DAILY NEWS WRITER
Courtesy of the New York Daily News
America’s next Top Model just wasn’t ready for this sassy, smack-talking girl from Queens.
Bianca Golden – a 19-year-old from Jamaica who was one of the youngest contestants in the hit TV show’s history – quickly earned a reputation for herself on the recently completed ninth season of the series.
She was direct, assertive and sometimes nasty, but she says it was just her New York swagger coming through on camera.
“I went in really, really cocky because I believe in myself,” said Golden, a sophomore studying health sciences at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania.
“In little places like Arkansas, I come across as a bitch…. I was just being really New York.”
The elimination format show puts aspiring models in front of established models like Tyra Banks, Twiggy and others. Golden came in fourth, and was dispatched on the second-to-last episode of the season.
It was an incredible feat for Golden, who never had any luck on casting calls before auditioning for the show. “They said I was too urban, too common, too tall, too young,” she said about her early experiences with modeling agencies. “I was 5-foot-10 at age 12.”
Golden grew up in a tight-knit West Indian family and lost her father, George Golden, when she was 7.
She graduated from PS 35 and Susan B. Anthony Middle School in Hollis.
She went on to Hillcrest High School, where she was involved in extracurricular activities ranging from volleyball to writing for the school paper.
“When I was younger, I wanted to be everything – a broadcast journalist, a talk show host, a fashion writer,” said Golden. “I wanted to be Tyra Banks.”
Golden has put her goal to be a physical therapist on hold while she’s jetting back and forth to Los Angeles to pursue a modeling career.
“She’s going to become a big model and a celebrity,” said Angela Francis, 22, Golden’s friend for nearly 10 years.
“She’s so fierce and fearless.”
If things don’t work out, Golden said she’ll return to school later this year.
“She made a promise to me and said she’s going to continue with school,” said Michael Gary, 26, Golden’s former adviser at Lincoln University. “It’s one thing to be beautiful, but she’s well-rounded and intellectual.”
Golden said she is still enjoying her newfound fame, and is astonished that people recognize her when she’s walking down the street.
“Queens is so small,” said Golden. “Word got around Queens really fast.”
