"This Is Just The Beginning For Me": An Interview With America's Next Top Model 4's Rebecca

Rebecca and Tiffany were eliminated on the seventh episode this season of America's Next Top Model. In this interview, Rebecca touches on subjects like how she was edited, what kind of advice she was given by the judges and what she is up to now. Guess what? She's a newlywed!

RealityNewsOnline: Let me get right to the point -- what was going through your mind when Tyra flipped on Tiffany?

Rebecca:The question of the day! Well, after we were eliminated, we were hugging the other girls, and me being the crying fool that I am, didn't even notice the way Tiffany was acting. We were called back up, and you and I both saw the same thing. Tyra went on her spiel about Tiffany, and myself and the other girls were shocked. Nobody had seen Tyra act that way. We had always seen her as kind and caring, so it definitely freaked me out when she flipped like that.

RNO: Do you think that when she saw how much you wanted to be in the competition, and how Tiffany blew the whole thing off, you were going to get to stay?

Rebecca: You know, there is always a glimmer of hope, and for a quick second, I thought that maybe since she saw how much I wanted to be there, I would get another chance. However, I had a reality check and realized it was my time to go.

RNO: What was your motivation for trying out for the show and did you go to an open call or send in a video?

Rebecca: Oh, you don't even understand the half of it. I did it all! I sent in tapes and did open calls. I first applied for season two, and made it to LA, but wasn't picked for the finals. When it was time for season three, I sent in a tape, and got to one call back. Finally, I went to an open call for season four and made it all the way to the finals. So this was a long time coming for me!

RNO: Many complaints that I heard about you on the show dealt with you not being very memorable. Do you feel you were shown enough on the show?

Rebecca: Actually, I was very happy with the way I was edited, and felt like I got a good deal of airtime. I just don't think I was edgy and sexy enough for the show.

RNO: Did you ever say anything to Brittany about when she was dancing on tables? It seemed to really bother you.

Rebecca: No, I never said anything to her. I mean, she tried to pull me up to dance on the table, but I told her that if I wanted to dance on the table, I'd dance on the table. However, I didn't want to get involved with all that, and chose to just keep to myself at that moment.

RNO: You had mentioned at the beginning of the episode that all the girls that you roomed with were being eliminated. Were you the last in that room to go?

Rebecca: Well, Tatiana and I were the only two left in that room. Noelle, Lluvy and Sarah were all in there with us. Maybe it was just the luck of the draw, but that room was fading fast.

RNO:Did you get married yet or are you still engaged?

Rebecca: Yes, I got married in January, on our one year anniversary of our engagement. It was a small ceremony, with some family and friends, and I got to walk down a little aisle. Everything was perfect and I'm very happy.

RNO: One of the most dramatic things that happened this season was when you collapsed at the elimination ceremony. Have things been okay, and do you find people are worrying about you for no reason?

Rebecca: Things have been fine since then. I'm on a medication now, so I won't be collapsing anymore. I just don't think people understood the situation at the time. Everyone was fine though once they calmed down. I'm glad that everyone was there for me though. All the girls helped me, and Tyra was right there to hold my hand and wipe away my tears.

RNO: I'm sure none of the girls knew that two of you were going to be eliminated. When you were standing in front of Tyra with Tiffany, did you think you would be the one going home?

Rebecca: Yeah, I thought it was me, simply because I was standing right there in the final two at the last elimination ceremony, for the same exact reason. Plus, Tiffany was great. She had amazing pictures, and I just couldn't be this sexy edgy girl they were looking for.

RNO: Your biggest criticism from the judges was that you are consistently "safe." Were you ever told how to break out of that mold?

Rebecca: There is really only so much the judges can do. They gave me some advice, but it was up to me to pull through and get down the look that they wanted. I feel good that they gave me as much feedback as they possibly could though.

RNO: Were you uncomfortable posing with the male model, or was it edited out of context, since you do know in the "real world" you would have to model with guys, right?

Rebecca: I think it was exaggerated a little, but I was nervous, and there were other things going on that I don't really want to talk about. But when you are on TV in your underwear, and there's a guy in his underwear too, it's a little scary. I'm okay with everything now, though.

RNO: Do you consider being on ANTM the jumpstart for your modeling career or the high point?

Rebecca: Oh, this is just the beginning for me! I hope that it's a jumpstart to really get into modeling once the show is over. I can't wait to do it without the cameras always following me around and all.

RNO: Is there anything besides modeling you aspire to do?

