Top Model 14 Exit Interview: Raina
Raina Hein rode her powerful eyebrows and long legs all the way to the final two of America’s Next Top Model Cycle 14. The Minnesota native, 22, was one of the steadiest competitors all season, and probably the perkiest, too. In her Real Blogger Exit Interview, Raina talks about what happened in that Tyra photo shoot, her signature catch phrase and the Cover Girl shoot.
Real Blogger: I heard you just graduated? Where’d you go? What was your major?
Raina Hein: Yes! I did. I went to Concordia University, and majored in communication studies, focusing on broadcast journalism.
RB: Ah, you and Alex both majored in that. So looking at the season, I got the sense you were on a rollercoaster ride. You started off really strong, then landed in the bottom two with Jessica, struggle with the Tyra shoot, then make the final two before losing out to Krista. Sound right?
RH: I look at myself at being at a very safe place all along. The bottom two with Jessica was a low point but I didn’t look at it that way. I looked at it as a critique, that that’s what I need to do. I didn’t look at it as a bad thing at the time. The judges did say I need to be more passionate about photo shoots, like when Tyra photographed us. But the whole thing in general is a rollercoaster ride.
RB: That Tyra photo shoot seemed to be a struggle for you to really get into it. What happened?
RH: It’s really funny, actually. I was in a wagon filled with metal scraps, wood scraps and really old moldy rope. It’s really gross but really cool set up for a photo shoot. So I jumped in … all of a sudden I heard Tyra scream, “Get that thing off her!” She was freaking out.
There was a huge, New Zealand spider chilling on my leg. Spiders are my biggest fear in the whole world! But I kept it together, I didn’t scream and I didn’t cry. You only get to shoot with Tyra Banks pretty much never in your entire life. So the judges saying that I didn’t make it most favorite, might have been because it was an uncomfortable situation.
RB: Other than that one, what was your favorite photo shoot, then?
RH: It would have to be three of them. The second photo shoot, with the rain and wind and disappearing perfume. It was really cold, really challenging. I was pushed to the limit that shoot to do my best, and I got best photo so that was very rewarding. The second one was the vampire one and bath of blood. And then the final one was the fake hair, it was so out there. It was so high fashion and caught people’s eyes.
RB: What about least favorite then, other than the spider/Tyra shoot?
RH: The first one. You know, it was really uncomfortable being naked in front of a camera, let alone a bunch of television cameras, crew on set and all the girls … it was really hard shooting. It put me in an uncomfortable situation I did not like, but at the same time put me in the situation I had to push.
RB: Did you think about the fact the photographer in that shoot was the same one who shot you in the final Cover Girl shoot? That popped in my head watching it.
RH: (Laughs) Not really! I didn’t think about that at all. I was excited to see him. He was really talented.
RB: Every season, the girls get so frustrated and worked up about memorizing the lines in the Cover Girl shoot, and say it’s harder than it looks. How was it for you?
RH: I actually was able to do it without cue cards. Krista had to use cue cards. But my problem was it was too memorized, it was too unnatural. I think i should have allowed myself to screw up just to let loose.
RB: Is it harder to film that than people think?
RH: Yeah, there are more than 200 people behind that camera including a bunch of other cameras. That made me more nervous than I thought i’d be. If it was a real commercial, with just the photographer and director and a few other, I would have been better, I think.
RB: Going into the final runway challenge, were you worried about your walk? There aren’t that many runway opportunities during the season.
RH: Krista has a very strong runway walk. I don’t think I was at all intimidated by that … The second I found out it was an Anna Sui runway show, where I can be flirty, giggly and excited … I got very excited. I could be totally myself, engage with audience. That was a dream come true.
RB: Let’s talk about a certain catchphrase of yours. You loved saying “Oh Mylanta!” Where in the world did you get that from? I think I said that when I was seven.
RH: (Laughs) I’ve always said it! It’s kind of like, oh my gosh, holy crap. I say it when I’m surprised or shocked. It’s an expression and it sounds so funny. I can’t believe they highlighted it. They make it sound like i say it 20 times a day! And there are so many random words I like to make up. That was normal for me.
RB: Can you tell me one?
RH: Oh, I just add -ski, -skers, that kind of thing, add on random syllables.
RB: Like when you said “Holy schnikes,” like from Tommy Boy.
RH: (Laughs) I hadn’t seen Tommy Boy when I started saying that. I just made it up, and watched it a year later, and was like, “He said it!”
RB: So in the finale, I have to think the only thing that could have made everything better was when you saw your dad.
RH: That was the biggest shock of the whole show. I wasn’t able to talk to him more than 2 or 3 times the entire time of filming. To see him was the biggest surprise.
He couldn’t be more supportive of me. I used to be a volleyball player (Here’s a photo of Raina’s college team). I started in seventh grade, and that was my number one priority. That’s what I went to college for. He was always a supporter, then when I quit to model, that was a thing that changed how my family saw me. It didn’t take him more than a day to (accept it) and support me.
RB: And what’s next for you, Raina, now that you finished in the top two?
RH: I am moving to New York City, L.A., or recently a new option opened up in Miami … I’m making a decision by Aug. 1. And I just booked my first international campaign in Dubai. I’ve gotten some great offers.
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