Full Q&A below the jump!

Tell me about how you got involved in Top Model?

I always wanted to be a model, ever since I was little. Then I got braces. I begged and begged to take them off and finally said ‘if you don’t take these things off me, I’m doing it myself!’ so they did. I went to New York and tried to model. I went on casting calls and auditions. Then my Grandma called me and told me that America’s Next Top Model was having try-outs for girls 5’7” and under. I thought she was confused. But I went online and looked it up and she was right! There was a casting call in Chicago. I drove up and tried out from 6am until 2am the next day. I made it round after round and finally made a video for Tyra. I was told they might call me, they might not, but they did and then I went to Los Angeles!

How did you feel when they said Nicole was the winner?

I was devastated! I cried and cried and cried. My eyes were red and my nose was full of snot. I cried until I couldn’t cry anymore! I was like ‘Tyra, you broke my heart! You ruined my life!’ But the next day, I felt better. Reaching the final two is amazing. I’m so proud of myself. It was an amazing experience and I’m very proud.

Do you feel you were portrayed accurately?

I do! I think I got the best edit out of any of the girls. That was Laura, for sure.

Who are you close with on the show?

Jen is definitely my best friend. We talk every day. We’re going to Hawaii together soon, so that’s real exciting. Sundai is like my little sister, we talk all the time. We related to each other because our home lives are similar. Nicole is like my other little sister. She’d never been away from home before and she was really missing her big sister. I was missing my little sister like crazy so we bonded over that.

Tell me about your CoverGirl commercial.

I didn’t give up. I just let myself relax. I told myself I could stand here all day, it didn’t matter. There was no pressure and I can take as long as I want to get a good take. It when I freak out that I do bad. When I’m relaxed and enjoying myself, I do good. Being dyslexic is hard, it’s something I’ll always struggle with. But I know I can do it, I just need to be relaxed and confident.

Tell me about the runway show.

I love runway! It’s my absolute favorite! I want to go out right now and do it again! Over and over and over! I could do runway forever! The show was so much fun, it was my favorite thing.

Did you watch the show with your family?

I watched the show with my whole town! My dad is the proudest person in the whole world. My town would throw a party somewhere and everyone was invited to come out and watch it. Last night, over 600 people came out! It was so sad. They all cried like little babies when they found out I didn’t win. But it was the biggest party I think the town has ever seen! It was at my old high school and it was so much fun to watch the show with everyone I love.

What’s next for you?

Well, if I win fan favorite, I’m going to move to New York and see where that goes. If I don’t, I’ll just keep on trying modeling, go to New York or Chicago and just keep pursuing my dreams. People who know me know I’m never going to give up. I’m not a quitter, I’m a real hard worker.

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Post from: Top Model Gossip

Full Q&A below the jump!

What was it like winning Top Model?

It was incredible! It happened months ago, but it didn’t feel real until it appeared on television. I won, I celebrated, then two days later I got on a plane and went back to my real life. I couldn’t tell anyone, not even my parents. It was so hard to keep it from them. But it I also got some secret pleasure from holding it over their heads! Now that it’s out in the open, it feels like I won all over again. It feels real now and it’s amazing.

Did you watch the show with your parents?

I did. I was not excited about seeing myself on television, but it’s something I became more comfortable with as the show went on.

Do you feel you were portrayed accurately?

I do. But it wasn’t all of me. People who know who me know I’m not like that. I can be funny and have a good time. I’m terribly camera shy and that affected how I interacted with the other girls and how I acted on the show. It’s something I got used to and it’s pretty obvious on the show that I became more comfortable with the camera and more confident as time went on. The Nicole on the show is sedated and shy. I am shy, that’s true, but I’m more than that!

Why did you struggle with the CoverGirl commercial?

I struggled so much with that! It was a very difficult thing for me. I was hoping Nigel was going to direct us again and it threw me off when it turned out he wasn’t. Then I got the criticism that I came off as unapproachable and snotty. That couldn’t be farther from the truth, so it upset me more than it should have.

Tell me about the runway show?

It was crazy! I had so much fun and loved the creative direction of it, but so much more drama happened than what you see. They didn’t have shoes for me, which caused problems. Even though I’m one of the tallest girls in the competition, I have the smallest feet. All the shoes were too big. Eventually, they just slammed my feet into a pair of shoes and taped them so they wouldn’t fall off. Also, for the third outfit change, they gave me two bikini tops and no bottoms! They found some bottoms for me to wear, but, obviously, I couldn’t go out on the runway bottomless.

What would surprise some people about you?

I love mountain biking. I’m docile and passive on the show, but there’s a wild aside of me that loves mountain biking, snow boarding and extreme sports.

