Top Model 13 Exit Interview: Erin
Erin Wagner was often seen as the bad girl on “America’s Next Top Model” Cycle 13, but that seems to be more for lack of a villain than anything to do with Erin, 18, being a diva. After a great start, Erin found herself repeatedly in the bottom two, and, in a surprise move by the show, was part of a double-elimination with Jennifer in the “Hawaiian Hip Hop” top 4 episode last week, heading into this week’s finale.
In Erin’s Real Blogger Exit Interview, the 5′6 model talks about the double-elimination, being the bad girl and her bleached hair.
Real Blogger: First off, I have to ask if anyone has ever told you that you look like (actress) Mena Suvari.
Erin Wagner: I get that quite a lot, and I get Emma Watson from Harry Potter. They’re both beautiful, and it’s always flattering when someone think you look like someone famous.
RB: You do realize that you’re now the famous one that people will say, “Oh, you look like Erin from ‘Top Model’”?
EW: (laughs) I’m just ever so slightfully famous.
RB: Let’s talk about you being in the bottom two. After being in there so many times this season, what did you think when you finally got eliminated?
EW: I was actually pretty proud I broke the record for being in the bottom two most times in a row (Ed. note: She was in there four times in a row, starting with Rae). That’s a pretty nice feat, I guess, because they really like me enough. It got to me, that they wanted to keep me around … It’s a nerve-wracking experience to be in the bottom two, and it’s sad to be in the bottom two. It’s kind of a slap in their faces (the girl who was eliminated each time) that I did that crappy and they had to go!
RB: Was it surprising when you got kicked off, then?
EW: It was weird and surprising. I went into panel really confident. I felt good about the photo shoot but I hadn’t felt good about photo shoots in a while. I felt good I left with a good photo — not like when I left with a crappy photo … If it had gone from top 4 to top 3, I think I would’ve stayed … but Laura deserved it over me.
RB: Were you upset the producers decided to cut two in the top 4, instead of the traditional one person? That was a big change.
EW: It was such a surprise. How is that supportive to tell us about (the double elimination)? Why tell us right before the photo shoot? But I didn’t let it get to me. I was fine.
RB: You were singing a pop song during your photo shoot. I have to ask what the song is.
EW: (laughs) It was embarrassing! I was singing “The Beach” by All Time Low. It was perfect.
RB: Oh, I figured it was something goofy, like “I’m a Little Teapot.”
EW: Yeah, it’s different. During my other photos shoots, I had “Sister Christian“ in my head. I wanted to be happy, so I thought I’ll pick something really sweet and poppy.
RB: There wasn’t a lot of drama with the girls this season, but it seemed like they portrayed you as the bad guy. What did you think of that?
EW: I was upset to be cast as the villain, but it’s reality TV, so I understood what they were doing. It sucks the world didn’t get to see the happy, nice part of me … except Laura’s birthday. I’m so glad they showed that. We were coming together so well and close and happy. We were all such good friends. How could you not be when you are going through that together? … I’m not going to take time to defend myself.
RB: That was an incredible spread for her birthday party.
EW: We made so much food that night! I made macaroni and cheese and about two dozen cupcakes and a cake. I decorated all those. Laura made mashed potatoes and meat. Jenn made all these vegetables. We had a feast. It was delicious and so fun. It was like Thanksgiving, but ‘Top Model’ style.
RB: What was your favorite week on ‘Top Model’?
EW: I think, just because it was my favorite photo shoot, ‘Make Me Tall’ with Jonathan Mannion and all the ropes in the warehouse. It was my favorite photo shoot, favorite photographer, even though didn’t get best photo, that was my favorite.
RB: I have to ask about the makeover photo shoot, with the rope outfits. That had to be uncomfortable.
EW: (laughs) That was really uncofmortable! I had this rope choker around my neck. I have to be fierce, but I couldn’t breathe. It was like, ‘Pose” *gasp* ‘Pose’ *gasp*. But I think those photos came out really well.
RB: Yeah, they made you bleach blond for that. Did you like your makeover?
EW: I’ve always had dark hair. I’ve gone through different spectrums of brown. (At the makeover), I thought they’d chop all my hair off, but they didn’t (they bleached her hair and eyebrows). I put on this show of saying I liked it in front of the Jay’s, but it took me a while to adjust. I was very monochromatic in all the photoshoots, and I think that worked to my advantage. It’s a shocking look … They had to bleach my eyebrows every photo shoot. My eyebrows and hair are dead now!
RB: What was your toughest week on ‘Top Model’?
EW: The ‘Cover Girl’ commercial. I was the most frustrated and most down on myself. I just bombed. It was not because I didn’t know my lines but I wasn’t comfortable … I cried, and then I thought, everyone thinks I’m a big baby.
RB: You were probably the first girl in ‘Top Model’ history to whimper at the end of a ‘Cover Girl’ commercial.
EW: (laughs) Yeah, it was so draining, the whole competition is so draining. At the beginning I was having so much fun. I didn’t focus on winning. I think that was my downfall. I got caught up in everything that was happening. I was too analytical. I just need to have fun. That’s what I did at last photo shoot. I went home with a bang, I’m going to have a fun.
RB: Anything about the show you realize now that you’ve been on it?
EW: When I watching the show in past seasons, I would be quick to judge the girls who were doing stuff. Now I can see there are all these different viewpoints that you don’t get to see. There are all these aspects of personalities you don’t see. They don’t show me being nice, they show me being a brat, you know? … You have to show a lot of range to make sure everyone is pleased.
RB: And are you going to keep modeling?
EW: I want to try and stick with modeling. I had never done it before the show. I had seen how fun and invigorating it is now. I think if an agency wants me, I’d do it. Jenn and Rae and I had been talking. We’re going to go out (on modeling go-sees).
