Campus Activities Board is hosting MSU’s third annual casting call for the reality show “America’s Next Top Model” Thursday. From 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., any interested girl with a height of at least 5’7″ can apply and give a presentation over a video camera, which supermodel Tyra Banks will allegedly review. Contestants for this open casting call also have to be between the ages of 18 and 24 to enter. If one of these contestants were to win the competition, she would get $100,000 modeling contract and an induction into the enviable CoverGirl hall of fame.
Erica Nix, special division head of CAB, said that the auditions are open to girls from any school or any town. “This is the only open casting call in the Southeast,” she said.
Therefore Nix receives applications from girls as far as Atlanta, some with professional portfolios. “They see it on a Web site and fill out applications.” Nix, who is in charge of orchestrating the auditions, said that it is never too late to register.
“They can register the day of if they want,” she said. “Just go to the CW Web site and click on ‘America’s Next Top Model’ and download the application.” This would save time and paper, she added.
Nix said applicants who want to apply the day of the tryout need to bring a copy of their driver’s license or social security and birth certificate.
So far Nix and student director of CAB, Bobby Lee Daniels, who have set up an application booth outside the YMCA, have had to refill their application forms because so many girls have come by.
If applicants do not get callbacks, there is still hope for some modeling work. WCBI, a sponsor of the event, will have scouts there looking for models for commercials. Another sponsor, Photo Magic 2, will provide free head shots for applicants without a portfolio. Other sponsors are Trends, Prestige and 92.1.
Junior Melissa Sharp wanted to try out for the competition, but had a mandatory conference to attend at the same time as the tryouts. “These auditions are a chance for people to see how beautiful Mississippi State women are,” she said.
Created by Banks and first airing in May 2003, the show was the highest rated on the UPN network and is the highest rated for the its new network, the CW.
Judging along with Banks will be Twiggy, the iconic supermodel the ’60s renowned for being the first “skinny” model and her “mod” look created in the late ’50s by Englanders. Twiggy replaced Janice Dickinson, one of the world’s first supermodels.
Along with Twiggy and Banks, J. Alexander, the runway coach of the previous seasons, will eliminate one of the 10 to 14 aspiring models each episode.
These episodes are filled with certain challenges for the contestants, such as mock interviews or photo shoots and the training for those challenges. Winners usually receive small prizes, such as clothing or nights out with contestants of their choice.
Some contestants, who either win the acting challenge or win the whole competition, also receive surprise guest roles or cameos on a UPN series such as “Veronica Mars” or “Kevin Hill.