America's Next Top Model has been a huge success ever since it first began airing in 2003,
but where are the contestants like Yaya DaCosta today? Which
ones actually made it? Keep watching to find out!
Cycle 3 of America's Next Top Model saw Eva Marcille get the win, but runner-up
Yaya DaCosta wouldn't leave the spotlight empty-handed. While Eva would go on to become
a housewife on the hit series The Real Housewives of Atlanta, Yaya found her true calling in acting.
Yaya made her film debut in 2006's Take the Lead, working alongside veteran actor Antonio Banderas.
At the time, her only acting credit was starring in an episode of Eve,
but she soon proved that she was a serious actor, after finding work in the soap opera
All My Children and landing the role of Nico Slater in Ugly Betty in 2009. Yaya would
continue to land minor television roles and would be featured in TV movies, but she really found her
calling when she began playing April Sexton on the NBC hit series Chicago Med in 2015.
Yaya's star just kept rising from there — in September 2021,
she landed the lead role of Angela Vaughn on the Fox drama Our Kind of People.
Speaking to InStyle, the former model discussed her road to success, stating,
"The only reason I was able to get as far as I have is because of the support of people who
believed in me, and they were actually following my lead because I was betting on myself."
It all led to her snagging that coveted lead role, of which she said,
"It feels very big and also very right on time."
America's Next Top Model fans might remember Cassandra Jean Whitehead for
making the dramatic decision to walk off the competition over her hair makeover.
During Cycle 5, Cassandra was visibly upset after learning that she would be
getting her brown hair chopped off and bleached platinum blonde in its place.
After Cassandra left the competition, it appeared she left modeling behind,
too. She found work as an actor, scoring minor roles on shows including CSI: Miami,
One Tree Hill, Mad Men, and Arrow. She would end up finding love with Arrow actor Stephen Amell,
and in December 2012, the couple married in a private ceremony in the Caribbean.
As reported by Us Weekly, they would tie the knot for a second time in May 2013 in New Orleans,
where they were surrounded by their friends and family members. The couple welcomed a daughter
named Mavi that same year, per Just Jared, and are still happily married as of this video.
In 2018, Cassandra got the opportunity to work alongside her husband on Arrow. She played
Nora Fries in the Elseworlds crossover special, reprising the role one night later on Supergirl.
The following year, the former model landed a recurring role as Louise Truman in the
television series Roswell, New Mexico, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Fatima Siad wasn't well-liked by the other aspiring models when she was a contender
on America's Next Top Model Cycle 10. She did admit in a final interview on
the show that most of the fights between her and the other women were exaggerated
for television, but she added that she doesn’t "sugarcoat anything,"
a bluntness which made her one of the show's more memorable contestants.
Fatima placed third in the competition but ended up having a very successful career as a model.
According to The Cut, she signed with New York Models and walked the runways for Hermès
and Dries Van Noten, which no other America's Next Top Model contestant had done before her.
Her Models.com profile states that she's appeared in runway shows for Ralph Lauren,
had a spread in Nylon Magazine, and was the face of Urban Decay cosmetics in 2016.
Fatima also has over 130,000 followers on Instagram,
where she's shared numerous modeling photos, including ad work for the
high-end cosmetic line La Mer and an editorial shoot for Cosmopolitan España.
Unlike many other past contestants who have ventured into acting,
Fatima has stuck to what she knows best. In 2011, she shared with New York Magazine,
"Now that I work as a professional model,
I advise people to stay away from any television shows. It's a waste of your time;
it's just entertainment. It's not the fashion that we now know."
Nyle DiMarco broke barriers on America's Next Top Model when he became the first deaf model
to win the competition during Cycle 22. After his victory, Nyle landed work as
both a model and an actor, snagging covers of magazines including Attitude and Paper
and getting roles on the television shows Switched at Birth and Station 19, to name just a couple.
