During the Top Model semi-finals, the New Jersey native was the ninth girl called to join the final thirteen competing for America’s Next Top Model, Cycle 12. Throughout the competition, she had been called first three times, being widely considered versatile and naturally photogenic by the judges. She also received praise for her consistent photos and chameleon portfolio, as well as her “wind-in-the-face” look. She struggled with her final commercial, and landed in the bottom two for the first (and only) time, but survived against fellow competitor Aminat Ayinde. At the final judging, she was deemed to be neck and neck with fellow contestant Allison Harvard, but was believed to have a greater passion for modeling, making her the judges’ pick for America’s Next Top Model.
- Alliterative Name: Post show, she became known as Asia Anderson.
- Celebrity Resemblance: With Vivica A. Fox.
- Eternally Pearly-White Teeth: the judges comment on her big smile as one point
- Nervous Wreck: In the final episode, where in her commercial, even she herself felt it was not passable.
- The Unsmile: She has an inability to smile, especially in the third photoshoot.
The American artist and fashion model from Houston, Texas, resided in New Orleans, Louisiana during her appearance on America’s Next Top Model. She is a painter and photographer, who describes her style of art as “surreal” and “psychedelic.” Her artwork is featured in the novel The Story Told at Night by Lisa Kuznetsova.
In late 2005, Allison gained notoriety as an internet meme on 4Chan, where she became known as “Creepy-chan” due to her ghostly digital photos of herself in heavy eyeliner and broken-baby doll outfits and poses, as well as her fascination with nosebleeds. When cheerier images later surfaced, her moniker was updated to “Cute Chan.”
Allison successfully auditioned for Cycle 12 of America’s Next Top Model. She stated that she wanted to enter the competition because she was into art and photography. During the audition process, she stated that she loved nose bleeds and hemophilia.
Allison performed consistently throughout the competition. She was called first by Tyra Banks four times, in episodes two, ten, twelve and thirteen (the first part of the finale). Despite her consistent performance, Harvard was in the bottom two twice. In episode four, she landed in the bottom two, with contestant Nijah Harris, because she was said to have over-analyzed her shoot. In episode seven, she landed in the bottom two with contestant Tahlia Brookins because she had a lackluster commercial and she was told she wasn’t versatile.
Allison made a significant improvement, and during the finale episode of America’s Next Top Model, she gave a convincing Covergirl commercial and was hailed for her improvement from the previous commercial. Allison made the final two due to her improvements in her Covergirl commercial and her unique high-fashion look. In the final runway walk, she was deemed the most improved, despite being deemed the worst walker out of the bunch at the beginning of the competition. Paulina Porizkova commended Harvard’s runway to Tyra Banks by saying, “She looks awesome!” while Banks replied, “She does.” during the fashion show. Despite her improvements and strong look, Harvard lost the competition to Teyona Anderson, making Allison the runner up.
- Breakout Character: one of the most memorable contestants from the show
- Chekhov's Boomerang: Her runway walk will screw her again two-and-a-half years later.
- Cloud Cuckoo Lander: said she was jealous that she's never had a nosebleed before, made snarky comments all the time
- The Ditz: ZigZagged. She is a clever girl, but she does have ditzy moments, oh boy! In the end it just adds to her overall cuteness.
- Dumb Blonde: Gets accused to be this by some other contestants but she is actually very smart and creative.
- Friendship Moment: She had lots of this with Celia.
- Graceful Loser: she congratulates Teyona after she wins.
- Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: after her makeover
- Innocent Blue Eyes: her distinguishing feature
- Nightmare Fetishist: about nose bleeds
- Too Quirky to Lose: Unfortunately averted. She was one of the finalists, but didn't make it.
- What Beautiful Eyes!: Let's just say she hears this constantly.
- Wide-Eyed Idealist: Only when compared to some of the other girls. She comes across as seeing with rosy colored glasses. Physically she fits this trope to a T.
The 21-year-old student from Union, New Jersey was an incredibly strong competitor during her appearance on America’s Next Top Model, Cycle 12. She started the show with very strong photos, but began to have weaker photos as the competition continued. She did win one reward challenge during episode three, but subsequently the 11th girl eliminated from the show.
- Alliterative Name: Aminat Ayinde
- Sassy Black Woman: mainly during her interviews.
- Statuesque Stunner: She is listed as being 6'1".
In 2007, at age 23, Celia tried out for the CW Network reality television show America’s Next Top Model, but was not chosen as a contestant. In 2009, an acquaintance who tried out for Stylista, another CW reality show, introduced her to an America’s Next Top Model casting agent, who encouraged her to submit photos and attend a closed casting call. This time she was chosen to perform in the show’s twelfth cycle. It was during her time on the show that she learned she was cross-eyed, a fact she was not aware of until judge and photographer Nigel Barker told her.
At age 25, Celia was the oldest contestant in Cycle 12, and judges repeatedly expressed concern that she might be too old to be a model. However, she was also complimented by the judges on multiple occasions for her elegance, her love of fashion and its reflection in her personal styling, and what Paulina Porizkova, a judge and former model, called her “non-traditional model looks”.
