America's Next Top Model

Not all America's Next Top Model contestants are wide-eyed young girls from tiny towns who have never flown on a plane before. Plus-size model Kasia of this cycle has actually had some success modeling on her own, notably a spread in V Magazine, and a contract with Wilhelmina.

All of her experience may give her a leg up on the competition but she is quite a bit older than the rest of the model wannabes. Kasia's a relatively ancient 27 years old. Luckily, she says, she's always looked a lot younger than she really is, and even had to lie about her age on her first big modeling gig, which just so happened to be for the same magazine whose cover was the prize for the winning Top Model — back before we were in high-fashion mode, of course.

Dishes Kasia, "My first really big gig was Seventeen magazine and that was really cool...I did have to lie about my age. That's a regular thing in the industry. It was really exciting. I have worked with them a dozen times now. They are great; they have an easygoing vibe on the set. It's young and fun and happy. I cannot even say that I was nervous. They make you comfortable and it was a really good first big gig."

So why is Kasia even on ANTM if she's been so successful on her own? It's been speculated that she's trying to get her personality on the radar in order to book more commercial work. And, based on her admission that she's dying to get into acting, we think she's hatched a pretty good plan. "People will criticize and say that I can't [act and model]," she says. "But why not? There is a stereotype that models cannot be actresses, but I hope people see that is not the case here. Hopefully everybody will love seeing me a long time and I hope doing this show will help my exposure immensely."

As much as we love the whole "I used to live in a sleeping bag behind a Walmart" rags to riches model story, it would be kind of nice to have someone win who actually knows what she's doing, and could properly use the platform Top Model gives her, right?

Source: Daily Herald