Dunne shares how she looks up to Taylor Swift as a source of inspiration, admiring her authenticity, resilience and balance between her personal and professional life.
At just 22 years old, Livvy Dunne has already lived a lifetime of discipline, grace and grit.
After retiring from gymnastics -- a sport she dedicated herself to since the age of three - she's stepping into a new chapter with a major collaboration alongside Fanatics Sportsbook.
Just in time for football season, the new broadcast and digital series, Explained by Livvy Dunne, kicks off with three cinematic ads aimed to stand out in the category. The series construct will continue this fall as part of a new Fanatics Casino campaign featuring an iconic male spokesperson.
"I've worked with Fanatics in the past, and honestly, at this point, it just kind of felt like a match made in heaven. They feel like family to me." Dunne tells PEOPLE exclusively.
"Michael Rubin [CEO of Fanatics] is a really good friend, and I know that when he puts his all into something, I know it's going to be successful and be over the top and amazing. So it was honestly an honor to work with Fanatic Sportsbook."
Although gymnastics was once her livelihood, Dunne is now exploring new ways to channel her love for performance. She's discovered that creativity has become just as vital to her as competition once was.
"I'm honestly just enjoying this new change," she says. "I've [also] discovered that I love performing. I love art, whether it's a floor routine or filming a commercial, I love to perform. I crave creativity, so that was something pretty cool that I learned."
As Dunne experiments with new ways to express herself, she's also drawing strength from women she admires -- none more so than Taylor Swift, who, like Dunne, is balancing life in the spotlight while dating a professional athlete.
"It's crazy to even think that I have something in common with Taylor Swift. We're both dating professional athletes, and we both have passions of our own," says Dunne, whose boyfriend is professional baseball pitcher Paul Skenes. "I look up to her in so many different ways because you can't deny she's a badass businesswoman; she hustles; honestly after the [New Heights] podcast that just came out like I felt very inspired listening to her."
The former LSU gymnast confirmed her romance with Skenes, 23, back in August 2023. Meanwhile, Swift has made headlines for her relationship with Kansas City Chiefs football star Travis Kelce, recently opening up about the beginnings of their romance on his podcast with his brother Jason.
Following the episode's release, Dunne reshared one segment from the interview on her Instagram Stories in which Swift talked about shaking off the haters, noting how you should think of your energy like it's an expensive "luxury item."
"It was truly inspiring to hear her story and how much she cares about everything she puts out there, and how it's so real and authentic to her," she adds of the "Blank Space" singer. "She inspires me."
"The best part about social media is that you get to share as much or as little as you want," she adds. "There's always going to be people trying to tear you down when you're doing something, right?"
"[Taylor] was talking about how NFL fans will react when they see her on the screen. And I kind of feel the same way," she continues, referencing back to Swift’s latest appearance on the New Heights podcast. "Taylor Swift is so right, like she's just staying true to herself."
"This [Fanatics] commercial is something that I'm proud of and that I worked on, and there's definitely going to be people that see it on TV during football season and want to tear me down or whatever," she says.
"As long as you're proud of what you put out there, and it feels authentic to you, think that's an accomplishment in itself, and if there's anyone tearing you down, that's somebody else's insecurity talking."