During the March 25 episode, after the judges voted to keep contestant Tahlia Brookins on the show, Celia told the judges she felt Tahlia should be dismissed because she had been expressing a great deal of self-doubt and questioning whether she should stay on the show. Tyra criticized Celia for making the public statement, claiming that decision should come from Tahlia rather than her.
Celia was among the final four contestants when she was eliminated from the show on the May 6 episode. During the same episode she was eliminated, Celia ranked first place in a dance challenge and was complimented by Banks for her bone structure and strength. The day before the episode ran, several reporters predicted Celia to win the competition.
- Boyish Short Hair: her makeover
- Celebrity Resemblance: With Martha Plimpton
- Competence Zone: Discussed. See her bio.
- The Fashionista: Everybody noted that she has a great detail in styling. When she was eliminated, Pauline even wanted to hire her as her stylist.
- Friendship Moment: all her moments with Allison.
- Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: she had long blonde hair before her makeover, until they cut it short.
- Onee-sama: To Allison.
- That Was Objectionable: The aforementioned Tahlia incident.
- Younger Than They Look: she was only 25, but was often criticized for looking older.
This student from Albuquerque, New Mexico was 19-years old during her appearance on America’s Next Top Model, Cycle 12. Fo’s performance had its highs and lows, but generally, she produced strong photos and ended up being the 5th runner up. Additionally, Fo was the only girl during Cycle 12 to win two reward challenges in one episode (episode 10). Fo was eliminated during episode 11, following the bathing suit photo shoot with Nigel Barker.
- Boyish Short Hair: she described her makeover as making her look, not like "Plain Jane", but "Plain Jane's brother"
- Genki Girl: has a young, cute personality
- Traumatic Haircut: she cries both during and a for a while after her makeover.
This 19-year-old Palos Verdes, California native was a student during her appearance on America’s Next Top Model, Cycle 12. To most watchers of the show, she was the resident rich girl during this cycle.
Natalie, who started the competition with some minor modeling experience, told E! Online that she felt she’d been butchered by unfavorable editing. “I think they edited me to make me look like I was spoiled. I am completely opposite of the character they made me be on the show. They actually cut and pasted lines to make me sound like I was a spoiled brat because they were desperate to make me look that way.” She was even shown on camera commenting on the accommodations in Brazil, saying such statements like, “I wish we had a pool.”
Natalie isn’t the first reality show contestant to complain about how she was portrayed on the show, nor will she be the last. But she did have some interesting things to say about Tyra’s involvement in the show’s progression.
Before Natalie was eliminated, she pointed out that Tyra’s criticism of her photo was a far cry from the words of encouragement she’d been hearing on the set from the photo director, Jay Manuel. Tyra shot her down, and Natalie was eliminated soon thereafter. Natalie said of the incident, “It was very, very shady. I think the judges thought that I lied and that’s why I got sent home. I have a feeling Tyra and Jay don’t really click that well because they have totally different ideas. I have a feeling they didn’t even really communicate because to have completely opposite ideas that you want the girls to do is completely ridiculous and unfair.” She went on to say that she thinks Tyra plays favorites, a suspicion many ANTM watchers have had for years. “Tyra definitely has a soft spot for Aminat and Teyona. I think she just loves [their] personalities. I feel like they’re most relatable to Tyra, since Tyra was a black model struggling. I think she has a hidden emotional connection with the black girls, and I think that’s where a lot of favoritism comes from. I’m not accusing her of it, but that’s just my opinion.”
Natalie said this about the winning model: “I think Teyona will [win], but I hope Allison will. Teyona has the judges on her side; she has the ability to take a great picture. Though, when you see her in person, it’s like, how do you even tell that she’s a model? With Allison you know she’s a model. She’s beautiful, and she has something special. I really want Allison to win, but I think it’s going to be Teyona.”
Natalie performed well during the competition, with good and mediocre photos, but ended up becoming the 8th girl eliminated from the show due to her poor performance during the Carmen Miranda shoot. Natalie won one reward challenge during episode four.
- Offscreen Moment of Awesome: She apparently had a screaming match with Tyra after being eliminated, not that we saw it.
- Perpetual Frowner: All of the pictures in her portfolio show her either frowning or pouty lipped. Also on the show, she was the least likely of contestants to crack a smile.
- Statuesque Stunner: She is 6 feet tall.
- Took a Level in Jerkass: She becomes increasingly arrogant after the makeover episode, bragging about how she was the first contestant not to get any changes to her looks.
The 18-year-old Arlington, Texas native was a student during her appearance on the show. London, a 2008 graduate of Martin High School in Arlington, TX, was always recognized for her flair for fashion. Viewed as a trendsetter, her stylish ensembles were sometimes copied by her classmates. And she was always known in the hallways as being “that really pretty girl.”
London, who was a ‘street preacher’ during her appearance on the show, had a strong presence, as well as captivating photos. Unfortunately, London was becoming increasingly self-conscious of her body when she began to gain some weight. Her body issues became more apparent during her photo shoot with R&B superstar Ciara, so Jay discussed weight concerns with her after the photo shoot, telling her that while she was way too small for plus-size modeling she should watch her eating habits to continue to fit in sample sizes. In the end, London was eliminated during episode nine. She had won one reward challenge during episode seven.
