When she first arrived in Toronto from her native Val Caron (a suburb of Sudbury, Ontario), Cori MacKinnon was overwhelmed by the crowded city streets. The small-town girl adjusted impressively quickly and went on to make a big splash on the show, winning first a spa day and then a diamond ring in the challenges. Six episodes in, things began to get rocky for Cori. This hater of “orange food” was first forced to choke down Indian food with photographer Nigel Barker, then told by the judges that she sometimes has “crazy” eyes in her pictures, and to top it off, her “friends” Rebecca and Tia called her fake. The 18-year-old dealt with these obstacles relatively well and stuck out one more episode before being eliminated.
What was the toughest challenge on the show?
“The go-sees. There was just so much to think about! Like directions…and then when you get there, you have to make sure you look good. You have to worry about your walk and your portfolio… There’s just so much.”
How did being one of the youngest competitors affect your relationship with the other girls?
“I think the other girls maybe were a bit more mature, obviously, because they were older. They thought that I was immature, but I like to have fun. That’s how I put it.”
There was a lot of tension in the last couple of episodes you were on. What was going through your head?
“I was honestly so shocked when they said the thing about me being fake, because they had never said any of it before. They brought it up in judging, and I just felt really put on the spot. I didn’t really know what to say because I thought they were all my friends, and I didn’t know that they were doing all this talking behind my back. It was definitely hard. I felt pretty alone after all that.”
What have you learned from being on the show?
“I’ve definitely learned a lot about confidence. When I first went on the show, I was so shy. I’ve always been shy my entire life, and I was just really nervous and everything. As the competition went on, I got more and more confident and comfortable with myself, and I think that’s the most important thing I can take away from this.”
Did you like having your picture taken as a child?
“Actually, I won Miss Photogenic when I was six, but I never really thought about modelling until I watched America’s Next Top Model. I just loved the show and everything looked like so much fun, so that’s the reason I tried in the first place. I’d never done modelling before that.”
What are you doing now, and where will you go from here?
“I’m actually back in school right now. I had to drop out halfway through the second semester of my first year of college. I’m in pre-health. It’s a one-year course. I’ll be done in August, and then after that, I definitely want to do some modelling.”
Who is your beauty icon?
“Adriana Lima. I think she’s the most gorgeous woman in the world.”
Who is your celebrity crush?
“Johnny Knoxville from Jackass.”
What are your favourite places to shop?
“There are so many. I’m going to have to say Hollister and H&M, because I like to buy things that are cheap but still stylish.”
If you could be anything in the world other than a model, what would you be?
“I always wanted to be a pediatrician because I love children, and I think that would be a good way to interact with them.”
Do you have any hidden talents?
“Something that people might not know is that I horseback ride, and I’m really good at it. I took lessons when I was younger, and I still ride. The first thing I want to do if I become a model is buy my own horse.”
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