Nyle would even land a spot on Season 22 of Dancing With the Stars,
where he ended up winning the mirrorball trophy with the help of professional dancer
Peta Murgatroyd. Talking to People at the start of the competition, he shared,
"I'm ready to take the world by storm and have them look at me and say,
'deaf people can dance [...] I'm surprising myself that I can actually dance. Peta,
my partner, was also surprised that I can dance."
Nyle has used his success to give back to the Deaf/Hard
of Hearing community. He's the founder of the Nyle DiMarco Foundation, which aims to, quote,
"improve the lives of every Deaf person in the world," and he has started a production
company that focuses on deaf and hearing-impaired filmmakers. He shared with L'Officiel, adding,
"I think Hollywood is finally listening and becoming aware of the extreme lack
of representation, but there is a lot of work still to do [...] I believe that when people see
other people with existing identities embracing another identity, it helps with their journey."
Cycle 19 of America's Next Top Model saw model Leila Goldkuhl's elimination during the fifth
week, but after winning a social media vote, she was brought back into the competition and ended
up finishing in third place. Failing to win didn't hinder Leila's modeling
career one bit — she has become one of the most successful top models to come out of the series.
Leila made her runway debut at Givenchy's Spring 2016 show in New York. The fashion
brand's creative director at the time, Riccardo Tisci, told CNN,
"I promise you she is going to be the next big American star for sure."
That same year, Leila became the face of Dolce & Gabbana. In 2017, the model walked
in several shows for Fashion Week, including Nina Ricci, Prada, Roberto Cavalli, and Chanel.
As for her print work, she has been featured in Vogue Italy and Harper's Bazaar, as well as ads
for Calvin Klein. Her success as a high-end fashion model was recognized by Models.com,
where she made its list of the top 50 models in the world.
Leila has an impressive modeling resume, but would she ever consider going into acting like so many
other America's Next Top Model contestants? In a 2014 interview for Galore, she shared,
"Acting isn't a priority for me right now. I think it's something you really have to dedicate so much
to [...] But of course, any opportunity that comes my way I'm willing to take a stab at."
"America's Next Top Model is…"
Eva Marcille took home the title of Top Model during Cycle 3 of America's Next Top Model,
beating out runner-up Yaya DaCosta and doing it while being one of the shortest models to
compete at five-foot-six! Eva's winnings included a contract with CoverGirl and a
spread in Elle magazine. She would later be featured in several other magazines,
including Essence, Women's Health and Fitness, and King.
Marcille would also venture into acting, landing roles on Smallville, The Young and the Restless,
and House of Payne. She even became part of the main cast of the 2015 series Born Again Virgin.
She also found work in reality television — Eva joined The Real Housewives of Atlanta for Season
10. She left the series after three seasons,
telling E! that she wanted to focus on other aspects of her career.
Eva did keep herself busy. In 2018,
she launched a home decor line called FAB that featured bedding and pillows. She told People,
"My goal is to give women an oasis with warm patterns and comfortable fabrics,
for an easy getaway from life."
The model found herself back on television when she landed her dream role in Tyler Perry's BET
series All the Queen's Men. Talking to ET about her role as Marilyn "Madam" Deville, she said,
"This is like the role of a lifetime. This is a character who is allowed to be a little bit
of everything, and oftentimes you don't see a woman do a multitude of things."
Lio Tipton knew that modeling wasn't their true calling even though they would place
third on Cycle 11 of America's Next Top Model. They once told the Daily Beast,
"I tried modeling, but I really didn't enjoy it. I showed up to most
shows in Birkenstocks and T-shirts, and it just wasn't my world."
What would become Lio's world was acting, and in 2008, they guest-starred on the hit show The Big
Bang Theory. Their breakthrough in movies came when they were cast in 2011's Crazy, Stupid,
Love. This led to Lio landing a lead role in the 2014 television series Manhattan Love Story,
and they would find steady work in several films going forward, including Lucy and Broken Star.
In 2021, Lio came out as queer and non-binary and
took to Instagram to share the news with their followers. They wrote,
"Hi. My name is Lio. My pronouns are they/them. I am proud to announce I am queer and I identify
as non binary. I hope to give as much love and support back
to those who continue to show love and support for the Pride community at large."