- Alliterative Name: London Levi
- An Elimination in the Limelight she got a lot of screentime during her elimination episode, with the main subject being her weight gain
- Fatal Flaw: Her lack of control in weight issues.
- The Fundamentalist: she was a 'street preacher' before the show where she would preach about Jesus on the streets, and was often seen reading her bible during the show
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Hollywood Pudgy: She gained some weight during the show run. - Nice Girl: had an overall sweet personality
- Only Known by Their Nickname: Her real first name is Lauren, but went by London during the show.
- Tagalong Kid: did not have much screentime during the show
Tahlia sparked a bit of controversy this cycle when many viewers and those in online chat forums claimed she was cast strictly as a stunt. The 18-year-old Arizona native has severe burns all over her body and an athletic physique, which is not exactly the status quo for a top model. But Tahlia quickly showed those naysayers that she was actually worthy. Week after week, her pictures got better and better and thoroughly impressed the judges. During episode seven, however, Tahlia couldn’t nail the Cover Girl commercial shoot and was eliminated. When being interviewed, Tahlia mentions that she holds no ill feelings toward Celia Ammerman for the small altercation they had in the top model house.
- Celebrity Resemblance: With Kimberly Locke.
- Good Scars, Evil Scars: Her burn scars.
- Inspirationally Disadvantaged: She suffered severe burns as a child, and wants to prove that one can be a model despite this.
Born and raised in Nairobi, Sandra began her modeling career at age nine upon winning a competition and was featured on Coca Cola billboards internationally. At age twelve Sandra, her seven siblings, and her parents relocated to the United States following the 1998 bombing of the United States Embassy in Kenya.
Following the loss of her older sister, Sandra was encouraged to follow her dream of modeling. She also enrolled in Montgomery College, balancing her modeling career and education. Sandra was working with modeling agencies in Washington, D.C. and New York City doing commercial, catalog and runway modeling when she was selected to be on Cycle 12 of America’s Next Top Model.
Sandra took strong photos during her appearance on the show, but was constantly told by the judges that she needed to take more photos straight foward, instead of profile. It was because of this weakness that the judges chose to eliminate Sandra from the show during episode six. She did win one reward challenge with Aminat during episode three. During the show, Sandra was seen frequently arguing with other models in the house.
- Alpha Bitch: Sometimes antagonized her fellow contestants, believed she was better than them
- I'm Not Here to Make Friends: She started off this way. After she was eliminated, she promptly regretted this idea and wishes that she should have make friends with the other girls in the house.
- Sassy Black Woman: Despite being a bitch at times, she could also be very funny
- Small Name, Big Ego: Believed she was better than her competitors at times.
Kortnie is a 24-year-old model from Houston, Texas who works as a non-profit organizer. She reportedly dated NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt, Jr. for a brief time.
As the only plus-sized model participating in Cycle 12, Kortnie took strong photos, but was eliminated following the Immigrant Shoot, when the judges said she struggled and produced a photo with a “sour-looking” face. Tyra also went on to say, “The girl we see in this judging room has such an alertness, that even now as I speak you are [wide eyed]. But the girl in you’re pictures is [much different].” Kortnie became the 4th girl eliminated from the show.
- Fiery Red Head: after her makeover
- Hollywood Pudgy: she is a plus-sized model.
- My Nayme Is: Her first is much different than the more conventional spelling.
Despite her promising start that left the judges impressed with her natural beauty, Nijah’s inability to show enough emotion through her eyes proved to be too big of a shortcoming, as the 18-year-old aspiring model from Rancho Cucamonga, CA became the third girl to be cut from ANTM.
- Statuesque Stunner: She is 6 feet tall.
- We Hardly Knew Ye: She didn't get much screentime, making her one of the most forgettable contestants of the cycle.
The Bradenton, Florida native was an 18-year-old student during her stint on the 12th season of America’s Next Top Model. Jessica didn’t last long on the show, as she was the second girl eliminated, but she definitely left an impression on the judges for her strong sexuality and her strong confidence, which at times came across cocky to viewers.
Jessica came to ANTM with some modeling experience, mostly walking during fashion week in Miami in 2007; she was also briefly signed by Ford Models in Puerto Rico.
- Spicy Latina: she is Puerto-Rican
- We Hardly Knew Ye: she went home second, and did not have much screentime
The Barboursville, Virginia native was 19 years old when she auditioned for America’s Next Top Model, Cycle 12. She had been pursuing modeling since she was fifteen and modeled for small projects in Virginia.
Isabella has been memorable for being the first girl eliminated from the show and because she was afraid that strobe lights would trigger her epilepsy during runway challenges.
- Celebrity Resemblance: To Kristen Bell. And, slightly, to Anna Belknap.
- Inspirationally Disadvantaged: She has epilepsy.
- Nice Girl: Had a sweet personality, from what was shown of her.
- Only Known By Her Nickname: Her real name is Kelly Marie, but for some reason went by Isabella during the show.
- We Hardly Knew Ye: she went home first