Rebecca: Honestly, no. I've always wanted to do this, and even took a break from school so that I could get into this business. This is my dream.

RNO:Have you spoken to Tiffany since you have been off the show, and is she doing better now?

Rebecca: I only got to speak with her briefly for a few seconds, on what I think was Inside Edition. She seemed like she was doing well, she's such a great person and I think she's doing very well.

RNO:What's the one thing about Rebecca that we didn't get to see on the show?

Rebecca: You didn't get to see how much fun Kahlen and I were always having together. We had peanut butter fights and everything. I think we may have come across as too serious at times, but what can you do? I had a blast on the show!

RNO: Thanks, Rebecca!

Interviews: America's Next Top Model 4: Elimination Interview with Rebecca

SpyRI writes, "22 year old Rebecca from Minneapolis became the 5th contestant eliminated from UPN’s hit show, America’s Next Top Model. In the most dramatic episode yet, both Rebecca and Tiffany were eliminated, as Rebecca had not managed to turn her good-girl good looks into edgy high fashion photographs. In our talk today, Rebecca talks about the drama of the double elimination, how she awkward she felt during the Wonderbra photoshoot, and her future plans.

Rebecca, thank you so much for taking the time to talk with me today!

Hi! Thanks for wanting to talk with me today!

Well, last nights episode was the most dramatic yet, with the double elimination and Tyra’s outburst. When Tyra turned around the blank page, what did you think was going on?

Well, I was hoping that she’d say that nobody was getting eliminated, and that we were both going to stay, but no. I had to wait and see what that was all about, and that we were both going home. They’d never done that before, so I was really shocked and surprised by that outcome.

Well, yah, I was over there, crying and saying goodbye to the other girls, and Tiffany was over there. I wasn’t really paying attention to Tiffany, so I didn’t know what was going on , and I was pretty curious as to why she was calling us back over there, and then she said what she said, and we were all pretty shocked, looking at each other like ‘is this really happening? what?’ and standing there just listening to the yelling from Tyra... it was very shocking!

Well, from what I’m told, I just hadn’t progressed from week to week, and just couldn’t pull off the sexy edgy thing as well as the others had done, so I guess that was my reason for going.

I didn’t get a lot of advice how to do that, but how do you teach someone to do that, to be sexy or edgy. I think it might be a thing you just need to know how to do by yourself. It’s hard to say. they definitely tried to let me know what my problem was, and I tried hard to work on that, but it just didn’t roll over into film.

(laughs) Oh, well, as a flight attendant, you have to plaster a smile on your face and be professional at all times in the air, so... No, I had done a few local modeling things here. When I was 16 I got an agent and did mall runway shows and a shoot for newspaper ads here and there, but nothing substantial, nothing that was that big. I don’t know, I just tried to be exactly who I am.

I think it might have been exaggerated a little bit, about how terrified I was of doing that. I knew that kind of thing was going to come up, and I had talked about it with Todd, before I went, you know, asked how he would feel. I told him I felt fine with it, bow did he, and he gave me the go-ahead, but still at the time it was like ‘oh, boy, this is kind of weird.’ I’ve been with Todd for over 2 years, and it’s kinda weird to be in your underwear with a complete stranger and to be so intimate. It was hard to do that, but it was required, so I went ahead and did it and gave it my all.

Yeah, that’s definitely the plan. I think I learned some very valuable things from being around the best of the best and they taught me so much about the industry. I want to take it and run with it and see how far I can go! It’s always been my dream, and I’m going to go as hard as I can to get it.

I’m already married!

Yeah, we got married in January. It was exactly one year after we got engaged! So I’m an old married lady now- it was one of the best things I’ve ever done.

He is completely supportive of me, whatever direction it takes me in, he’s willing to go. He’s a musician, so he understands the kind of dedication it takes, and that travel and things might be required of you. He’s very supportive. Whatever we need to do, we’re going to go ahead and do.

Actually, no, I never sat down with Brittany and talked it over with her. It did kind of upset me, because I didn’t need to be having a lot of drinks to have a good time. I was having a wonderful time! Eating delicious food in this beautiful restaurant. She can do whatever she wants, I have no problem with drinking at all, believe me. I’m of age, and I did have a drink or two at the restaurant that night, but I guess when the waiter came back I said no, and she noticed that. I said "I think we have to get up pretty early in the morning, so I’m going to be responsible, and not go crazy here", but it was fine.

