Compared to previous cycles, this season of America’s Next Top Model was relatively smooth-sailing in the drama department. It was never boring, of course, but who doesn’t love watching a good model cat-fight unfold? Nobody, that’s who.
For what little social excitement that came across our screens this cycle, we have contestant Erin Wagner, 18, at least partially to thank. Her wisecracking and brutally honest assessments of fellow models and the show’s challenges may have rubbed some the wrong way, but her many stellar photos from throughout the competition showed that she had the modeling talent to back up the attitude. She made it to the final four, after all!
And, as we know about reality TV, not everything is always as it seems.
In other words, as Erin told me this morning: “I’m not a bitch!”
Check out what else Erin had to say about her experience on America’s Next Top Model, after the jump.
This is Meghan with BuddyTV and I’m on the line with Erin from America’s Next Top Model Cycle 13. Congratulations on making it to the final four! How does it feel?
Thank you. It’s really weird. I mean, I knew that I made it this far, but that everybody is supporting me and being so happy for making it this far, is really heart warming. I never thought that I could have that much of an affect on people, but my family is so happy about it, even though I got eliminated, they’re really happy. I just feel really loved right now, and that’s good.
What kind of reactions have you been getting from people?
About being on the show, it was definitely weird to start having fans and stuff. I mean I love the little girls who come up to me and say, “oh I watch you on the show,” it is so nice. Because it’s so cool to be able to have a fan, because looking back I never would have thought I would be at this place right now, where I am, doing this as my life. My friends were really supportive, I mean, there were those people who were trying to be my friend after they figured out I was on the show. And that was weird. I’m still pretty much the same person, so it’s good to have those people around who offer support.
How did you come about auditioning?
My mom found out that they were doing a cycle for girl 5’7” and under and she told me about it. And I never thought I’d be going and auditioning for America’s Next Top Model, because I knew the height restrictions wise I was going to be out of luck. I auditioned on my spring break, and it was pretty fast the whole process. I auditioned over two days in Chicago and then pretty soon they wanted me to go to LA and then I was on the show. So I was like, “oh cool, so I’m going to drop school now.”
Oh, were you in college at the time?
I was finishing up my senior year of high school. So I deferred for a little bit and than I got back and finished my work and graduated late.
What was life like in the Top Model house?
I had a lot of fun living with the other girls, I mean of course we’re going to get in our little tiffs and we’re didn’t all get along. But as more and more girls left we got closer. And I think based on what you’ve seen on the show, like, I wasn’t as prepared for all of it as some of the other girls. Rae and Jen really helped me get used to being in a house with a bunch of girls and living on my own, technically and having to fend for myself with all these people. Because I’d always lived in a house with my family, so I’d never had to be on my own or make my own food and be in a competition at the same time. But we all got along really well.
Your personality seemed to clash with a couple girls in the house, particularly Nicole. Was there some tension there, or is that some clever editing?
Nicole and I are cool. We’re friends. I’ve visited her in Colorado. And we get along fine. I think based off of the show, Nicole’s personality like being on TV was a little stretched. Because she wasn’t as comfortable, she was more conscious of the cameras, while I let myself do whatever. She’s quieter than I am, so it’s realistic that we would get on each others nerves sometime.
How did you feel about your photo shoot for the final week?
I was really proud of my photo shoot, because I knew that I had been in the bottom two three times in a row, that I had to have an awesome photo shoot. And I felt more comfortable with that photo shoot than I had with my past photo shoots from the cover girl to the underwater shoot. I felt so good about it. I knew that I had done a good job. So going in I thought, ‘maybe this is enough to save me from being eliminated’ because I knew two people were going to be going home. And I knew Nicole was going to be in the final two. So I was like, well there was one spot left so I thought maybe I had done good enough. And I got a lot of positive critiques from the panel. And because I went home, but I went home on such a good note, it’s okay. So I’m not as upset as I would have been. I knew my photo wasn’t worthy of elimination but based on past performances, Laura totally deserved to stay over me. So it was cool.
What was your favorite photo shoot?
Definitely the one we did with John Mannion, the “Make Me Tall” photo shoot. Where I was wearing this awesome Yves St. Laurent dress and these blue heels, it was just the best atmosphere out of any of the photo shoots that I did. And that’s my favorite photo, definitely.
On the show, we saw a lot of your competitive side. Looking back, do you think that competitive spirit helped you stay in the competition for so long, or did it make you come down harder on yourself?
I don’t think I was quite as competitive as the show showed. I mean, I definitely did everything that I did. But there were interspersed moments in there where I wasn’t being super competitive. Like at the beginning of the competition I was being pretty chill and I didn’t try as hard. And then I got in my own way by starting to try harder. So it put more pressure on myself to do well. Because it felt like, I’m putting in all this effort I should be doing awesome. But I’m not getting first call out every week, so obviously I’m not doing as well as I could. And so that drove me to compete even more and I think I made it as far as I did because of my spirit, but I could have made it farther if I had just chilled out the whole time instead of getting so thought processed in on it.
What’s something that people who watched you on the show would be surprised to learn?
That I’m not a bitch. Probably. I’m a cool person, I think people would like me. I would like to be my friend if I was someone that was not me. I think the show needed someone to be the competitive snarky one, and I fit the bill for that because I don’t censor myself. So I said everything that came to my mind and I’m a really opinionated person. I like to talk. And so I talked. SO they would catch me saying things that aren’t so great. There’s a whole other part of me than they bratty part that is on TV.
Now that you’re off the show, Laura versus Nicole. Who should win?
I think both girls have a lot that they could bring to winning America’s Next Top Model. Laura’s personality is perfect for Cover Girl and she’s just, she’s the biggest sweetheart I’ve ever met. But Nicole has proven that she can do awesome in every facet that they’ve presented her with. She did her commercial beautifully she takes exquisite photos that I was jealous of the whole competition. And that’s saying a lot because I didn’t judge the other girls in the competition other than Nicole. They both would do so great, so I’m rooting for both of them.
What’s in the future for you?
I’m not sure how to go about doing anything. So I’ve been talking to Jen and talking to Rae, and they’re teaching me how to go and get test shots and to set up a Model Mayhem and everything. I’m pretty lucky because I’m so close to Chicago so I’m going to go to some agencies soon and hopefully someone wants me. And then I’ll be able to work, because I just realized throughout the competition I love getting my photo taken it’s so fun and I could definitely make a career out of it.
-Meghan Carlson, BuddyTV Staff Writer
Image courtesy of the CW
Senior Writer, BuddyTV
Meghan hails from Walla Walla, WA, the proud home of the world’s best sweet onions and Adam West, the original Batman. An avid grammarian and over-analyzer, you can usually find her thinking too hard about plot devices in favorites like The Office, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and How I Met Your Mother. In her spare time, Meghan enjoys drawing, shopping, trying to be funny (and often failing), and not understanding the whole Twilight thing. She’s got a BA in English and Studio Art from Whitman College, which makes her a professional arguer, daydreamer, and doodler.
