kids modeling …?

Hi. Im 24 years old but I was in the modeling & acting industry from the time I was 8-16. I must say, that until 15…I really enjoyed it. I did commericals & ads for Matel toys, Mervyn’s clothes, etc. And when I was younger it was actually FUN on set to play with the other kids in the shoot or commercial. I would have done it for free it was so much fun. However, as I approached pubirty it wasnt fun anymore. My agent would send me on a call & tell me to be sure to dress on clothes that “showed my figure”…She would ask me if I had any zits that week, if so how many? If it was more then 2 or 3 she wouldnt send me because it would be a bad represenation of her agency. I had braces from 13-15 & I got no work what-so-ever. Every audition I went on, they would say “Thanks for coming but we need a white smile not a metal smile” So that lowered my self-confidence. I felt ugly because I couldnt get a job. So then one day my agent calls & says “Guess what!!!! You just got the biggest job yet. You have been selected to be a Junior Guess Jeans model for their next campaign” Well I was ecstatic!!! She then said “Only one problem, they booked you off your photo that your not showing your braces. So when I told them you had braces they were going to cancel you & pick another girl. So, I told them I would have you go to your dentist & take them off” I immediatly went from happy to sad. I knew my Mom & Dad nor my dentist would allow me to just take off my braces. I was supposed to have them on another 6 months. Well, my Mom drove me to the dentist explained the situation & the dentist agreed to take them off for the shoot & put them back on the next day. Needless to day, It took a few hours taking them off, did the shoot the next day (had to take tylenol because I was in alot of pain from having my braces pryed off my teeth!!) then spent a few hours the next day putting them back on. So, where did the fun go??? It was no longer fun anymore. Because I never felt good enough. I always thought that I would be perfect for the job if I was a little taller, thinner, teeth were straighter…

The last audition I went on I was 16 years old. It was my first year on the cheerleading squad in highschool & I was having so much fun…Cheering at football games on Fridays. For once I didnt feel like I wasnt good enough or like people were inspecting me to see if I was goor enough for them. So, one Friday morning as Im leaving for school dressed in my cheer outfit because we had a BIG game that night against our rival school….My agent calls & tells me I have an audition at noon in Los Angeles. I told her that I wouldnt be able to go because my cheer coaches rule was that if we didnt go to school then we couldnt cheer at the game. She told me that this was an audition I didnt want to miss. It was a Doritos commercial for the SUper Bowl game coming up & INSYNC would be in the commercial with me….I felt torn in both directions. I knew if I went to the audition I would let down my cheer squad by not being able to perform with them at the game…And if I missed the audition & went to the game I could be passing up a great opportunity for a big commercial.
Needless to say, I went to the audition…Cried the whole way their because I knew I was going to miss the game. I get to the audition & am surrounded by 5 or 6 beautiful yet snobby girls. I always enjoyed meeting new girls at auditions…But this audition was filled with cold girls. I tried talking to one & she rolled her eyes at me & ignored me. Then as another girl was being called in to audition I said “Good luck” She looked at me & said “No, your the one that needs a good luck!!”….I walked right out of their & didnt even audition. i told myself & my Mom, if thats how this industry is the older I get…I want NOTHING to do with it. Because life is too short to spend working with people in Hollywood who think they are better then everyone.

I dont have any regrets of not pursing my modeling or acting career. Especially when I see the magazines headlines of all the celeberties &models who battle with drugs, depression & anorexia. Because if I would have stayed with it…I could have been just like them….And even though they make alot of money….They would tell you, ITS NOT FUN! And losing yourself is not worth any amount of money….Happiness is far more important.

Hope that helps you And whatever your decision is good luck to you…Just remember to NEVER change yourself for anyone….If you are happy with the person you are inside & out, thats all that matters.