Whitney Thompson is pulling again the curtain on her time contained in the “America’s Next Top Model” home, and the image she paints isn’t glamorous. Forward of Netflix’s upcoming documentary “Actuality Examine: Inside America’s Subsequent Prime Mannequin,” the trailblazing winner is revisiting the emotional toll, physique scrutiny, and behind-the-scenes moments that outlined her historic win and almost broke her alongside the best way.
Article continues beneath commercial
Whitney Thompson Says Making ‘ANTM’ Historical past Got here With Behind-The-Scenes Struggles
As the primary plus-size winner of “America’s Subsequent Prime Mannequin,” Thompson made historical past when she gained Cycle 10 in 2008. However behind the milestone second, she says the expertise typically felt stacked in opposition to her.
Thompson, who was simply 20 years outdated and a measurement 6 when she entered the competitors, revealed that one thing as primary as wardrobe grew to become a supply of humiliation and frustration. She advised PEOPLE that not having correct garments for plus-size contestants “felt intentional,” leaving her feeling singled out fairly than supported.
Article continues beneath commercial
Thompson Stated She Cried In Secret Whereas Cameras Rolled
With cameras rolling almost nonstop, Thompson mentioned privateness was virtually nonexistent, apart from one place. “I simply pretended prefer it didn’t trouble me, however, and I’m positive a lot of the ladies would do that, I’d cry within the bathe day by day,” she admitted. “As a result of the bathe is the one place that the cameramen couldn’t come, in order that was your secure place to launch and be like, “Why are they doing this to me?”’
Regardless of the emotional toll, Thompson mentioned she made a acutely aware selection to not give producers what they had been pushing for, telling the outlet, “I knew that they had been attempting to poke me and get one thing out of me, so I simply performed it cool, like, ‘That is wonderful. We’ll simply duct tape my gown. No worries.”’
Article continues beneath commercial
Whitney Thompson Says Judging Left Her Emotionally Exhausted
Whereas the challenges had been robust, Thompson mentioned the judging course of itself was even more durable to endure. She didn’t mince phrases when describing the expertise, calling it a “nightmare” and revealing simply how intense the stress grew to become. “I took Xanax earlier than each judging,” she admitted. “You’re standing there for eight, 9 hours underneath these sizzling lights ready for individuals to let you know that one thing is flawed with the way you look. It was emotionally exhausting.”
On the heart of all of it was the present’s creator and host, Tyra Banks, whose panel critiques grew to become a defining and sometimes painful a part of the competitors.
Article continues beneath commercial
Thompson Calls Trend’s ‘Plus-Dimension’ Period Faux
Even because the modeling business started embracing fuller figures, Thompson says the definition of “plus-size” remained inflexible and unrealistic. She defined that acceptance typically got here with situations that didn’t align with actual our bodies or actual individuals.
“We’d go together with our pads to castings and photograph shoots, and the padding would make our waist bigger, our hips bigger, however we would nonetheless have the identical jawline, arms and ankles,” Thompson revealed. “You might have a stomach, however you continue to needed to have a minimize jawline.”
In accordance with Thompson, inclusivity typically felt performative, a pattern fairly than a change. because the business clung to slender magnificence requirements underneath the guise of progress.
Article continues beneath commercial
Whitney Thompson Says ‘ANTM’ Fame Price Her Work
Regardless of successful “ANTM” and constructing a profitable profession afterward, Thompson says the label of “actuality TV star” adopted her, and never all the time in a great way.
She defined that in an business obsessive about anonymity, being recognizable might value her jobs. “You had been shopping for who I used to be on ‘Prime Mannequin,’” Thompson mentioned. “If a model desires a woman to only present garments they usually don’t need somebody [recognizable in a catalog] as a result of that takes away from their product, then you definately’re not going to get that job.”
Now, with the Netflix documentary “Actuality Examine: Inside America’s Subsequent Prime Mannequin” set to revisit the franchise’s legacy, Thompson’s reflections really feel like simply the tip of the iceberg in a a lot bigger dialog.