Who do you keep in touch with on the show?

I keep in touch with so many of the girls. I call Laura all the time. I talk to Ashley, Jen and Brittany a lot too.

This cycle everyone seemed to get along so well.

We had our rough moments, of course! But by the time it got to the top six, we really bonded. We had this attitude that we were all in this together and we need to support each other.

Now that you’ve won, what’s next?

I have a meeting with Wilhelmina this afternoon. They’re the experts. I’m going to listen to them and take their advice. Whatever market they tell me I’m best for, I’ll do it. Whatever modeling they think I will excel in, I’ll do it. If they want me to move to Asia, I’m going. I didn’t enroll in school this semester and I’m throwing myself into modeling. It’s an amazing opportunity so I’m going to take advantage of all the resources Wilhelmina and the show can give me and go from there.

Image: Pottle Productions

Post from: Top Model Gossip

Full Q&A below the jump!

How did you get involved in Top Model?

I watched the show, but I never thought I’d have a chance to be on it! My sister tried out every year and when they announced it was a short cycle, she went rushing down to the auditions. I went with her, tried out, and made it on the show.

Were you surprised by your elimination?

I was so surprised! It was shocking! I wasn’t suspecting it at all, even when I was in the bottom two. That’s why I was so sad when they called Erin’s name and not mine. I didn’t take it very well.

Why do you think they saved Erin three times in a row?

The judges think Erin has something special. Maybe they’re hoping she can get back to the place where she was at the beginning of the show. She had some beautiful photos then.

Now that you’re eliminated, who would you like to see win?

Definitely Laura. She as my best friend in the house and she’s the sweetest girl in the world. She wants it so bad. Plus, she has a bad background, like me.

Who else were you close to in the house?

I was close to everyone, in a way. We all got along so well, we were like a big family. But Nicole was probably my other closest friend in the house. I mean, she even picked me to get the extra frames. We got a long well.

Why did you struggle so much throughout last night’s episode?

That photo shoot was a challenge! All that water, it was tough. After jumping off the cliff, it was over! I got water in my ear and that was painful. I can’t breathe with a regulator, so that was tough. My asthma is really bad. I was having real problems and was trying to fix them. I wasn’t complaining, but it looked that way.

Why were the judges so dismissive about your asthma?

They kept saying divers have asthma and go underwater all the time. Sure they do! But they choose to! I didn’t choose to, I was made to. It’s a lot of pressure to dive off a cliff and to do a photo shoot underwater and still look pretty or cute. It was a lot to handle.

What would you have done differently?

I wouldn’t have shown my fear. I wouldn’t have told them about the asthma until after the shoot was over. I shouldn’t have looked like I was complaining so much.

What was Marisa Miller like?

No one believed it was her! We all like “nah, it can’t be!” But it was! She was so nice and helpful and gave us great advice.

Which guest judge was your favorite?

Chanel Iman. She was the sweetest person. She gave us great advice and listened to us and paid attention to us. She’s Chanel Iman, she doesn’t have to care about us, but she did! She’s one of my favorite models too, so it was great to meet her.

Which photo shoot was your favorite?

My favorite picture was the beauty shoot, but my favorite shoot was the horse shot. I love animals and that whole shoot was just so cool.

Which photo shoot was your least favorite?

The underwater one. Everyone was so tense and worried. It was crazy.

Did you keep your makeover?

No, not at all! It’s long again, like it was at the beginning of the show. I liked the idea of short hair, but the cut didn’t work. I didn’t like the style and it made me look younger.

What are your future plans?

I definitely want to keep modeling, it’s my passion. I know I’m short, but I can still do face work and beauty work and stuff.

Image: Pottle Productions

Post from: Top Model Gossip

Full Q&A is below the jump!

How did you get involved with Top Model?

I’ve been modeling for four years. It’s always been my creative outlet and it’s where I go to distress. I love performing and becoming a different character. I have a couple website dedicated to my modeling. Right when I was about to graduate and have to think about getting a job, a casting director saw my websites and emailed me, letting me know that they were doing a 5’7” and under cycle and that they would love to meet me. I didn’t believe them and thought it was a joke. I went to meet them, just in case, and it turns out they were legit. I went to the casting in San Francisco and made it to the final round. A few weeks later, I got a call and was told I have three days to get ready and to head to Los Angeles for the semi-finals.

Were you surprised by your elimination?

I was completely shocked. I had no idea it was going to happen. I achieved everything I wanted to artistically with that shoot, it was my favorite pictures during my time on the show, and my feedback wasn’t overwhelmingly negative. I had no idea it was my time to go. During my time at the house, elimination was so stressful. I used to have nightmares about it. I knew my time was coming and that I’d need to prepare for it, but I wasn’t ready to go then. I was also worried about how they were going to portray my exit, but it was quite graceful. They didn’t make me into a bitch or anything.

