The RadarThe MEGA Blog

Petra Nemcova (center) with the six models in the making. From left: Valeria from Australia, Angelika and Michelle from the United States, Abigail from the United Kingdom, Lucia from Slovakia and Beatrice from Brazil. A Model Life With Petra Nemcova airs every Thursday at 10 PM on Discovery Travel & Living. Episodes encore the following Sunday at 1 PM.

What does it really take to be a top model? Taking “krump” style pictorials on rooftops? Nailing that romance book cover shoot with Fabio? Using an actual graveyard location with rotting food as backdrop to depict “gluttony” in a Seven Deadly Sins themed “fashion” story? (The Radar did not make ANY of this up.)

Well, it’s certainly fun in train wreck television way, but for taking a potential model up to Calvin Klein and Stella McCartney speed? Not so much.

Just as Project Runway made the inner workings of fashion design fascinating television, A Model Life With Petra Nemcova TRULY opens the doors to what it actually takes to be a top model in the international fashion industry. Airing over eight episodes starting November 1, six new models from four continents (North America, Europe, South America and Australia) are brought to the biggest stage in modeling and viewers follow them from their first test shoot to the runways of New York Fashion Week. With Petra as mentor and friend, these fashion ingénues are exposed first hand to the harsh business of modeling—from finicky photographers and clothing designers to contradicting advice on weight and body image from bookers and nutritionists. At the end of the process, top agency NEXT Modeling will determine how many of the models deserve contract representation, and of course, a “Model Life” to call their own.

In this exclusive MEGA Online interview courtesy of Discovery Travel & Living, Petra Nemcova spills the details on giving fresh faces the most amazing opportunity of a lifetime, her charity work (borne from her experience on 2004 tsunami disaster) and what makes A Model Life different from America’s Next Top Model.

How is A Model Life different from America’s Next Top Model and why should people watch your show?
In the show A Model Life, there is no panel of judges. There are no fake challenges. Each of the episodes has a modeling lesson and a life lesson. And the reason why we didn’t make fake challenges in the show is because life in general figures the challenges for us. So the challenges are still there (in the show) but it’s made by life. The TV show is more of a documentary on the real life of modeling… And the life lesson is about overcoming adversity and helping others appreciate the gifts we have. The show is different in the way that it is about modeling but it is very meaningful.

Regarding the challenges, the models featured in the show went through a lot of issues. What were some of the common issues that you have seen among the models and what were your own issues when you were starting out in your modeling career?
Well, the models featured in the show are from different countries—from Australia, England, Brazil, Czech Republic, California and Florida. That’s interesting because I’ve learned about their cultures. One of them grew up from a farm—she wakes up really early in the morning. Another one—she’s very perfect, she plays many musical instruments. They’re all from different countries and one thing they have in common is that they have a dream. They have dreams of becoming a successful model. That’s their common bond. The show also aims to inspire others to go after their dreams. The common challenge that I have seen is the insecurity among them. Especially when you’re young, you do not yet have that confidence, trusting yourself and loving yourself. Even some girls, they seem to be very strong and sometimes arrogant—it just shows their insecurity. They are insecure in different ways. Some are very shy and show it—they want to be away. Some actually become arrogant and hard but that is also insecurity. It also relates to my beginnings as well where I wasn’t really secure. I didn’t really like myself at all; I didn’t feel that I was pretty. Because you also know your minuses and each of us has it. Nobody’s perfect but one thing is to realize that each of us is which makes us special. So when I grew up and started modeling, I thought that everybody else is special but not me. And slowly, I’ve learned that I am special too. And then the confidence, it came to me. It’s one very important issue, not just for models, but also for any young teenager to gain that confidence and believe that each person, each human being is special and unique.

What was your first experience in New York like? Did you offer the participants of A Model Life some tips on how to live around New York?
I’ve been living in different countries outside my home, Czech Republic. In New York, I lived in an apartment which had three rooms… we were [three girls] in one room, it was a really, really small room. I don’t know if you are familiar with the sizes of apartments in New York, they’re usually a little square with windows facing the wall—they’re very tiny.
And I remember, we go to castings. At first, you don’t get much of a response. You try really, really hard and it was difficult because you are lonely and if you didn’t get the response right away, you’ll try to say to yourself “Oh, I’m not good enough to become a model. I’ll just go home.” So you question yourself. One of my roommates, a really beautiful girl from Australia, has really curly hair. And the agency said, “You have to straighten your hair.” They straightened her hair. She got so depressed she went back to Australia. For young girls who are pressured and who tried hard but it (modeling) is not really coming, obviously, not every girl is able to get through this. You must strive for perfection and must be willing to go for it. Emotionally, it’s hard in certain ways. Beginnings are always hard but if you work hard enough, results will start coming through. And the next time I came back to New York, since I was arrived from Paris, I was called for a photo shoot. So things happen, you just keep on trying and trying.

How do you juggle your career with your charity commitments? And in your own words, why should people be more charitable?
A certain percent of my personal time, I devote to charity work. I’ve established Happy Hearts Fund after surviving the Tsunami. For me, my goal in life—always has been, even before the tsunami—is to help people especially children. The tsunami just sped up the process and gave me more opportunities to help others. My goal will be to do charity work 100% but right now, I still do modeling, TV shows. For me, it’s something really important in my life. But I think it’s really selfish to help others. You help others to make people happy but you make yourself happy too. So if you want to be selfish, be selfish and help others. It gives more meaning to your lives. And I encourage people to try because first, we can help others and second, because it makes ourselves so happy. Don’t say, “I have no money, I can’t give help.” There are thousands of ways to help people—you can plant trees or you can find other ways of making a difference.