Life has been whirlwind for Louisville native and University of Colorado at Boulder sophomore Nicole Fox since she won Cycle 13 of “America’s Next Top Model” last week.
From Los Angeles, where the show was taped, the 18-year-old flew to New York City, where her publicist led her around and organized interviews. We caught up with her by phone in New York, the day after her victory.
Q: Are you going back to CU?
A: I have not enrolled for next semester. It looks like I might be in New York, and so I won’t be around for classes next semester. It’s possible, if I’m living in New York or Los Angeles, that I’ll have to transfer to a school there. I’ll just go with the flow and see how things are. (Fox said she plans to finish this semester, which ends Dec. 17.)
Q: How was the Hawaii portion of your competition?
A: Gorgeous! It was my first time out of the continental United States. To be so near the outdoors was a relief for me. In Los Angeles, we were really cooped up in the indoors. I’m used to being outdoors, mountain biking and snowboarding. What most Coloradans do.
Q: What was it like having to keep quiet about your victory for so long? (Fox learned in June that she had won, but the finale didn’t air until last week.)
A: It was tough, but honestly I wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise. Every week I got the pleasure of watching my parents and friends squirm about my potential elimination. I didn’t want to lose that. I just watched it with my sisters and parents and that was it. There was nobody else. Very low-key.
Q: Before the competition, you had little exposure to modeling. How do you feel about it now?
A: Being on the show definitely cultivated a passion in me for modeling. Throughout, I gained an appreciation for the modeling industry and a passion for it, as well. I had a taste for it, and now I want more.
Q: What is so cool about modeling?
A: The elements of it that I really grew to love are the art elements (Fox studies fine arts and English at CU). First of all, the people involved are very creative and artistic. They all have been involved in art somewhere down the line. It’s a group of people I can relate to.
It’s an emotional experience. You have to block everything out, turn off your brain and turn over everything to the moment. It is exhilarating.
Q: What do you like about Louisville?
A: Main Street. I love the restaurants and the shops. It’s a great place to hang out. And we have lived there for a long time and never had to lock our front door. It’s just a really safe, wholesome community. The Old Louisville Inn is my favorite restaurant.
Q: What are your hobbies?
A: Snowboarding, mountain biking, occasional karaoke sessions. I watch a lot of motorcyle and Formula One racing. I’ve been watching that for years. My dad always owned a motorcycle. I grew up around it and grew to love it. I just bought a starter bike, a 1972 Suzuki Enduro.
Q: You say you have always been a dork. What do you mean?
A: Growing up, I was always very academic. I’ve had straight A’s since sixth grade. Gosh, I always dressed myself in a particular manner growing up. There were a lot of neon knee socks, which did not help me fit in with the crowd at all. I’m terribly shy when it comes to public speaking, and so I blush horribly. On top of that, I don’t always know what to say. I have a tendency to not say the right thing at the right time. It was my biggest challenge to surmount, being able to complete those interviews with producers on the show.
Douglas Brown: 303-954-1395 or djbrown@denverpost.com
