Sandra tries to redeem herself
'America's Next Top Model's Sandra Nyanchoka: I'm a nice person
By John Bracchitta, 04/07/2009
Sandra Nyanchoka wants America to know one thing: She's not as testy as she may have looked during her time on America's Next Top Model.
"No. I'm like a really sweet girl. I'm really nice and I don't feel like it did [portray me accurately]," Nyanchoka told reporters following her elimination from last week's episode of The CW's reality modeling competition. "That's why I feel like people shouldn't judge me based on what they see on the show."
Nyanchoka added that she had begun worrying that she may be portrayed as the "bitch" of the house after learning she had made it to the finals after her argument with another semifinalist during the season's semifinals round.
"Right after the photo shoot we had during [casting,] and I was standing up for myself, [and] right after that I had a feeling, I was like 'Okay. they didn't pick her, and they picked me, so they're gonna expect me to act like that,' and I told myself I'm not gonna act like that. I'm not gonna be the 'bitch,' she told reporters.
"I was just like, 'I don't want people to think that of me... I don't wanna be portrayed as that,'" she added.
She also urged those out there who had formed such a strong negative opinion of her based solely on the portrayal of her on the show to step back and realize that the show had taken liberties in order to make the show entertaining.
"I feel like [people] just need to not take it so seriously because it is TV. Everything's overly exaggerated. It is reality TV, you know?" She told reporters. "People should not judge me based on that, because the first episode, unfortunately I got into an argument with one of the semifinalists and that was just me standing up for myself and it was edited to look like I started the whole thing. They shouldn't judge me by that."
As for her elimination -- which seemed to come early after her statements that she was the best model of the show's finalists -- Nyanchoka maintained that she felt the judges had made a mistake but could see the writing on the wall after judge Nigel Barker demanded a straight ahead shot of her instead of one in profile, which was her strength.
"I kinda feel like they did [make a mistake eliminating me], but then again I don't know," she told reporters. "I feel like they wanted to see a straight on photo of me. And like Tyra said I have really, really good sideways pictures, [but] she didn't pick those because Nigel wanted to see a straight on picture of me. So I kinda saw it coming after [the judges] deliberated.
Nyanchoka did take issue with the fact that the judges had pegged her relying too much on her profile shots and forced her to change while many of the show's contestants were still falling back on their strengths at that point in the competition as well.
"I feel like Allison was one of the girls, like, she always had the same face through all of her pictures," Nyanchoka told reporters. "I don't know, I just think they wanted me to go home."
However, any criticism by Nyanchoka of Allison ended there, as she also selected the 20-year-old artist from New Orleans, LA as her favorite to win the competition.
"I would say Allison because she has a very unique beauty," Nyanchoka told reporters. "I've never really seen a girl that looks like her before on the show.I just think she might win... If she gets better on the runway she might take it."
When asked what type of modeling she preferred, Nyanchoka told reporters that she had a clear preference for modeling in photo shoots over strutting her stuff on the runway.
"I love photo shoots more because I find I try to express my feelings more in front of the camera. I love that," she told reporters. "I love the fact that I can express how I'm feeling or express what I'm trying to convey."
She also revealed that it was her lack of experience on the runway -- at least in comparison to her photo shoot experience -- that had led to her puzzling runway walk during the competition's first round when she only walked halfway down the runway before suddenly turning around and walking back early.
"I feel like the reason I walked halfway on the runway was because was because I almost fell," she told reporters.
Nyanchoka told reporters that she plans to continue to pursue modeling, but added that she also intends to pursue another dream of becoming a journalist as well.
"I'm gonna continue modeling, but I eventually wanna be a journalist," she told reporters. "I've always loved writing and in school I was part of the [newspaper], and I was news anchor for my school news, and I always did stuff like that. But modeling is my passion and I will continue doing that as long as well."
Nyanchoka also seemed more than willing to combine the two interests in a career as a fashion journalist.
