In April of 2005, Reality News Online interviewed Cycle 4’s Tatiana Dante following her appearance and elimination from Top Model. Read on to find out how she felt about Michelle, her feelings about being eliminated and if she has any regrets about the competition. Here is the text from the article (written by Phil Kural):
“I Liked Michelle, I’m Just Not Fond of Her”: An Interview With America’s Next Top Model 4’s Tatiana
Tatiana was the eighth girl eliminated this season on America’s Next Top Model. In this interview with RealityNewsOnline, she expresses how shocked she was when she was eliminated, what she’s up to now and a whole lot more.
Tatiana was the girl that I felt like I never really got to know, almost like Nicole from last season. However, I had a chance to speak with her, and this Hawaiian bombshell had no problem talking about her experience on the show. Find out right here what she thought of the whole process, what surprised her the most, and whether she has put that Cockney English accent to good use.
RealityNewsOnline: Why did you originally apply for the show? Did you attend an open call or send in a video?
Tatiana: I had never actually watched the show before I tried out for it. I went to an open call audition, it was in Honolulu, and I think it was the first open call for the season. Obviously, I went because I thought I could make it – and I did!
RNO: What is the one thing that surprised you the most about the whole experience?
Tatiana: The one thing that surprised me the most was the judges. I don’t think I expected them to be as mean as they were. I mean, they were nice, but they were mean at times too. I wasn’t expecting them to “judge” me as much as they did.
RNO: You were shown on the show to be somewhat of a loner. Was that the editing, or did you really feel that way?
Tatiana: Nah, that pretty much is me. I am a loner. I’m a social person, but I’m better in one-on-one situations. I’m not really good when it comes to hanging out in big groups. If I’m not hanging out with one person, then I’m probably just reading a book or something.
RNO: Just out of curiosity, and since it would make more sense, why didn’t you move in the room with the three girls, instead of all three of them moving to you?
Tatiana: Haha! Your guess is as good as mine. I had no idea why they were moving into my room. I guess they just liked the room, and so they moved right in. I should have moved into their old room when they moved into mine.
RNO: Almost all of your photos were liked by the judges, yet you were eliminated before some girls that had weaker photos. Why do you think that was?
Tatiana: I think they just felt like Michelle just wanted it more. I mean, they didn’t choose my best photo for the last shoot, but that was probably for a reason. I think there were things that I said that probably made them think Michelle wanted to be there more than I did, even though I had better pictures.
RNO: Looking back, is there anything you could have done differently to stick around longer?
Tatiana: I probably should have not talked on the phone as much. I was always talking to my family or boyfriend and telling them that I wasn’t happy and wanted to go home. You know what though? I tried my best and I’m happy with how I did.
RNO: I ask all the girls this, but when you were standing in front of Tyra with Michelle, did you think that you were going to be eliminated, or were you thinking that you were safe?
Tatiana: Honestly, I had no clue that I was going home. When we were standing there, I thought Michelle was going home. They sure surprised me! That was done for reasons I can’t tell though, so oh well, what can you do?
RNO: Had the judges given you any reason prior to this past elimination that you were dropping to the bottom of the pack?
Tatiana: Nope. I was shocked. I had no idea that I was dropping to the bottom, so when I was eliminated, I couldn’t believe it.
RNO: What’s the deal with Michelle? Is she bi-polar? Sometimes she is happy, and other times she’s breaking down! What’s going on with her?
Tatiana: Are you asking me if Michelle is bi-polar? I’m not really sure. I mean, she was all over the place. I like Michelle, I’m just not fond of her. I mean, outside of the house, I probably wouldn’t be friends with her. Maybe it was the impetigo thing. That whole thing grossed me out, but she has nothing to apologize for. It was gross, but it happens. Although, I wasn’t about to go near it!
RNO: Do you think that had you been assigned one of the other seven deadly sins, you would have done a better job on the shoot?
Tatiana: Yes, I think I would have done a much better job. I think they knew I wasn’t a greedy person, and it was a challenge for me to act that way. I would have done a better job if I had been lust!
RNO: Are you surprised that Naima has been the Cover Girl of the week every week since the show has started?
Tatiana: Oh, I’m not surprised at all. Naima is very reserved, but she’s a great girl and a wonderful person.
RNO: Have you found any good reasons to use the Cockney English accent you now possess?
Tatiana: Haha! I have not found a reason to use it, never will, and hope I never use it again. That whole thing was just for the show and entertainment.
RNO: Do you have any regrets from the competition, or do you look back and think you did the best you really could?
Tatiana: I have no regrets at all. I would do the whole thing over again in a second, and I would do it all the same way.
RNO: What are you up to now? Do you still plan on following the modeling path?
Tatiana: I still want to get into modeling and pursue it as far as I can. I have some prior experience and was doing some modeling here before I was on the show, and that’s how I was making money, so hopefully that can continue.
RNO: Is there anything you would like to add or say to the viewers of the show?
Tatiana: I would just say that if you are going to apply for this show, you have to know who you are and be a strong person. Go for it – if you think you’ll make the show, you probably will!
RNO: Thanks, Tatiana!
To learn more about Cycle 4’s Tatiana Dante, visit her bio page here.
Source: Reality News Online
Photo: CW / Jim De Yonker
