This post was written by senior staff writer Gabrielle Bluestone.
An estimated 2,000 women lined up in a double loop around the block today at the Renaissance M Street Hotel on New Hampshire Avenue to get their shot at being a star at an open audition for the hit reality show “America’s Next Top Model.”
Hotel security guard Michael Lundy said producers expected about 500 women to audition for the show, which will be the first season to feature shorter models – under 5′7″. That number quickly multiplied, he said.
“They said 500, but I’ve seen at least 1,000 so far,” Lundy said at about 1 p.m. “I’d estimate about 2,000-2,500 will audition.”
Though the audition was supposed to close at 3, Lundy said that time would likely be extended to accommodate more aspiring models.
Many of the women traveled to D.C. solely to submit their portfolios and 15-page application, which included medical, psychological and creative questions. Many of the women were excited because of the opportunities a show featuring shorter models would afford them.
“They don’t let models under 5′7 try out like this,” said Shannon Thomas, a D.C. resident. Thomas, who is 5′4, said it took her over three hours to reach the front of the line.
Danielle Betcha, a sophomore at Rutgers University, traveled more than three hours to audition, then waited in line for another three and a half. An aspiring model, Betcha brought headshots and a bikini photograph to submit for her audition.
“I’ve been modeling for five years but only done smaller things,” Betcha said. “If I made it on the show, I would withdraw from school, because filming begins in a month or so.”