"Oh maybe! Yeah, in the future I could see that [happening]," she told reporters. "That way I'm doing two things that I love, and [have] the opportunity to pursue both."
source
BuddyTV's take
Sandra said she still feels the judges made a mistake eliminating her, though it didn't completely surprise her. "I felt it coming before deliberation and after we saw the pictures. I figured based on their reaction (to the photo) they were going to make that decision and let me go."
However, the reason Sandra believes she was sent home will shock many ANTM fans. When asked why she was sent home Sandra said, "I feel like it was the drama thing. That I wasn't as dramatic as they wanted me to be. Or maybe I didn't talk enough, but I feel like it was more the drama part of it." While we were shocked Sandra thought she didn't bring plenty of drama, she nixed the idea that the drama was the only reason she'd stayed around as long as she did. "I think they'd kept me for my potential, If they kept me for drama, they must have eliminated me because I didn't bring enough."
Sandra also said, she's not really that evil in person. "I'm a really sweet girl and I'm really nice." On her less than warm and fuzzy personality, "I felt like it was the environment we were in. It was a competitive environment and that made me want to focus on why I was there. I also missed my family and having no close friends, so I wanted to stay focus and do everything I could to win." And to the haters who call Sandra a bitch (this writer included), Sandra said, "Don't take it so seriously. It is TV, everything is overly exaggerated. It is reality TV you know. People should not judge me based on that."
On her signature pose, the strong profile shot?
Sandra said she's never noticed that she was a profile only type of model. Much of her pre-ANTM modeling shots were straight-on face shots and turned out beautifully. She also said she thought it was a bit hypocritical for the judges to send her home for doing the same pose multiple times, when othe girls received the same critique. "Allison always had the same face in all her pictures, but I guess they just wanted me to go home."
I am happy to report that Sandra did not keep her awful Dennis Rodman blonde Top Model makeover. Sandra said she loves changing her hair and color, so she didn't really maintain her look. As for her makeover, Sandra didn't love it but felt she had to work with it. Ultimately, Sandra felt her makeover hurt her chances of winning, saying that during this week's beauty shot she realized her lack of hair was her downfall. "During the photo shoot I realized it was the downfall for me. Everyone else's hair was styled, and I didn't have anything to work with."
Sandra's closest friends in the house were Teyona and Tahlia, who she still speaks to. When asked about all the drama surrounding Tahlia, Sandra said while she felt like Celia was to blame for the drama, but she also understood Celia's point. While Sandra said she wouldn't have told Tyra about Tahlia's comments, she also believed that Celia shouldn't have been sent home for bringing it up at judges panel. "I don't think she should have gone home because of that, I think she was just expressing how she felt, but she shouldn't have done it the way she did."
Sandra's favorite photo shoot was her winning Upper East Side nanny photo with Celia. She really enjoyed the concept of the shoot, working with a partner, and portraying a fictional character. Her least favorite photo shoot was the Ellis Island photo shoot. Sandra realizes it's strange that as an immigrant herself, she would struggle with the photo shoot, but she claimed it had less to do with the theme and more about the styling. "It was because the clothes were really heavy. I know for me it was easy to portray being an immigrant, because I am an immigrant." But it was hard to move around and pose."
And what does Sandra have to say about her disastrous first (half) runway walk? Sandra said she only walked half way because she almost fell at the beginning of her walk and figured it was safer to walk half the runway.
As for what's next for Sandra, she'd like to continue in modeling, which she says is her passion. But she'd also like to continue to pursue a career in journalism. One day she would love to combine both of her passions and work as a fashion journalist. Since she prefers print modeling to runway, Sandra would love to do commercial and catalog modeling. But if a runway spot ever opened up for Marc Jacobs, she'd love to walk for him.
Now that Sandra is out of the competition, she thinks that Allison should be named America's Next Top Model. "She has a really unique beauty and I've never seen a girl with her look on the show. If she gets better on the runway, I think she'll take it."
Lastly Sandra would like us all to know she didn't walk around saying she was better than the rest of the other models constantly. "I think I said I was better than all of the other girls once, but they just kept replaying that part over and over again."