Why do you think they kept Erin over you?

Erin has an interesting high-fashion look and the judges clearly believe in her potential. I know it’s a reality show and that drama needs to play a part in their decisions. I think eliminating me over Erin was dramatic and unexpected. But it’s still hard for me to think about and part of me still doesn’t understand it.

Do you feel you were portrayed accurately?

It was so interesting to see how they edited me! I was pretty neutral the entire show. I didn’t get a lot of screen time and they didn’t show enough to like nor dislike me until last night. In the last episode, it was like since I was getting eliminated, they needed to amp up the dislike so my elimination could be validated. But there’s a lot they didn’t show. I was silly and goofy around the house, but that wasn’t shown at all.

What was the deal with you and Erin?

I looked like we were totally fighting in that episode! Erin and I got along really well. As the episode was airing, I even texted her. She chose me to go along with her on the helicopter ride. If we weren’t friends, why would she do that? Towards the end of the competition, we were together 24/7 without a break from each other, from the camera or from the show. I was exhausted and everything irritated me. I was complaining about everything, we all were! I tried as often as I could to go outside and just be by myself, but it was difficult.

Who were you closest with in the house?

Nicole was my best friend in the house. But they didn’t show us talking once! If you watch the show, you have no idea we are friends! But we hung out everyday and spent a lot of our down time together.

What’s Nicole like?

She’s awesome. I love her. We just clicked and became friends immediately. She’s intelligent and humble, an all around great girl. She’s socially awkward, but nowhere near to the level they played it out on the show.

Did you keep your makeover?

I absolutely loved the dark hair. I still have it. After the show, it started to fade, so I went to the salon to have it re-darkened. It’s darker than it was on the show now and I love it.

What photo shoot was your favorite?

It’s so hard to say which one was my favorite! I guess it was the horse photo shoot. I loved the make-up, the styling and the clothes, or lack of! The stylist had a book of Helmut Newton photos for inspiration and he’s one of my favorite photographers. I’m familiar with his work. I was just into the whole concept. I also loved the very last photo shoot I did, the one with Tyra. That photo was my favorite throughout the whole competition.

What photo shoot was your least favorite?

Definitely the Make Me Tall shoot, the one when I ended up in the bottom two. I don’t know what happened on that set or where that photo came from. It’s terrible and I’m embarrassed to have that circulating around the internet for people to see.

Who would you like to see win the competition?

Nicole was my best friend in the house and I’d love to see her win. She’s a beautiful girl and her look is so high fashion. But if Nicole doesn’t take it, I’d want Laura to win. She’s an all-around CoverGirl and completely has the look that CoverGirl and Seventeen want. Plus she’s so sweet, no one cannot not like her.

What are your future plans?

I’ve been counting down the days until I’m free of this show and can get back into modeling! I’m so inspired and motivated now. I’m going to throw myself into modeling and start the process of meeting with agencies and getting jobs and see where that takes me.

Image: Pottle Productions Inc

Post from: Top Model Gossip

Full Q&A is below the jump!

How did you get involved in Top Model?

I’m from Rochester Minnesota and they did their very own Top Model casting call. It was so much fun. They had their own panel and did interviews with all the contestants. They sent the tapes of everyone who entered to the production company from the show. I came in second there and got a call about a week later to come to the casting call in Chicago. Even later, they called me and asked me to come to Los Angeles and I made it into the house.

Were you surprised my your elimination?

I wasn’t really surprised, honestly. You never know what to expect when you go into panel. All the girls bring something different to the table. They all have different strengths and weaknesses. You never know what the judges want or what they are going to focus on that day, if the photo shoot will be the most important thing or if your overall performance will be highlighted. You can go into panel completely confident, but you still can’t predict what will happen. I didn’t have a sense of entitlement about the whole elimination process. I focused on doing my best and seeing what happens. I never expected to go home, but went into panel every time knowing it was a possibility.

Who would you like to see win the show?

Oh my gosh, that’s so hard to say. I love all the girls and they’re all so talented and beautiful. I will say, however, that Laura is perfect for CoverGirl. That face! It’s a perfect palette for makeup. Her photos are stunning. I also think Erin is a beautiful and lovely girl and it would be wonderful if she won as well.

Tell me about the interview challenge.

It was so much fun to be on the set and to meet with the producers. But I’d never seen 90210 – the original or the new one – and didn’t know who Jessica Lowndes was. I did my best to ask questions about her background and her history. It didn’t faze me when the teleprompter went off. I did my best to roll with it. But when I watched the episode, that slouching was insane! I couldn’t believe it! No wonder the judges gave me so much flack for that! I never slouch that much, I don’t know how or why it happened. But it was a lesson learned and it’s definitely something I’m going to be more aware of in the future.