Model Winnie Harlow has graced the covers of dozens of magazines, from Vogue India to Elle UK,
and has walked numerous runways, including that of the 2018 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.
She even teamed up with Kim Kardashian West for a KKW makeup collaboration and
has modeled the reality star's SKIMS collection on Instagram.
Those who were introduced to the model through the Kardashians might not know
that she got her start on Cycle 21 of America's Next Top Model.
Harlow did not win the competition, but she has used her platform to speak about living
with vitiligo and how she is changing the face of fashion. She shared with People,
"Growing up, I never saw anyone like me on TV,
billboards, or on the runways. I felt like I was the only person in the world like me."
However, Winnie never gave up her dreams of becoming a model,
and even though she told Andy Cohen that America's Next Top Model, quote,
"really didn't do anything for [her] career," she still managed to make her dreams come true.
"It doesn't do anything for any model's career, realistically."
In 2021, Winnie lent her expertise in the fashion business to the Amazon Prime Video
reality television series Making The Cut. The professional model joined forces with designer
Jeremy Scott on Season 2 as a judge looking for the next up-and-coming fashion designer.
Don Benjamin was part of the first-ever cycle of America's Next Top Model to feature both male
and female contestants, competing against one another for the coveted prize of a
modeling contract. Benjamin placed eighth in Cycle 20, but his striking appearance
was noticed by Wilhelmina Models, and he gained millions of fans on social media.
Don's biggest modeling campaign has been with Guess. The model shared with Hunger that before
he landed a spot on ANTM, he had applied for a job there and was rejected. Fast forward to 2017,
and Don could boast being, quote, "one of their main male models."
But while he always has modeling to fall back on, his main passion is actually
music. On his website, Don shares that the style of music he creates is "smooth rap," adding,
"I spit bars with an R&B feel. I didn't want
to do something typical. This isn't your average hip-hop."
Not only is Don a model and rapper, but he also has a few movies under his belt and has starred in
music videos for Ariana Grande and Keyshia Cole. On top of that, he's a published author — in 2020,
he released an autobiography titled My Truth. In an interview with Sheen, Don stated,
"It's kind of like an autobiography but it's more so discussing my life,
my journey, the mistakes I've made to get to this point in my life,
and really just sharing my story to help men in the industry who are looking for a role model."
Eugena Washington came in third on Cycle 7 of America's Next Top Model
and admitted that she was happy she didn't win the series. She told Complex Hustle,
"I didn't go in wanting to win. I went in wanting to get third because the winners,
they get so branded in this whole top model brand, and I didn't want that, and I didn't
want to come in second because you don't remember second. Everyone remembers the third person."
Since appearing on the reality modeling competition, Eugena has worked for CoverGirl
and Lexus, and she appeared in B.o.B and Bruno Mars' music video for "Nothin' On You."
She found herself back in the spotlight after she was named Playboy's Playmate of the Month
for December 2015, and in 2016, she was announced as the Playmate of the Year.
Overjoyed with getting the chance to pose for Playboy, she shared,
"In fashion, you're constantly working to portray someone else. Shooting for PLAYBOY,
I had the freedom to be in my own element, without the constraints of clothing.
It was one of the best shoots of my career. For once, I didn't have to be anyone except myself."
Eugena also has a big passion for beauty. She even launched her own product line,
Faded Skin Care, which on Instagram is described as, quote, "Organic CBD Skin Care created to fight
hyperpigmentation, combat breakouts, smooth texture, and promote glowing youthful skin."
Keith Carlos made America's Next Top Model history when he became the first male model
to win the competition during Cycle 21. His prizes included a contract with NEXT Models,
and he has been featured in dozens of print advertisements and campaigns for Nike, Guess,
Macy's, and Bloomingdales, as well as commercials for brands like Toyota and Men's Warehouse.
