Since Cycle 1 of Americans next top model, there’s been plenty of drama and fashion fights, both on and off the set. Here are 20 interesting facts about Tyra Banks’ America’s Next Top Model, which will return on January 9th for a new season.
AVON CALLING
Winner of Cycle 1, Adrienne Curry, is now an Avon Lady. Not as a model, but rather as a sales representative, she promotes Avon. The former contestant recently revealed that she was one of the top 30 Avon sellers in the nation.
THE LOVE THAT UNDERLYING
Vietnam, Estonia, Mongolia, New Zealand, and Brazil are just a few of the 45 countries with their versions of the show. Several new countries, including Kyrgyzstan and Myanmar, are launching their first seasons of the show this year.
Competitions such as Next Top Model: Caribbean, Next Top Model: Europe, and the Next Top Model: Africa are just a few examples of competitions that span multiple countries.
WHO WILL BE AMERICA’S NEXT GREAT CULINARY TALENT?
A personal chef and cleaning crew are not included in the ANTM house, so contestants have to cook and clean themselves.
THE LOVE I HAVE FOR YAYA WILL NEVER FADE FROM MY HEART
Lifetime’s biographical drama about the life of singer Whitney Houston starred Cycle 3 runner-up Yaya DaCosta. Angela Bassett made her directorial debut with the film. As a result of her exit from the reality show, DaCosta has starred in numerous movies and television shows, including NBC’s Chicago Med.
THE SCENT IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS INTERNATIONAL ANTM’S
“An optimistic and sweet fragrance designed to invoke the glorious moment of victory,” describes the scent, which goes by the name Dream Come True.
I’M HERMIONE, AND I’M IN CHARGE
Cycle 5 runner-up Sophie Sumner lived with Emma Watson when she was on Britain’s Next Top Model, and she went on to win America’s Next Top Model’s 18th cycle. Their friendship began when they were both boarders at the exclusive Headington School in England.
INSTRUCTIVE MODEL
Lisa D’Amato launched a rap, electro-rap, and hip-hop music career in 2008 after winning Cycle 5 of America’s Got Talent. Since then, she’s released two albums, worked with Grammy-nominated producer Cisco Adler on several tracks, and performed at Coachella, SXSW, and various clubs in Hollywood and Nevada.
Wink and nod of approval
ANTM judge Janice Dickinson adored Elyse Sewell to the point where she would wink at the contestant whenever she was safe during Cycle 1 of the competition. Janice shook her head in the final three at Elyse before the announcement so that Sewell knew she was about to be eliminated.
EXAMPLES FROM IN THE PAST
Nigel Barker’s mother was a former Miss Sri Lanka contestant and ANTM judge. Barker’s early exposure to modelling is said to have significantly impacted his admiration for it.
TYRA WHERE ARE YOU?
Tyra only appears once a week to the contestants. Even though she only has a few minutes with each hopeful model, they all appreciate the time she takes to get to know them.
For Bustle, Cycle 9 contestant Sarah Hartshorne revealed, ‘She was always lovely and highly knowledgeable about everything. I only saw her once a week, and there were many of us, but only one of her. It’s time for Tyra Banks to become mayor.
For the first five weeks of Cycle 15, Ann Ward was the only contestant to be ranked first among all the models.
THE MOST DISAPPOINTED.
In Cycle 10, Whitney Thompson was the only winner to the bottom two on four separate occasions, making her the most frequent bottom-two finisher.
MODELS OF SCIENCE FICTION
Tyra Banks drew inspiration from her modelling career for Modelland, a YA sci-fi fantasy book.
A CONTESTANT WITH BALLS
Winner of the 21st cycle: While Keith Carlos had a brief NFL career with the Eagles and Giants (2011, 2013), he stood out in college football.
Then again, you could stick with modelling.
“Shake Ya Body” was a music video for Tyra Banks’ final six Cycle 2 contestants. “Let me just do a public service announcement right now,” Tyra said on Watch What Happens Live. If you don’t have the talent for something, “boo, let it go.” My name is Tyra Banks and I am here to tell you that even if you’ve got something burning in your heart and soul, you’re not going to be able to achieve it.
A DIFFERENT TYPE OF THERAPEUTIC APPROACH
The winner of Cycle 9 is Robin Thicke’s “Sex Therapy” music video featuring Saleisha Stowers.
COLD BLOOD AND STRAINS
Allison Harvard, the Cycle 12 runner-up, was not as obsessed with blood as she appeared on the show. There was a misinterpretation, she claims, of her remarks.
The ex-contestant revealed in an AMA on Reddit that “Editing is genuinely ridiculous. As a fan of forensics and genetic blood disorders, I prefaced that statement with that information.
I once aspired to be a mortician because the human body has always fascinated me. My intention was not to make a Halloween-themed statement about blood, but it fascinates me.
FAMILIARITY WITH THE INTERNET
Allison Harvard used to go by the online alias “Creepy Chan” when she was in her twenties. Her creepy photos and art on sites like DeviantArt and Flickr attracted the attention of the internet in the mid-2000s when she was active on these sites.
HOW AND WHEN TYRA CONTACTED MISS J
During a runway show, Tyra met Miss J in the backstage area. During Tyra’s catwalk training, Miss J became Tyra’s mentor, and the two became fast friends. For her part, Tyra was also responsible for coining the term “Queen of the Catwalk” for herself.
BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE CAN BE FOUND AT ANY AGE.
This year’s America’s Next Top Model did away with the show’s age restriction on air for the first time in 15 years. Previously, applicants had to be younger than 27, but this year, anyone over 18 is eligible to apply.
American Idol’s 24th season will premiere on VH1 on January 9th.
