Interview With Natasha of America's Next Top Model, Cycle 8
Age: 21
Hometown: Dallas, Texas
Occupation: College Student
Natasha was sultry, versatile and most of all, eager to win the title of America’s Next Top Model. Unfortunately, the judges had the difficult task of choosing a winner out of the remaining two, Jaslene and Natasha. They both knew how to strut the runway and shine during each photo shoot. The judges were amazed at Natasha’s ability to take flawless shots, each one more amazing than the other. Natasha told us what it was like being immersed into the busy life of a Top Model.
Hi Natasha! How are you? It’s a pleasure speaking with you today.
Hi. I’m good.
Even though you didn’t win the competition, you came extremely close. How does it feel?
It’s a great feeling because I’m always having the dream of having a modeling career and now I actually can do it. I’m very, very happy that it’s all over even though the last 8 months of my life were concentrated around the Top Model. Since the casting call and until the day before yesterday, I was still in this Top Model life, the life of the show. Now it’s officially over and a whole new beginning starts. I’m real excited.
You’ve said life has been a challenge for you. Describe for us your life, before Top Model.
I was growing up in a big family. I was an only child in the family but I have a lot of cousins and aunts and uncles. I was going to school and learning English there. After that I moved to Moscow. My mom was supporting me. I was in the university. I studied a little bit of Spanish. Right now I’m trying to continue to do it. After that I met my husband in Moscow. I fell in love with him because he’s so handsome, he’s so caring, he’s so romantic. He was great. He’s still supportive, loving and caring. We were dating for a little bit less than a year. He proposed in Paris, France which was really, really romantic. I was almost 20 when we got married. After we got married I had a baby in a year and it’s still going great.
What made you try out for America’s Next Top Model?
I’d always wanted to be a model. Modeling was my dream so I thought America’s Next Top Model would be a great thing to do to break into a modeling career. That’s why I decided to try. I went a hundred miles away from my house. I drove to the border of Oklahoma and Texas because that was the closest casting call. I was chosen the one out of like hundreds of girls that showed up. It was really amazing. It was shocking and I was so surprised and I was so happy. They sent me to Houston and from there was another thousands of girls. There was only 4 of us chosen and they sent us to L.A.
What was it that set you apart from the other girls? Why did the judges take notice?
I think I’m different. I think every other girl was also unique and different but I also think I’m different because I have a lot of culture and I represent all the girls who want to pursue their dreams and make them come true. I just want to tell them that they can do it, no matter how far away they are living or no matter how far the path is. They can do it. Another thing that made me unique is that on the show I was improving week after week. I think the judges all saw that.
Now that you’ve watched the show, do you feel the other girls alienated you?
It’s hard to say because I chose to not think about it. I chose to think of the better things because it’s a competition and it’s already stressful. If you’re going to think about the negative things it’s just going to be more stressful for you. I just always chose to think about good things and to think about great moments we had with the girls. I know they had negative comments about me to the judges but I knew that Tyra’s a wise woman and she would see right through it. She made a right decision and kept me in the competition and I was very, very happy about it.
Did you feel discouraged at times? How did you keep your enthusiasm about everything?
Of course. The show was filmed for so long. You’re not in control. You’re not able to do what you want to do right now. It’s very stressful but at the same time it’s very exciting. Sometimes, of course, you don’t feel as good as the others so those times I would call my mom and my mom would always encourage me. She would say, “Hey you can do it.” Or I would call my Stewart and he would say, “I love you baby. I believe in you.” That’s what made me keep going.
You had quite a language barrier to overcome. Did that make things even more challenging for you?
Definitely, definitely yes. There was like a hundred percent of the times when I did not understand what exactly they wanted from me. It wouldn’t be clear for me. For the photo shoot with the teacher’s pet I was like, “What type of personality do you want me to portray?” There were a lot of times like this; not only with the photo shoots but also with the girls. There was a lot of times where we wouldn’t understand each other. It turned out good.
Were you close to anyone in the house?
It would probably be Cassandra and Jaslene and Jaeda. Those girls I was rooming with and they were great. They knew everything about me and I knew everything about them so it was really close relationship, especially with Cassandra. We still talk for hours. I still talk to a lot of the girls. Of course to Diana, Whitney, to Renee, to Jaslene, Brittany and Jael… everybody. I pretty much talked to everybody but during the show Cassandra was my best friend.
You actually keep in touch with Renee?
I stay in touch with everybody. When it’s the show everybody’s competing for the one thing and some girls just you know… I’m the girl who tried to still keep it fun, who tried to be friends and just be…You know me so I don’t have to try to explain. The other girls are very competitive and aggressive in this way. It’s just that we’re all different and that’s what’s good about the world. In the real world we all have different things to do. We all pull away from each other. We don’t compete so when you call somebody we have a great relationship.
You have an amazing portfolio full of awesome photos. Which one is your favorite?
I would say if I had to pick a picture from my portfolio I would choose the one for the men’s magazine and the women’s magazine. I think those two were very, very beautiful. I think the idea of the photo shoot was very simple. It was at the same time, great.
What was the most unforgettable moment of this experience?
I think it was when I was hip hop. I mean, that was my favorite. I loved it! It was funny.
It gave a chance for your personality to come out.
Yeah that’s right.
You obviously have a promising modeling career ahead of you. Have you already made plans for the future?
I didn’t think right now about it but definitely I want to do… I want to move to New York and sign up with a very good agency and pursue high fashion editorial stuff. You never know how things are going to turn out. Maybe I’m going to go and do other stuff. That’s what I think about my future right now.
You’re a college student, right?
I just finished but I’m still doing the community college trying to get the core. I finished a couple of weeks ago. I don’t know yet if I’m going to move. Then I will have to think about it.
You won a lot of fans with your bubbly, enthusiastic, attitude. What would you like to say to them?
I just want to say, “Thank you for your support. Thank you so much for your love. It just keeps me going. It just makes me wake up happy.” I just love when people come up to me and say, “Hi Natasha.” I love to chat to everybody and everybody who comes up to me and just wants to know about the show or just talk about anything. I just really appreciate it and really appreciate all the love and support I get from you guys.
Thank you again for you time. We wish you all the best. You’ll certainly go far!
Thank you so much! Bye!
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