Tony O.

MDC Member since January 2009
View Tony’s Portfolio
Age: 25
Location: Niagara Falls, Canada

How did you become interested in modeling?
I got encouragement from family, friends, co-workers to consider modeling. To me, it wasn’t even about the encouragement/modeling anymore, it was about the guilt I would start to feel for holding myself back and not at least looking into it.

What agencies have you been in contact through MODELS.com?
None at the moment. This seems to be happening really fast.

What advice would you have for other aspiring models trying to get noticed by these agents?
If people think you have the potential and you want it, then go for it. Always put your inner beauty forward. True beauty oozes out of your pores. It’s part of your entire make-up. Have a good and positive attitude (keeping in mind that there are lots of kids out there who are and would be looking up to you as positive role models down the road). In addition to this, put your pictures on a reputable website such as models.com (if you are still very young and not sure, then ask your parents to look at the website first).The internet has become the quickest way to do almost every transaction in the world today and you can reach out to more people and agencies at the same time, especially if you are not living in some of the major cities. However, keep your other career pursuits active. “Don’t lay all your eggs in one basket.” Have other options - there is so much out there in the world to do, so be careful not to limit other great opportunities for yourself. Be driven, stay grounded and you will get there.

What do you do to keep in shape?
I’m a very active person. I play soccer regularly which is really my favorite pastime. I have a regular workout - do my floor routines at home steadfastly. I do occasional pilates. Eat right and healthy - fruits and vegetables form a major part of my diet (though not entirely). Drink a lot of water. Don’t smoke, don’t do drugs - they deprive the body of its essential nutrients.

What type of face/grooming products do you use?
I know I sound a bit old fashioned, but I don’t really use any. I wash my face regularly with water and apply some moisturizer (with shea butter) which I usually get from the local store.

What is one thing a model cannot be without?
A strong dose of humility - confident humility.

What is your favorite fashion magazine?
I glance through a few sometimes, but not very often. I read a lot of books. A daily newspaper doesn’t hurt - so as to have a little knowledge of what’s going on around you and in the world.

Who is your favorite designer?
Not sure if I can single out one because they all have a skill that I don’t have. There are so many greats - Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, D Squared, Tom Ford and so many others. There are also the so many unknown talents who work tirelessly night and day to show the world how good they are. They deserve our recognition too.

Who is your favorite model?
There are lots of beautiful and beautiful looking models that I admire. I like different models for different reasons. I like to know what they do with their time when they are not modeling. What have they done and what are they doing for someone else? Are they helping others make a difference in their lives - no matter how minimal it may be? Is he/she kind, humble and friendly? What causes do they support? These are some of the traits of inner beauty and true beauty comes from within. Outer beauty is great and I’m sure everyone would love to have it, but without an inner beauty, true beauty becomes incomplete. And I’ll have to investigate their dancing abilities before I accurately judge if he/she is in fact a favorite.

What is your favorite part about modeling?
Creativity. Personally, I think it’s a good feeling to be a part of art, do something creative and artistic and be a part of the creative process.

Who would you most like to model for?
Anyone who flatters me with a request.

Additional Comments:
To the staff at models.com - thank you for considering me for your Member Spotlight and I’m deeply humbled by your giving me the opportunity to answer these questions.