I was definitely closest with Kahlen, she’s like my little sister there. We just really got along, there was something there. I was so happy to have a girl like that in the house, someone you can go and talk to and really express your feelings and have them back you up. I was also really close with Lluvy. Lluvy is just an amazing person. I definitely met some great people, that I plan to stay in touch with.

I’m really rooting for Kahlen, obviously, and also Naima. I think she’s just a very interesting, and sound and calm person, but definitely Kahlen.

Thank you so much.

There’s no doubt in anyone’s mind that Rebecca looks like a model. Unfortunately, the judges didn’t think she was sexy or edgy enough in her photos to make it any farther in the competition. Here she tells us how her boyfriend (now husband) reacted to the Wonderbra shoot, and how she felt during the shocking double-elimination, among other things!

Hi Rebecca! Have you had your wedding yet?

Yes! We got married in January, so I’m a married woman now. It went really well; we through it together in about two weeks and just had a small intimate gathering. It was lovely.

Congrats!! How did your husband react to the Wonderbra photo shoot when he saw it last night?

You know, he didn’t mind at all. He’s a trooper, he totally understood that it was a part of the job. It was just me, I was nervous and hadn’t seen him in so long, I just wasn’t sure. But he has been very supportive of everything. I’m not divorced over it or anything!

What did the note that Lluvy left for you say?

Oh, it just said “good luck, keep going”, that sort of thing. I don’t remember exactly now, but Lluvy and I had grown close and I really liked her. It was so sweet of her to leave me that note! It was very positive with a lot of encouragement, and it meant a lot to me.

Tyra said that you hadn’t made much progress in your photos – do you think that maybe there wasn’t enough guidance to know exactly what they were looking for, or how to accomplish it?

Yes and no. They told me that I needed to be sexier and edgier, and they were absolutely right. I just had a tough time translating that into the photos. You know, they can’t walk you through each shoot, but we really didn’t have a lot of direction either.

When it came down to you and Tiffany at the elimination, who did you think would be leaving?

I knew it would be me. It was my time. This was the second week in a row that I was in the bottom two, for exactly the same reason, so I knew it was my time to go. It was just a feeling in my heart.

Then when Tyra pulled out that blank photo, I thought just for a moment that maybe we’d both be allowed to stay! But of course it wasn’t meant to be, and everyone was shocked that we were both eliminated.

When Tyra called you both back after saying your goodbyes, I thought for sure you would be told you could stay and that it had been a test to see who wanted it more. Did that thought ever cross your mind at that moment?

Well … there was maybe just a slight glimmer of hope for a split second. But that was it, and I’m okay with it.

What did you think of Tyra’s outburst at Tiffany?

Oh, it was so unexpected from Tyra! She’s just always so caring, professional and level headed. She’s always been so supportive of everyone, and then all of a sudden she’s so emotional. We were all shocked and surprised.

Do you think she was right in her assessment of Tiffany?

I really don’t know the full story behind it. I wasn’t there for any of their personal talks, or for what happened last season, or even when Tiffany was trying to read the teleprompter. I don’t think it’s my place to say anything about that.

What did you learn about yourself while watching the show on television?

That I’m a lot tougher than I thought I was. Watching yourself, there are both negative and positive things of course, but I learned that I’m thick-skinned, and can take criticism well. Not everyone will like you no matter what you do, and I know I tried as best as I could. I know now that I can follow my dreams and that I can put myself in unfamiliar situations with strangers and come out of it okay.

So you’re going to continue modeling?

Oh I will definitely continue! This just made me want it more.

Who would you choose personally to win the title of America’s Next Top Model?

I’m rooting for Kahlen. She and I became very close, and were like sisters on the show. I’m also rooting for Naima. Both of those girls have beautiful sides to them, obviously on the outside, but on the inside as well.

None of the girls were able to pronounce the names of the designers from the teleprompter last night. Should you maybe have brushed up a bit on your couture, and would you recommend that future contestants do so?

Well it’s sure not going to hurt ya! For sure, read magazines, watch runway shows, do whatever you can. Don’t go and embarrass yourself on national television!

If the tables were turned and you could eliminate one of the judges, who would it be and why?

Oooohhh … I’d have to say Nole or Nigel. I just don’t think they liked me. You know, Janice is great, she tells it like it is, and Tyra knows what she’s looking for. I just didn’t get enough feedback from Nole or Nigel to know what they thought I could do better.

Thanks for your time Rebecca, and good luck to you! We’ll be seeing you in magazines soon I’m sure!