Which photo shoot was your favorite?

I loved the photo shoots! They were what I focused on in the competition and I had so much fun doing them. I didn’t come into this competition so much to become America’s Next Top Model, but to develop my skills as a model and build a strong portfolio of work. My favorite photo shoot was definitely the Cirque du Soliel shoot. Cirque du Soliel is amazing. They’re fantastic performers. I’m a huge fan and it was an honor to work with them. I loved the styling of that shoot too, the hair and makeup were beautiful. I think some models find the whole group shot thing intimidating. Not only do you have to work together and feed off each others’ energy and complement each other, your’e still fighting to stand out. Instead, I fed off that energy and felt it added to my performance.

What was your least favorite photo shoot?

I really can’t say. I’m so passionate about the photo shoots and each one was a great learning experience. I would possibly say the Make Me Tall shoot. It wasn’t necessarily my least favorite, but I brought the least amount of energy to set. I struggled throughout the shoot. I don’t mind the photo and don’t think it was my weakest one, but I could have done better.

Do you feel you were portrated accurately?

To some extent. There’s only so much they can show of you. They can’t portray you to a tee, so they focus on certain things.

How did you manage to stay out of the house drama?

That was probably my downfall! (laughs). Every girl there was so different. They brought different things to the competition and to the house. I can honestly say I enjoyed each and every one of them. I’m a positive person and I decided to focus on what I liked about each girl and tried to relate to and explore that element. All the girls were wonderful and it was an amazing experience to be on the show with them.

Who are you planning on staying in touch with?

I hope to stay in touch with all of them. I was really close to Erin, she’s a lovely girl and was a close friend of mine in the house. I liked all the girls, even Lulu and Ashley! They were nowhere near as awful as they were made out to be on the show! I feel terrible for them. Everyone has seen the episodes, but it was a different experience living it. Being on this show was such a unique experience and these girls are the only other girls who share that with me.

What are your future plans?

I definitely want to explore modeling and get into acting. I want to look at the Chicago and Los angeles markets, see some agencies and go from there.

Image: Pottle Productions Inc

Post from: Top Model Gossip

Full Q&A is below the jump!

How did you get involved with Top Model?

I loved the showed and have watched it for a long time. When I heard they were casting girls 5′7″ and under, I really wanted to see if I could do it. I auditioned in Chicago and made it into the house.

What were your favorite and least favorite photo shoots?

My favorite was the baby picture photo shoot. It was the first one and all the girls were there. We could watch everyone else’s performance in the studio and that was a great experience. But all the photo shoots were fun. My least favorite was the ninja warrior shoot. That was not a fun experience at all. The weapons were difficult and confusing and there were so many elements. I couldn’t put it together and was so overwhelmed by the whole thing.

How did you feel about the go-see challenge?

It was fun! I think I did okay. I felt confident throughout the day. I didn’t realize the clients had so many negative things to say about my appearance until I watched the episode. Brittany and I actually did four go-sees and everyone else only did three, so I thought that would help us. But it didn’t.

Do you feel you were portrayed accurately?

I said everything I said and did everything I did, but it wasn’t accurate….no…it’s like, they chose to highlight certain parts of my personality that aren’t necessarily dominant parts and highlight certain things about me that everyone was doing. Everyone was gossipy and everyone was saying things about everyone else, but they really focused on me and what I said about Nicole as opposed to showing a more balanced view of what goes on in the house and who says what.

Were you surprised by your elimination?

Not really. I felt like it was my time to go and I knew I hadn’t performed well during the photo shoot. I was shocked and upset, but it wasn’t surprising. I was hoping it would go another way, but my time had come. When it came down to me and Sundai, I knew it was me. While I think I had some photos that were stronger, her ninja photo was better than mine and that’s what mattered.

Who were you closet to in the house?

Definitely Jen. She was my best friend in the house. I was also close to Sundai, Laura and Lisa. I keep in touch with almost all the girls.

Tell us about your conflict with Nicole.

It wasn’t really a conflict! It’s not like we didn’t get along. She just said a lot of things that were off and we like like “whoa, what?” Plus, it’s a competition and she was doing really well. Of course I want to do better than her! I wasn’t as upset about her winning the go-sees as they showed me. It was just a few comments during confessional. I’m upset I didn’t win, but it’s a competition. Who wouldn’t be?

Are you still planning to pursue modeling?

Yes. Now that the show is over, I’m going to find and agency and see where that takes me. Hopefully the show will give me exposure and I can use that to get some jobs.

