Setting an Example: An Interview with Anna Bradfield from “America’s Next Top Model 2”

Anna was the first contestant eliminated on America’s Next Top Model 2 because she refused to participate in the first photo shoot, which was to be done nude. In this interview, Anna talks about how she wanted to be a role model for married women and mothers, what she thought about the whole toilet paper stealing incident, and what she thought about the sketch which showed how nude she would actually be.

RNO: Could you fill me in on what the audition process was like? What did you have to go through and did you have any idea that you would make it to the final 12?

Anna: Well, there were a series of auditions and interviews that we had to go through in order to make the final 12. I had high hopes from the beginning that I would make it that far, and you can imagine how excited I was when I found out that I actually had!

RNO: After arriving in Manhattan and performing in the runway show, how did you honestly feel you did compared to the other girls?

Anna: I felt that I had done a good job compared to the other women. I had felt comfortable on the runway and did what I thought would be correct. I have to say, I had a good time doing that show, it was something different that I had looked forward too.

RNO: At the house, you naturally went into “mom mode” and started cleaning up after the other girls. Did you mind doing this, or were you genuinely happy with taking on that role?

Anna: It wasn’t so much that I wanted to go into mom mode, but since I saw the dishes in the sink, I wanted to wash them. They made it look that I was playing the mom role, but I was actually just doing what needed to be done.

RNO: What are your thoughts on the way Camille was silently patronizing all the other girls at dinner? Did you find it funny Yoanna took the toilet paper, or were you bothered the way Camille was?

Anna: I was bothered by it a little bit. I wish Yoanna would have just bought some instead of taking it from the bathroom, but that was just Yoanna being Yoanna, it’s her personality. As far as Camille, I wasn’t really bothered by the way she talked about everyone; it’s the same thing, that is her personality and that was just Camille being Camille. It was neither right nor wrong.

RNO: Was there any specific reason that none of the girls bothered to wake up Jenascia? There had to of been a few girls that saw her still sleeping, so why didn’t anyone bother to at least tap her a few times?

Anna: I actually didn’t know that she was not awake. I had been in such a hurry to get ready that by the time I was in the elevator and getting into the van was when I realized she wasn’t there. Had I been her roommate, I would have definitely done something to make sure she was awake.

RNO: Do you think April was wrong for not waking Jenascia; after all, Jenascia did help her get the right outfit on in time for the fashion show?

Anna: She was not wrong for not waking Jenascia up because I honestly don’t think she knew that Jen wasn’t awake. April was very passionate about going back to get her, there just wasn’t enough time. Her heart wanted to, but time was not allowing it.

RNO: Was it fair to make you and the other models pose nude right away in the competition? Do you think that was their way of weeding out the ones who wouldn’t do it later, and didn’t they ask you if you had a problem with nude shoots during auditions?

Anna: I do feel that it was fair for them to make us pose nude from the beginning, and I knew I may have had to pose nude, just wasn’t expecting it right away. It came somewhat as a surprise. As far as them telling us during the auditions, they said we may have to pose nude, but it was never written in stone.

RNO: This may have just been me, but judging from the sketches that we saw of the “outfits,” yours looked to be the most revealing of them all. Was that the case?

Anna: Well, I can tell you that I definitely thought so. From the sketch of what the outfit would look like, it was quite obvious that everything would be showing. I didn’t even try any of the costume on because I felt so strongly about not posing nude. Nigel Barker was willing to go out of his way to make me feel comfortable, but everything they suggested was still off limits for me.

RNO: Personally, I feel that you, being a mother and a wife, made the right decision in not doing the shoot. However, do you still feel that you did, or did you have second thoughts once you were eliminated and let it sink in?

Anna: Thank you very much, Phil. I look back on it now and still feel that I would not change a thing that I did. I wanted to set an example and be a role model, and I feel that I accomplished that.

RNO: Do you still keep in contact with the other girls, or on the flip side, is there anyone you don’t really care to keep in contact with?

Anna: Well, I would like to stay in contact with all the girls. They were such a fun group of people to be around. Right now, we are not allowed to exactly “hang out” but I do occasionally talk to most of them.

RNO: Did you find it odd that Tyra would say they were looking for “all types of models” but when the doors were shut, Janice went on and on about how all she wanted was tall and skinny? Oh, and what’s the deal with this whole plus size thing? I thought you were pretty skinny!

Anna: I know that is what Tyra was saying the whole time, but as far as Janice goes, that is just Janice and you can bet her opinion is going to be off the wall. She wanted tall and skinny, and that was her stance. As far as plus sizes, from what I understand, size 10 is normally considered plus. I’m a size 8, so since I was so close to a 10, they just considered me “plus size.”

RNO: Did your husband and son watch the show? What did they think?

Anna: They watched it and loved every minute of the hour. They were very supportive during the whole experience and I’m glad we could sit down and watch it together.

RNO: Who did you feel should have been eliminated this episode, not including yourself? Do you think Jenascia’s lateness should have compensated for you not doing the shoot?

Anna: I honestly can’t say. Each of the girls was so different and had different personalities. As far as Jenascia being late, I have thought about it. However, I feel they really didn’t have a clear understanding as to why I was not doing the shoot, so just decided that I was the one to go.

RNO: Do you have any plans to continue trying to follow a modeling career?

Anna: Oh, I definitely want to try and continue following a modeling career. It is in my heart to model and has always been my dream, so I don’t plan on quitting. My family is very supportive, and as long as they are behind me, I will follow my dream.

RNO: Is there anything you would like to add or fill us in on, maybe something we didn’t get to see?

Anna: Nothing really, they showed all the important things. However, I do want to encourage mothers and young women to keep their dreams close to their heart and even if you have to put them on hold for awhile, remember they are there. Keep positive, and things will happen.

RNO: Anna, thank you so much for taking time out of your day to answer our questions. You did an amazing job on the show and came across as classy and a very good role model to mothers and married women everywhere.

Anna: Thanks so much Phil, this was fun!

Phil Kural is a senior at Temple University, and can be reached at pkural@temple.edu.

Be sure to sign up for our e-mail update so you can stay informed about new articles on the site! And take a look at the rest of the site. You can find all of our recent articles on this show at our America’s Next Top Model page and take a look at our sections on Average Joe and Celebrity Mole. You can even buy reality show stuff at our Reality TV Store!

For more news about The Simple Life, be sure to check out SirLinksALot!