“Germany’s Next Topmodel”
Nude shooting demands everything from models
“Fishing” for new top models: Heidi and photographer Rankin.
© ProSieben / Sven Doornkaat
The season finale is in sight. Episode 15 was accordingly intense. The nude shoot in particular demanded everything from the models.
There are still three weeks until this year’s “GNTM” finale. The challenges are getting hotter, the rivalry between the models is getting bigger. In episode 15 (Thursdays, 8.15 p.m., ProSieben or At joyn, lucrative castings and exciting photo shoots alternated. The nude shoot à la “Through the Monsoon” in particular caused serious problems for some models. Two candidates, however, took their chance and stepped out of the shadow of the favorites. In the end, Heidi’s Ghanaian prince had to surprisingly abdicate.
Heidi had organised a truly intensive programme for her five female and seven male models. First, choreographer Nikeata Thompson, 43, took the models to task during catwalk teaching. While she praised Marvin, 23, for his unmistakably cool walk, she fired up chick Fabienne, 20,: “Just because you’re a diamond in the rough doesn’t mean you don’t have to give it your all.” She confirmed to Jermaine, 20: “He wants to win, I can see that.” Her verdict on Kadidja, 21, was similar: “She has a goal in mind – and not just since yesterday.”
“And then definitely win”
Together with Grace, 25, and Xenia, 24, the previous top job winner Kadidja was able to prove her will to win. A well-known manufacturer of artificial eyelashes was looking for a new model face for a large-scale campaign. Grace initially impressed the customer with her description of one of the most formative moments of her life. Shortly after the outbreak of war in her home country of Syria, a person of the same age from the neighborhood was murdered in front of her eyes. Since then, she has appreciated and enjoyed every day of life even more. Xenia was ultimately awarded the contract – now her third job in a short period of time. The permanent doubter from Hof in Franconia is fulfilling her modeling dream step by step. She also proved this with a gorgeous eyelash twist in a princess gown in a fairytale castle. Her confident statement afterwards: “My next goal is the final. And then I definitely want to win.”
Self-doubt attack and hot video shoot with ESC candidate
At the casting for an Italian cosmetics manufacturer’s advertising campaign, Grace, Frieder, 25, Xenia, Linus, 25, Kadidja and Armin, 27, were immediately offered the next job. Their casting task: split into pairs, they were supposed to portray a warm embrace in front of the camera. Armin and Grace were divided: should we portray the lovers or just the best friends? Their performance seemed fake and theatrical to the customers. Kadidja and Frieder’s embrace felt absolutely authentic. They grabbed the job and flew to Sicily for the campaign shoot. The new setback left favorite Armin doubtful: “Am I good enough to be able to achieve the really big dream later? Or will the whole tower of hope that you have built up for yourself fall over at the end of the season?”
But “Germany’s next Topmodel” didn’t give Armin any more time for more depth. He found himself shirtless and freshly oiled in an old factory hall in LA with the twins Julian and Luka, 24, Jermaine and Marvin. Austria’s ESC representative Kaleen, 29, was already waiting for the five men there. Under the direction of Jordan Rossi, they stretched and posed with Kaleen for the official Music video of their ESC hit “We Will Rave”Millions of ESC and “GNTM” fans clicked on the video before the episode was broadcast, discovered their heroes and admired their six-packs.
“She is also a woman and has daughters”
“Lord, have mercy!” That was Kadidja’s reaction to the announcement of the final, big challenge of this episode. The news of the upcoming nude shoot hit the model flat like a bomb. Even the “sticky underpants” that were sent along, which resembled large plasters and were supposed to cover the crucial parts of the body during the shoot, couldn’t calm her down. Kadidja thought about what her boyfriend and family would think of seeing her like this: “I have to process this first.” Then she shed bitter tears. Heidi Klum’s, 50, presence on set gave her hope: “She’s a woman too and has daughters. And I don’t think she would expect anything that we don’t want to do.”
On the set, Tokio Hotel fans, of which Heidi Klum alias Kaulitz undoubtedly counts, were inevitably reminded of their super hit “Durch den Monsun”. She and “GNTM” veteran Rankin, 58, had set up a sprinkler system and two wind machines in a spacious swimming pool. In front of it, the twelve models posed in front of Rankin’s lens, “wrapped” in skin-colored adhesive plasters and transparent raincoats. Before that, Jermaine and Linus briefly let off some steam. Linus’ question as to whether Jermaine had already developed posing ideas for the sparse outfit was answered sharply: “I’m not telling you now, otherwise you’ll steal everything – like always.” So much for the question of whether men can also have catfights.
The prince with the swag must go
At the shoot, Jermaine was one of the best. Rankin paid him the maximum compliment by saying: “You’re a model.” Fabienne stood out among the female applicants. The Solingen native, who had been under the radar for a long time, has probably had the most amazing development in the show. Rankin also praised her effusively: “Heidi raved about you to me. I had my doubts, but you really have what it takes.” This time there was little praise for Kadidja, who seemed shy and inhibited in the pool. In the end, she just made it to the next round. Marvin, the son of a Ghanaian king, was denied the opportunity to advance. He could not overcome his fear of nudity and was eliminated. Over the course of the season, everyone took the likeable prince from Bielefeld with the swag on the catwalk to their hearts. In episode 15, he had to finally abdicate.