Her profile states that she's appeared in runway shows for Ralph Lauren and Irfe, had a spread in Nylon Magazine, and was the face of Urban Decay cosmetics in 2016. According to The Cut, she signed with New York Models and walked the runways for Hermès and Dries Van Noten, which no other 'America's Next Top Model' contestant has done before. Yaya's star just kept rising from there - in September 2021, she landed the lead role of Angela Vaughn on the Fox drama 'Our Kind of People.' Speaking to InStyle, the former model discussed her road to success, stating, 'The only reason I was able to get as far as I have is because of the support of people who believed in me, and they were actually following my lead because I was betting on myself.' It all led to her snagging that coveted lead role, of which she said, 'It feels very big and also very right on time.'įatima placed third in the competition but ended up having a very successful career as a model. Yaya would continue to land minor television roles and would be featured in TV movies, but she really found her calling when she began playing April Sexton on the NBC hit series 'Chicago Med' in 2015.

At the time, her only acting credit was starring in an episode of 'Eve,' but she proved that she was a serious actor after finding work in the soap opera 'All My Children' and landing the role of Nico Slater in 'Ugly Betty' in 2009.

Yaya made her film debut in 2006's ' Take the Lead,' working alongside acting veteran actor Antonio Banderas. These former 'America's Next Top Model' contestants actually made it big and can thank the show for serving as their stepping stone to fame. And, when they aren't modeling, they have used their reality fame to seek out other opportunities that have made them even bigger stars. Some of these former contestants weren't even crowned the winner of 'America's Next Top Model,' but they continue to walk runways for major high-end fashion brands, grace the pages of Vogue, and hang out with the likes of the Kardashians and Jenners.

However, a handful of women and men who appeared on the show have perfected their smize and worked tirelessly to make it big in the modeling world. Most of the contestants never reached Banks' supermodel status, and several have left modeling altogether. However, despite its gigantic fan base and its enduring popularity - during a 2020 interview with ABC Radio (via ABC News), Banks even teased the possibility of filming a 25th cycle – there have not been a large number of success stories to come out of the series. Its aim was to find a model that would one day be as big as the show's host, Tyra Banks. ' America's Next Top Model' has been a huge success ever since it first began airing in 2003.

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