--Abbey Simmons, BuddyTV Staff Writer
source
By John Bracchitta, 04/07/2009
Sandra Nyanchoka wants America to know one thing: She's not as testy as she may have looked during her time on America's Next Top Model.
"No. I'm like a really sweet girl. I'm really nice and I don't feel like it did [portray me accurately]," Nyanchoka told reporters following her elimination from last week's episode of The CW's reality modeling competition. "That's why I feel like people shouldn't judge me based on what they see on the show."
Nyanchoka added that she had begun worrying that she may be portrayed as the "bitch" of the house after learning she had made it to the finals after her argument with another semifinalist during the season's semifinals round.
"Right after the photo shoot we had during [casting,] and I was standing up for myself, [and] right after that I had a feeling, I was like 'Okay. they didn't pick her, and they picked me, so they're gonna expect me to act like that,' and I told myself I'm not gonna act like that. I'm not gonna be the 'bitch,' she told reporters.
"I was just like, 'I don't want people to think that of me... I don't wanna be portrayed as that,'" she added.
She also urged those out there who had formed such a strong negative opinion of her based solely on the portrayal of her on the show to step back and realize that the show had taken liberties in order to make the show entertaining.
"I feel like [people] just need to not take it so seriously because it is TV. Everything's overly exaggerated. It is reality TV, you know?" She told reporters. "People should not judge me based on that, because the first episode, unfortunately I got into an argument with one of the semifinalists and that was just me standing up for myself and it was edited to look like I started the whole thing. They shouldn't judge me by that."
As for her elimination -- which seemed to come early after her statements that she was the best model of the show's finalists -- Nyanchoka maintained that she felt the judges had made a mistake but could see the writing on the wall after judge Nigel Barker demanded a straight ahead shot of her instead of one in profile, which was her strength.
"I kinda feel like they did [make a mistake eliminating me], but then again I don't know," she told reporters. "I feel like they wanted to see a straight on photo of me. And like Tyra said I have really, really good sideways pictures, [but] she didn't pick those because Nigel wanted to see a straight on picture of me. So I kinda saw it coming after [the judges] deliberated.
Nyanchoka did take issue with the fact that the judges had pegged her relying too much on her profile shots and forced her to change while many of the show's contestants were still falling back on their strengths at that point in the competition as well.
"I feel like Allison was one of the girls, like, she always had the same face through all of her pictures," Nyanchoka told reporters. "I don't know, I just think they wanted me to go home."
However, any criticism by Nyanchoka of Allison ended there, as she also selected the 20-year-old artist from New Orleans, LA as her favorite to win the competition.
"I would say Allison because she has a very unique beauty," Nyanchoka told reporters. "I've never really seen a girl that looks like her before on the show.I just think she might win... If she gets better on the runway she might take it."
When asked what type of modeling she preferred, Nyanchoka told reporters that she had a clear preference for modeling in photo shoots over strutting her stuff on the runway.
"I love photo shoots more because I find I try to express my feelings more in front of the camera. I love that," she told reporters. "I love the fact that I can express how I'm feeling or express what I'm trying to convey."
She also revealed that it was her lack of experience on the runway -- at least in comparison to her photo shoot experience -- that had led to her puzzling runway walk during the competition's first round when she only walked halfway down the runway before suddenly turning around and walking back early.
"I feel like the reason I walked halfway on the runway was because was because I almost fell," she told reporters.
Nyanchoka told reporters that she plans to continue to pursue modeling, but added that she also intends to pursue another dream of becoming a journalist as well.
"I'm gonna continue modeling, but I eventually wanna be a journalist," she told reporters. "I've always loved writing and in school I was part of the [newspaper], and I was news anchor for my school news, and I always did stuff like that. But modeling is my passion and I will continue doing that as long as well."
Nyanchoka also seemed more than willing to combine the two interests in a career as a fashion journalist.