Who would you like to see win?

I’m rooting for Jen. She’s got a different look and has what it takes. If Jen doesn’t win, I’d like to see Laura take it. Her personality is wonderful, she’s the sweetest most positive girl you’ll ever meet and her photos are stunning.

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Post from: Top Model Gossip

Full Q&A is below the jump!

How did you get involved in the competition?

First, I went to the open call in New York, the one that ended in a stampede. Because of what happened, I wasn’t seen. I stood on my feet for twelve hours, but they shut the audition down. I then hears that Tyra was doing a talk show episode about the New York audition so I signed up for that. Before the show, they called me to tell me that the topic had changed. It was not about Top Model and that I shouldn’t come and ask about the audition or the show. I went anyways and after taping, someone came up to me and asked for my info for future Tyra Banks shows. I got a call the next day, but it wasn’t about Top Model, they just wanted an appointment with me. I had no idea what was going on until I got to Los Angeles and found out that Tyra’s hairdresser pointed me out to Tyra and that I was in Los Angeles to be on Top Model. That’s how I got on the show.

Tell us about the photo shoot with Tyra. Were you surprised by her criticisms at panel?

Yeah. I had no idea that I was doing that poorly. I never got misdirection from anyone, but certainly criticism at the photo shoot could have been stronger. It’s hard because everyone has a different personality and reacts to such criticism differently. But if had told me about that on set, I would have adjusted. I don’t become flustered. I’m a bit older than the other contestants, and when you give me criticism, I can take it. I’m not going to get mad about it and cry about it like a baby. I wish I had gotten stronger criticism at the photo shoot so I could change what I was doing, as opposed to be surprised at panel.

Why were you and Lulu so open about talking about the other contestants?

Let’s get this straight. Everyone was talking about everyone all the time. I wasn’t talking about other girls in a two-faced, talking for talking’s sake type of way. I’m not low and catty like that. I was talking to Lulu as one talks to a friend about their problems and feelings. If you have a problem or want to work through something, you call a friend. It was the same thing with Lulu. It was two friends venting and it was caught on camera. We weren’t losing focus and you saw a compilation of a few days mashed together. It wasn’t just me talking about different people then being different to their faces. I’m a blunt person and in your face and Bianca new what I was saying about her. I don’t hide what I say. But in terms of the edit, I came across as a two-faced type. It wasn’t that way at all. It was edited to emphasize that. Especially that time that Brittany was walking the runway. We all walked the runway and everyone gave criticism to everyone. It’s just Brittany was last and by that time, all the other girls had left to go eat or whatever and it was only me and Lulu left. Brittany was there and totally knew what we were saying.

Tell me about your dance career.

I was dancing full-time until I went to college, then I danced part-time. I wasn’t a dance major, I was a drama major and wanted to focus on that. After college, I picked dancing back up and started to dance in the city. I was an assistant dance teacher for children. I only taught children, not adults. I want to teach children in the future. My students are all between three and fifteen. That’s what I was doing before the show. Right now, I’m starting dance full-time again. It was spotty in college, but now its my focus. I say I dance, but I wouldn’t say I’m a professional dancer. I’ve been dancing since I was 12.

Why did the dance challenge go so poorly for your team?

It was a group challenge. I knew that I wasn’t going to win. I knew they were going to look at the entire group and that what they did was a reflection on me and what I did was a reflection on them. We needed to focus and be strong as a group and that didn’t happen. I wish I could have done the challenge by myself, I would have won easily.

How do you feel about the criticism that you weren’t bringing your dance background to modeling?

If somebody called me and asked me to do a dance magazine, what I would bring to that would be totally different than what I brought to shoots that have nothing to do with dancing. They say its all relevant, but its not. I couldn’t bring my ballet training or a hip hop class to a shoot unless that’s exactly what the shoot was about. That sort of thing does nothing for me. As someone who has a dance background, I didn’t see the relevance. Yeah, there’s elements that could have helped, but I felt the whole thing they were pushing was a very literal interpretation and it didn’t make sense to me as someone who dances and someone who models. I didn’t want to bring dancing poses to the competition because its not a dancing competition. I didn’t feel as though I was doing too much or too little, I thought what I was doing what was okay. However, the panel clearly disagreed.

Who would you like to see win the competition?

Either Rae, Sundai or Nicole. I see this question differently because I know the girls and that affects my answer. All three have different looks and different heights and bring different things to the table.

Which photo shoot was your favorite?

I loved the photo shoot were we had to look tall. The set was amazing, the clothes were amazing and the photographer was amazing. He was easygoing and relaxed and had a great vibe. The energy on that shoot was so great.

