Earlier this week, the names, ages, occupations, and hometowns of the thirteen finalists on Cycle Nine of America’s Next Top Model were released. Until the show starts, though, the CW Network is likely to remain relatively tight-lipped on any additional details about the latest crop of young women to submit to Tyra Banks’ fashion gauntlet.
However, some details have emerged about one of the new modelettes, Kimberly Leemans from Ocala, Florida. While she might not yet be a household name or familiar face to most people, she actually is already a “Top Model.”
A local Ocala news outlet has reported that Kimberly was the winner of Ocala Magazine’s “Ocala’s Next Top Model” contest. Okay, so it’s not quite the same as being the winner of Tyra’s internationally-televised modeling competition. Nevertheless, she was one of the five finalists the magazine asked its readers to vote on in an online poll. At the end of the voting, the magazine says “With her ‘Cover Girl’ good looks and vibrant persona, 19-year-old Ocala native Kimberly Leemans [was the readers’] choice as OCALA’s Next Top Model.”
Kimberly was featured on the cover and in a pictorial with the other finalists. The accompanying article from the issue gives us a few clues about this new America’s Next Top Model finalist, saying, “This world traveler and all-American beauty is a freshman at Florida International University where she is currently learning Mandarin in addition to polishing her fluent French and Spanish.”
Kimberly beat out 306 other local entrants to win the spot as Ocala’s Next Top Model; will she have what it takes to grab that top spot over the thousands of girls who auditioned for America’s Next Top Model? It’s still way too early to know. The self-confidence that could come from such a win might help her withstand the competition. However, if there’s something Tyra can’t stand, it’s a modelette who’s too cocky, so Kimberly might be served well by not trotting out her Ocala’s Next Top Model status in front of the judges too often.
As BuddyTV gets additional details regarding other modelettes, we will keep you updated. In the meantime, starting Monday, we will be conducting a rigorous review of all of the finalists’ currently-posted photos in order to make a highly subjective and totally superficial assessment of who we think is most likely to make it in this Cycle of America’s Next Top Model. Come right back here and weigh in with your thoughts with regard to your current favorites!
– Leslie Seaton, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: Ocala.com, Ocala Magazine
(Images courtesy of CW and Ocala Magazine)
Staff Columnist, BuddyTV