"Oh maybe! Yeah, in the future I could see that [happening]," she told reporters. "That way I'm doing two things that I love, and [have] the opportunity to pursue both."
source
BuddyTV's take
Sandra said she still feels the judges made a mistake eliminating her, though it didn't completely surprise her. "I felt it coming before deliberation and after we saw the pictures. I figured based on their reaction (to the photo) they were going to make that decision and let me go."
However, the reason Sandra believes she was sent home will shock many ANTM fans. When asked why she was sent home Sandra said, "I feel like it was the drama thing. That I wasn't as dramatic as they wanted me to be. Or maybe I didn't talk enough, but I feel like it was more the drama part of it." While we were shocked Sandra thought she didn't bring plenty of drama, she nixed the idea that the drama was the only reason she'd stayed around as long as she did. "I think they'd kept me for my potential, If they kept me for drama, they must have eliminated me because I didn't bring enough."
Sandra also said, she's not really that evil in person. "I'm a really sweet girl and I'm really nice." On her less than warm and fuzzy personality, "I felt like it was the environment we were in. It was a competitive environment and that made me want to focus on why I was there. I also missed my family and having no close friends, so I wanted to stay focus and do everything I could to win." And to the haters who call Sandra a bitch (this writer included), Sandra said, "Don't take it so seriously. It is TV, everything is overly exaggerated. It is reality TV you know. People should not judge me based on that."
On her signature pose, the strong profile shot?
Sandra said she's never noticed that she was a profile only type of model. Much of her pre-ANTM modeling shots were straight-on face shots and turned out beautifully. She also said she thought it was a bit hypocritical for the judges to send her home for doing the same pose multiple times, when othe girls received the same critique. "Allison always had the same face in all her pictures, but I guess they just wanted me to go home."
I am happy to report that Sandra did not keep her awful Dennis Rodman blonde Top Model makeover. Sandra said she loves changing her hair and color, so she didn't really maintain her look. As for her makeover, Sandra didn't love it but felt she had to work with it. Ultimately, Sandra felt her makeover hurt her chances of winning, saying that during this week's beauty shot she realized her lack of hair was her downfall. "During the photo shoot I realized it was the downfall for me. Everyone else's hair was styled, and I didn't have anything to work with."
Sandra's closest friends in the house were Teyona and Tahlia, who she still speaks to. When asked about all the drama surrounding Tahlia, Sandra said while she felt like Celia was to blame for the drama, but she also understood Celia's point. While Sandra said she wouldn't have told Tyra about Tahlia's comments, she also believed that Celia shouldn't have been sent home for bringing it up at judges panel. "I don't think she should have gone home because of that, I think she was just expressing how she felt, but she shouldn't have done it the way she did."
Sandra's favorite photo shoot was her winning Upper East Side nanny photo with Celia. She really enjoyed the concept of the shoot, working with a partner, and portraying a fictional character. Her least favorite photo shoot was the Ellis Island photo shoot. Sandra realizes it's strange that as an immigrant herself, she would struggle with the photo shoot, but she claimed it had less to do with the theme and more about the styling. "It was because the clothes were really heavy. I know for me it was easy to portray being an immigrant, because I am an immigrant." But it was hard to move around and pose."
And what does Sandra have to say about her disastrous first (half) runway walk? Sandra said she only walked half way because she almost fell at the beginning of her walk and figured it was safer to walk half the runway.
As for what's next for Sandra, she'd like to continue in modeling, which she says is her passion. But she'd also like to continue to pursue a career in journalism. One day she would love to combine both of her passions and work as a fashion journalist. Since she prefers print modeling to runway, Sandra would love to do commercial and catalog modeling. But if a runway spot ever opened up for Marc Jacobs, she'd love to walk for him.
Now that Sandra is out of the competition, she thinks that Allison should be named America's Next Top Model. "She has a really unique beauty and I've never seen a girl with her look on the show. If she gets better on the runway, I think she'll take it."
Lastly Sandra would like us all to know she didn't walk around saying she was better than the rest of the other models constantly. "I think I said I was better than all of the other girls once, but they just kept replaying that part over and over again."
--Abbey Simmons, BuddyTV Staff Writer
source
Click to view