberating choice for Green. «I included myself in the calendar because I was the only person I could ask to be photographed completely naked. Being naked in front of so many people was truly liberating.»

The calendar was photographed in Miami at the Historic Virginia Key Beach Park, a location that presented its own challenges.

Deep in the Water – On the Top Rung of a Ladder

«We shot half of the photos in May and the other half in June. In May, the weather was sunny, but June brought plenty of rain. That was actually great because the rain added more variety to the beach photos. But the weather wasn’t the only challenge. For the beach photo of Vincent Cassel, for example, we went really deep into the water. For another shot, I had to stand on the top rung of a ladder about six meters high.»