Which photo shoot was your least favorite?

I can’t say any of them were bad for me. I didn’t take each photo shoot I did poorly on as a bad experience, but rather a learning experience. Sure, I did better in some shoots than others, but that’s not what it was about for me. The horses were fun, the baby photos were fun. I didn’t think anything was bad. With the horse one, before the show, I was worried about posing nude, but when it happened it was just something that happens. You’re not thinking about those parts of your body. Because we had our hair covered and our breasts covered. I was thinking about the horse and the jockey and not about my nudity and how it looked. It was a cool photo shoot. They all were.

Who do you keep in touch with?

I keep in touch with the majority of the girls. Bianca, Nicole, Rae, Lulu, and Sundai, mostly.

Will you still pursue modeling?

There are a few things I want to do. i want to learn ballroom dancing. In fact, I’m taking a class in it tonight. In terms of modeling, it’s going to be added to what I do now. It was like, once the doors are open, I can’t stop. I’m going to keep going with what I can do and set my sights on it. Definitely.

How did you feel about your makeover?

I loved it actually. I expected my hair to go short. I was afraid they were going to shop all my hair off. But I loved it and I still have my long black hair.

What would you have done differently?

I am who I am. I’m 22, I’m not that old but I’m not that young. I’ve learned a lot from the show. I didn’t regret anything I said because its how I felt at the time. If I had a problem with anyone at the time, I wouldn’t try to hide it. I can’t be upset with the way I was portrayed or how it was edited because that’s what I did and that’s what I felt and that’s what I said. Clearly you see things and go “ah!” but overall, I represented myself well and stayed positive throughout the entire experience. I have no regrets.

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Post from: Top Model Gossip

Full Q&A is below the jump!

Tell us how you got involved in Top Model.

I was always extremely interested in modeling. I wanted to model for a while and had some modeling experience. I thought Top Model would help my career and bring me more exposure. I tried out in DC and was one of the fourteen girls who made it to the house.

Were you surprised by your elimination?

I guess last night it was like “Why? What did I do this time? What is going on?” I didn’t think I had performed that poorly again, especially after all the praise I got during my photo shoot with Tyra. I got my answer why, Tyra said I’m the whole package, but you’re not soft on camera and that’s the reason I was eliminated. I was surprised by my elimination in the sense that it’s a competition and every time you go in panel, you go in to win it. I wanted to stick around and take the whole thing. But that didn’t work out. However, I know everything happens for a reason and there are great things in my future.

Did you ever receive the criticism of being too hard in photo shoots before?

No, I’ve never been told that. Tyra was the first person and first photographer to bring that up. It could be attributed to many different factors. It was a competition, it was a television show. Maybe my nerves or my tension translated on camera and Tyra was seeing that. It could be that Tyra just wanted a different look than what I offer, that she wanted a look that was inherently softer. It’s not necessarily a surprise. I’m a strong person with a very strong personality. I have a strong look. But any time you’re in a competition or into a situation where you’re going to be judged, you need to be open to criticism and both negative and positive feedback.

What do you think about to try to bring that softness to your face?

I think about things that are pleasant and heartwarming. I think about Jesus, my grandmother, my mom, just things I love. My Christian faith is definitely one of those.

Did you find smizeing difficult?

It’s just smiling with your eyes. You do that by bringing light to your face and eyes. Once you add that, it just shows through.

Why were you so vocal about your dislike for the makeup?

Let me correct that. I did not not like my makeup. That was a misrepresentation of what happened. In any show you have an image of how the model is supposed to look like. It’s the vision for the shoot and it’s usually attached to the makeup station. My face looked nothing like that image. The makeup artist used completely the wrong colors. I was asked what I thought and all I said was “wow, I don’t look like that.” Of course they made it look like it I hated it and that it was this huge drama. I’ve hated makeup at shoots before and kept my mouth shut and did my job.

Who are you rooting for to win and who do you think has the most potential in the industry?

For me, it’s a toss up between Sundai, Nicole and Laura. Sundai because of her bone structure. Laura because she is a chameleon, she can become many different personas in front of the camera. Nicole because she is a thorough individual and an artist. She’s always in her own head, she’s very deep and everything she does is well thought out. This translates well on camera, all her photographs are works of art.

Do you think you were portrayed accurately?

Yes and no. I definitely received an arc of sorts, where I was the center of conflict in the first few episodes, then less so as the show went on. I don’t know what they were trying to do there, but it was really a result of Courtney’s elimination. She was the only girl that I connected with and once she left, I didn’t see the point in trying to interact with the other girls. It would have just been superficial. I’d already learned their characters and we weren’t a match. I definitely kept to myself after that, and it was portrayed as me being less confrontational.

