America's Next Top Model, Cycle 12 - Episode 5
Put Your Best Face Forward - Toccara Jones Visits ANTM
Apr 4, 2009
Panel and elimination in last week’s episode of America’s Next Top Model gave positive feedback to Tahlia, who had been struggling with her confidence. As the competitors of Cycle 12 are sitting around their Upper East Side apartment, the doorbell unexpectedly rings.
ANTM Slumber Party with Plus-Sized Model Toccara Jones
One of the most memorable personalities of Cycle 3 from America’s Next Top Model is Toccara Jones. She has a plus-sized body and a personality to match. She brings sleepwear to the models and decides to hold a slumber party. Tyra Banks sent Toccara to talk to the girls about personality and presence. In the confessional, Toccara says that she can’t pinpoint different personalities and that they all need to let loose.
Benny Ninja Teaches Posing to the Models
For the past several seasons of ANTM, Benny Ninja has been teaching the contestants to post. He brings along Sky Nellor, a former model and DJ, to teach the girls how to become inspired by music. Many photographers will bring specific music to photo shoots to help the models get into characters. Benny has the girls compete in pairs to different styles of music. Alison had another weak day and let her shyness get in the way of posing lessons.
Benny orchestrates a challenge for the girls. It combines music, fashion, and posing. The girls will be competing in a pose-off, featuring clothing from The Blonds. Benny will use the applause of the crowd to choose a winner from each heat and the final two girls will go head to head. Many of the girls receive boos for their poor poses, but Celia and Natalie make it through the battle. In the final battle, Natalie almost fell several times, leaving Celia the clear favorite.
Drama Stirs Before an Ellis Island Photo Shoot with Benny Ninja
Tahlia loses confidence again after the challenge and confides in Alison that she wants to go home. Alison tells Celia, who is upset that someone who doesn’t want this must stay. Celia and Tahlia talk in hair and makeup, where Tahlia says she doesn’t know if the competition is the right thing to do or the right way to become a model.
The models head to Ellis Island to pose as immigrant families entering America. Benny Ninja and several children will pose in the images, which will be taken with old fashioned, black and white cameras. Each of the models will have ten frames, shot by photographer Brian Edwards on an 8 X 10 camera. They have to hold very still during the shot. Though Sandra and Aminant have strong faces, they both struggled to give a convincing photograph.
Judges Panel and Elimination with Tyra Banks
During deliberation, it becomes clear that all the judges find Tahlia’s photograph to be the best of the bunch. Her name is called first, while Sandra and Kortnie are the bottom two. Sandra is called because she continues to rest on pretty. Kortnie is also one of the prettiest models on the show but has not brought intensity to her photographs. Kortnie is eliminated.
After the decision is announced, Celia steps forward and addresses the judges. She tells them that Tahlia has said she does not want to compete anymore and they should think about it before Kortnie is sent home. However, Tyra does not want to hear Celia and sends her back to the line.
Stay tuned to see what happens in next week’s episode of ANTM, as tensions erupt in the house. America’s Next Top Model airs on the CW, Wednesday nights at 8 PM. Visit the America’s Next Top Model Page to find episode summaries, cast profiles, and gossip about the show.
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