Top Model's Twice-cut Ambreal: Hoochie, My Ass!

Poor Ambreal Williams. She's definitely going down in America's Next Top Modelhistory — but only as the first contestant to be eliminated twice. First Tyra Banks told her to hit the road, but the voluntary departure of Ebony Morgan saved her butt. Then, a couple of weeks later, the judges sent her packing again, and no way was hungry, photogenic Lisa about to give up her shot at the title. At least, besides mixed feelings and a minor makeover, she got this Q&A with TVGuide.com as a consolation prize.

TVGuide.com: After being eliminated and then reinstated, did you feel like a dead model walking?
Ambreal Williams: After that happened, I actually started to relax and not take the competition quite so seriously. I enjoyed my time there because I could tell it was limited. I was there by luck and the grace of god and Ebony, so I decided to sit back and relax. I wasn't going to take offense. I thought, "They did try to send me home, but I'm still here, and I'm still going to work hard," but I wasn't as serious as I had been.

TVGuide.com: It seemed to me you did your best.
Ambreal: Yeah, I felt like I was doing my best, but after seeing the show and hearing the critiques and knowing why they were giving those critiques, I could see why they said certain things.

TVGuide.com: So in that moment when Ebony told Tyra she didn't want to be there anymore, what went through your mind?
Ambreal: I really hadn't let it sink in. I didn't know what was going on. "She doesn't want to be here? Does that mean I get to go on? Or are we both going?" I knew in the past they'd eliminated two people at the same time. So I wasn't sure. It didn't really hit me what had happened until Tyra said, "You've got a second chance. You get to stay."

TVGuide.com: I was really annoyed on your behalf when Tyra said you looked hoochie during the Enrique Iglesias video shoot. They dressed you in a leather shoestring, said you were playing a vampire and put you in a sex dungeon! How were you supposed to slide down that pole, like Jane Eyre?
Ambreal: [Laughs] Well, she's entitled to her opinion, but I didn't feel as if I looked hoochie. I mean, I definitely could have made that [move] look a lot more hoochie than it did! I just felt as if I'd embraced the character the director asked me to be... and I think Tyra just felt like she needed to say something. I'm in the video twice anyway, so evidently, I did something well!

TVGuide.com: Maybe you're just too damn sexy for modeling.
Ambreal: Maybe for America's Next Top Model, I'm too sexy. But you know, there's something else out there for me. Somebody saw it and didn't think it looked hoochie and was like, "I want to put her in my video." That's how I try to look at things, like, when I get criticism, I think, "Well, somebody out there thought the total opposite, and they'll want me."

TVGuide.com: Frankly, as warm as you always seemed, I was impressed that you were able to go hoochie!
Ambreal: Thank you. Also, I'm a musical-theater major, so it was really easy for me to go in and out of different characters. I had fun. That's another reason I like modeling, as well: Because when you're given your outfit, you're able to portray a different character. I had no problem with sliding down the pole!

TVGuide.com: Is modeling as satisfying for you as acting?
Ambreal: Oh, yeah, I love modeling. The people at my school could tell that modeling was more important than acting for me. I love acting, but modeling is what I want to do right now. There's no doubt in my heart that that's what I want to do.

TVGuide.com: What sets modeling apart from everything else you could conceivably do in life?
Ambreal: I love the adrenaline rush of the runway and photo shoots, and how you can look so different but be so beautiful and appreciated for your different looks. You can just be this awkward-looking girl but be considered gorgeous in the industry. I've always thought I have an awkward look, but I fit perfect in the modeling industry.

TVGuide.com: Heather's sort of the same way. Speaking of whom, Bianca really has a big-time hate-on for her. Why do you think that is?
Ambreal: Well, I think the show makes it seem like a lot of us pick on Heather and we really didn't. It's just edited to be that way. Bianca is very opinionated, though, and she's entitled to her opinions. We really don't see what we said about each other until it airs, which is pretty funny. So I'm sure Heather didn't have any idea about certain things that were being said about her. But I know if I said something, I would relay it back to that person.

TVGuide.com: That could end up being a lot of relaying.
Ambreal: I'm not a catty person. I'm not, you know, bitchy, so I didn't want it to come off wrong if I said something about somebody and it was going to be edited a certain way. I wanted them to understand that this is what I said in real life.

TVGuide.com: So you would not say something behind a person's back that you wouldn't say to their face.
Ambreal: Exactly. Pretty much everything I said that seemed to be negative, I'd said to that person's face.

TVGuide.com: Were you bummed that you didn't get to go to China, or were you like, "Eh, how much Chinese food can I eat, anyway?"
Ambreal: [Laughs] It was funny, because [when the Chinese lion came out and Tyra announced where we were going], we were all excited. But then I sat back and thought, "Wait, we're still in panel. Someone else has to go home." It's unfortunate that I didn't get to go, but you know, one day I'll get to go to China when somebody pays me to go.

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