You still seemed to clash with a lot of people in the house. Why?

Look at it this way: there’s fourteen women put in a house with nothing to do in a competitive setting. These fourteen women have different backgrounds, different cultures, different ethnicities, different childhoods, come from different demographics. Throw in PMS, boredom, competitive spirit and different coping methods, you’ll get clashes. I knew what I was getting into when I signed up for the show and I didn’t put on the façade that I was in it to become everyone’s best friend. That’s not what this show is about. Combine that with the fact they take hours and hours of filming and cut it down to one hour, you end up with one-dimensional representations of the women in the house. I wasn’t there to start drama and I don’t believe I was the primary source of conflict and tension in the house.

What are you studying in school?

I’m majoring in Public Relations and minoring in fashion.

What’s next for you?

I’m going to continue to purse modeling. I’m a senior in school and I’m going to do both while I finish school. I made it this far, and I don’t believe this is the end. It was a great experience and I’m gracious to be given this opportunity. I want to thank Tyra, the casting directors, Ken Mok and all the staff and crew. It was a great experience most people won’t even get in a lifetime. Now I’m going to seek representation and continue to try to make it in modeling.

Image: Pottle Productions Inc

Post from: Top Model Gossip

Full Q&A below the jump!

Tell us about how you got involved in the competition.

I read online that Tyra was having an audition, and I went in stood in line for 12 hours, and I made it.

Did you have any prior modeling experience?

I did nothing serious. I did a few fashion shows for my friends, and I had another friend who wanted to be a photographer so he took photos of me. So I just did stuff with friends.

Did you watch the show before you went on?

I’ve watched the show from cycle one.

Did you feel they portrayed you accurately?

Yeah, they got me pretty well. I said what I said and did what I did. Sure, the show highlighted some things and downplayed others, but it was pretty much me. I think they highlighted some different elements in my last episode, but since it was my elimination episode, I guess they wanted to make it as dramatic as possible.

You and Ashley were concerned with talking down the other girls. Why?

In the house there were thirteen other girls. We all talked about each other, they just showed us more than other people. It’s what happens when you have that many girls together with nothing to do and it’s a competition. It’s a competitive environment and you’re always angling for your next advantage and who is going home next. All you have to do all day is think about the competition and where you stand and the result is talking trash about everyone. We sit around for hours and hours talking and the cameras will pick up on one thing and completely focus on that. A four hour conversation turns into a thirty second clip on television.

Despite your confidence in your signature walk, you did poorly in the challenge. Are you going to change your walk now?

No, definitely not. The dresses were short and funky and I needed more excitement in my walk.

Tell me about your signature walk. Where was it developed and when did you learn it?

It was taught to me when I was seventeen. I did a fashion show for some local fashion designers in Brooklyn. When I went to try on the outfits he hated my walk; he said to change it. He walked for me; he’s like the Ms. J of Brooklyn. Then I stole some things from his walk, and when I walked again he said, “Ok, I like that.”

Did you like makeover? Did you keep it?

I liked it; it was pretty. But weaves drive me crazy. No, didn’t keep it. I don’t like hair. I had really big dreads for the longest time, but then just chopped them off. Roslyn, my girlfriend, doesn’t like weaves either.

Did you change your hair back to how it was at the beginning of the show?

Yes, there’s a bit more on top, no hair on the sides and it’s shorter than it was at the beginning. I changed it back as soon as I left the show.

Are you going to keep in touch with Ashley?

Definitely. I love Ashley, Courtney, and Rae are my girls. They are the new entries in my phonebook. I loved all the girls and we all got along, but those three were my closest friends. I don’t talk to all of them and forcing a friendship out of the Top Model experience is silly, especially if we didn’t click.

What will you do now?

Now I’m going to pursue modeling like I never thought I could before. I’m just going to go into everything with an open mind. I want to do runway, especially internationally. I know I’m short and that will be a challenge an I’ll probably only get 2 jobs or something silly. But it’s my dream. Maybe I’ll grow! Ha! But it could happen.

You heard you need to tense up a bit in your photographs. Where do you go to focus?

I tried to go somewhere, but it didn’t work. Now I think of what the photographer wants, what Trya wants, and what feels good to me. I play with these three things and hope for good shot.

What would you think of to tense up?

I would think of winning the competition, if I could go back, to get that determined face or whatever.

Which photo shoot was your favorite?

The horse one was actually my favorite. It wasn’t my best photo, but I loved the experience – being naked and being on the horse. It was so much fun and opportunities like that don’t come around very often. My favorite photo, though, was the baby picture one. I thought that was a beautiful photo.

Was your sexual orientation ever an issue in the house?