Like many of his America's Next Top Model alums, Keith ventured into acting. He has
starred in The Bold and the Beautiful as Danny, the bikini bartender, as well as The Young and
the Restless. The model also starred in Cardi B's music video for "Be Careful."
After winning ANTM, Keith found that a lot more doors opened for him.
Talking to View the Vibe, he shared,
"The benefit of winning ['America's Next Top Model'] is a higher selling point when being
pitched for other opportunities. There was also a major increase in my social
media following. I'm able to leverage a lot of other jobs by being on ANTM."
Indeed, Keith has rounded up quite the fan following with
2 million Instagram followers as of this video.
Saleisha Stowers, who shortened her name to Sal, won Cycle 9 of America's Next Top
Model and took home prizes that consisted of a modeling contract with Elite Model Management,
a spread in Seventeen magazine, and a contract with CoverGirl cosmetics.
According to The Seattle Times, Stowers' win became controversial when it was learned that
she had done some modeling before appearing on the show and had quote "ties with Tyra Banks."
She had also worked on a Wendy's commercial, with E! noting that models hoping to be a part of ANTM,
quote, "must not have previous experience as a model in a national campaign within the last
five years," according to the show's eligibility rules. However, The CW said that she was able
to participate in the series because she was acting in the commercial and was not modeling.
Like so many ANTM models before and after her, Stowers went into the world of acting,
making her small-screen debut on Ugly Betty in 2006.
She would later guest star on television series including Switched at Birth,
before landing her first major role on All My Children in 2013. She'd find more success as
a soap opera star when she began playing Lani Price on Days of Our Lives in 2015.
Lisa D'Amato appeared on Cycle 5 of America's Next Top Model, and although she wouldn't snag
the title of Top Model, she returned for the show's All-Star Cycle in 2011 — and she went
on to win the competition. But, unlike the show's numerous former contestants
who continued to model or moved on to acting, Lisa would find fame on reality television.
In 2010, Lisa was among several celebrities who appeared on Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew,
and in 2016, she would return to reality television with her husband on Marriage:
Boot Camp: Reality Stars. After that, the model appeared on an episode of Shark Tank,
where she successfully plugged her invention called Dare U Go.
The product is a silicone plate for babies, designed with moms on the go in mind.
Fans of ANTM might not know that Lisa is also passionate about music,
with the songstress having released two albums in the hip-hop, electronic,
and pop categories. Her debut album "La Puchinetta" was released in 2009,
and her second album, "Flippin' The Bird," was released two years later.
In 2021, Lisa called out Tyra Banks over the mistreatment she felt when she was competing
on ANTM. On Instagram, the model alleged that the show had triggered her with mentions of
her childhood trauma while filming. During an interview with E!, she also complained
that she was portrayed as an alcoholic, which lost her several job opportunities.
"And I'm just coming forward so that people understand
how disgusting the industry is and how far they will go to ruin your life."
Danielle Evans, aka Dani, won Cycle 6 of America's Next Top Model and went home with contracts with
CoverGirl and Ford Models, the latter of which she left. She later signed with Elite Model
Management. While Dani's modeling career included working on several runways, having numerous ad
campaigns for brands like Sephora , and appearing in magazines like Harper's Bazaar Vietnam
and Essence, she would also use her fame to pursue other ventures outside of the modeling world.
She released a book in 2013 titled The Skinny on Getting In: An Inside Peek into the Fashion
World for the Aspiring Model, which talks about her personal experiences in the modeling world
and also acts as a how-to for people who are looking to work in the extremely demanding
industry. Speaking to Sports Illustrated, Dani shared that her top tips for getting into
modeling include having, quote, "confidence and knowing how to dress in this business."
Besides being a model and published author, Dani also owns a fashion line
called Monrowe – a line of unisex hats. She shared with Veronica Beard that the line,
which gets its name from her grandfather, has a unique style. Dani said,
"Everything is super personal to me. I've always identified with a
wide-brim hat. Nothing against floppy hats, but if I'm going to design one,
it's going to be more structured in shape. Everything that I design, I would wear myself."
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