Maybe, but it never came up around me. No one seemed uncomfortable or said anything about it. I’m used to be around people who are uncomfortable with it. My family wasn’t a fan of it at first. I try not to pay attention or make a big deal out of it if someone around me is uncomfortable. I’m not going to go around hitting on them or shouting “I’m gay! I’m gay!” and forcing it down their throats. If I don’t make a big deal out if it, they shouldn’t make a big deal out of it.

Image: Pottle Productions

Post from: Top Model Gossip

Full Q&A is below the jump!

Tell us how you got involved with Top Model.

I actually got involved through one of my girlfriends, she convinced me to audition. I had no intentions or plans to go. She brought me to the hotel, dropped me off and said “good luck!” It turned out to be a good thing because I made it on the show!

Tell us about your injury.

It was a weird injury. I broke my heel. It was a bone that doesn’t normally break, and it broke. The doctors were like “I don’t know how you did it, this is so weird. We’ve never seen this before.” I’ve broken my right ankle about three times. This is the fourth time I’ve broken my foot. The first three were gymnastics injuries. Before I got into cheering, I was an active gymnast. This is my first cheering injury. But I’m used to it. Pains, joint and muscle aches. I’ve been through all of it. It comes with being a gymnast or a cheerleader.

How’s your foot now?

Much better, thank you! I’m not in a brace anymore. I’m in the gym and tumbling a little bit. I do physical therapy twice a week.

What’s more competitive, cheering or modeling?

I don’t think the modeling world is that competitive. Wait, okay, they’re both competitive, but it’s different. Modeling doesn’t have the same physical impact. Cheering is tough on your body. You work though your whole life and you work so hard. In modeling, you don’t get injured, you don’t break things. There isn’t that toll on your body. They’re competitive in that they’re both judging based. There are people judging you and there are expectations you need to meet to win the competition or book the job. These expectations aren’t entirely subjective either. But cheering is so much more physical.

Were you surprised by your elimination?

Yes and no. I knew I was going home the night before. I didn’t “know” know, but I could feel it. I’ve seen enough of the show that you know when someone is going home. You know the types of things they look for when they eliminate people. There’s several “types” and eliminations that are consistent in Top Model and that’s what they look for when eliminating contestants. There’s always someone who has potential but lets her emotions gets the best of her. That was me. I just knew. When Jay said I gave up and Tyra said I sabotaged myself, I knew I was going home. They hammered that point home.

Do you think you deserved to stay over Bianca?

It was harsh. It was my first time in the bottom two. Bianca was in bottom two twice in a row and didn’t go home. If that happens you should be out. But I understood why they did it so I wasn’t that upset. It’s a show, right? It was like it wasn’t unfair to me or anything. It wasn’t like that. My photo definitely wasn’t the worst, but it was one of those things. I know where they were coming from. I did have a bad attitude and that was my fault. I shouldn’t have let my injury get the best of me. However, I didn’t give up as much as they claim. If I hadn’t given up, I wouldn’t have gone. Who gets on a horse when they have a broken foot? Who goes on Top Model? Clearly, I’m dedicated and a hard worker, but I shouldn’t have let it affect my photos.

What was your Wilhelmina interview like?

Sean asked me if I could walk and if I would walk for him. We talked about what people don’t know about me from just looking at me. I told him about Disney and what it was like to work there. He actually said I looked high fashion. I was like “Wow!” I was grateful he said those things about me. I enjoyed meeting him and getting to go to dinner with him. It was amazing.

What are your future plans?

I recently opened own cheer gym. It’s Triple Threat. I work here about 40 hours a week. It’s owned by me and my family. I hope to get back into modeling. I’m excited for this season to start get back with agencies and go to castings and get back into it.

Tell me about your previous modeling experience.

I had my very first photo shoot two years ago. I so lucky to get this, it was an amazing job. I booked, books two times in a row for Glamour magazine. I’m in the December 2007 and January 2008 issues. It was an amazing first shoot. Amazing! I’ve also done an Old Navy commercial. The most recent thing that came out was my JC Penney campaign for Matrix, the hair salon. My picture is in the Matrix salons all over the US. It’s crazy! I’ve also done local magazine covers in Miami and a Heward Packard shoot.

Did you keep your makeover?

I loved my makeover. It’s so different and so unique. I love red! I love the red and the shortness. It’s a look that not everyone can pull it off. And not everyone has this hair cut. It’s awesome. It’s not just the show that likes me with short hair. My agencies love it. It was a great makeover. I actually had the same haircut like two years ago and grew it out before the show. I was so surprised when the show cut it right back! It’s my signature look. I was meant to have this haircut.

Image courtesy Pottle Productions Inc

Post from: Top Model Gossip