Until two years ago, Angela Johnson had given no thought to modeling as a career. But, after winning the Kingfisher Calendar Hunt in 2011 she hasn’t looked back! Dev Goswami gets talking to her about the secret behind her fab body, her first time in front of a camera and her experiences in the modelling industry
Don’t we just feel jealous of women who say ‘My career just happened’? Well, be prepared to get green with envy because Angela Johnson is one such lucky lady. Winner of the Kingfisher Calendar Hunt last year, Angela has shot for two Kingfisher calendars till date and has a string of modeling assignments to her credit. And, she’s achieved all this even though modeling wasn’t even on her radar when she was looking at career options. We chat with the leggy lass to get you some more nuggets on how she ended up being where she is.
Tell us how your professional life panned out. Was modeling always your dream?
Actually, no. Modeling wasn’t planned at all. I have always been a kind of a fitness freak and have a lot of interest in yoga. I came to India from Iceland with the aim of doing something in the field of yoga. However, once I was here, someone suggested that since I have an ‘Indian’ face I should try modeling. I applied for the Kingfisher Calendar Hunt and once I won the competition, there was no looking back. You can say that the Kingfisher Calendar is what launched my career.
The Kingfisher Calendar Hunt is a tough competition. Tell us about your experience during the hunt.
Yes, it is definitely tough competition and it was tougher for me since I had no previous experience as a model. My whole experience in the hunt can be summed up when I say that I had to learn everything from scratch and the calendar hunt was the place where I learnt everything. I used to talk to the photographers and the hosts of the show and learnt a lot of things such as facial expressions and how to walk. Even though it was a really challenging experience for me, I had a lot of fun.
People in India have always wanted to know more about how the fashion industry really works. And the movie Fashion got a lot of tongues wagging. Being a model, tell us what it’s actually like.
I think that the movie Fashion, in an effort to keep the story dramatic and appealing to the audience, over exaggerated a bit about how the fashion industry really is. I would say that the fashion industry is just like any other. We wake up every morning and go about our work just as any other normal person does, except that we need to take much more care about how we look. Similarly, just like any other industry, there are people you get along with and people you don’t. The simplest thing I’d say when it comes to surviving here is that if you stay true to your self, this industry will treat you well.
You have just entered your 20s but have achieved more than what any other girl of your age usually does. How have you managed to handle the success at such a young age?
I do not look at what I have achieved and be satisfied with that. I have always thought that there is much more to achieve in the future than for me to rest on my current laurels. Also, family and friends play a huge role in keeping me grounded. If you keep them close to you and keep the bigger picture in mind, success won’t get to your head.
If you were to meet a young girl today who is looking at modeling as a career option, what advice would you give her?
Always have a plan B. Modeling on its own is not a lifelong career option. You have to move on to other things as and when you get the chance. However, I’d like to add that in that aspect, modeling is quite flexible. It allows you to pursue your hobbies and do other things that you would like to do, ensuring that you do have something to fall back on.
Where do you see yourself in 20 years?
Honestly speaking, I haven’t looked that far (laughs). Of course, I know the basic goals such as being happy, having a well settled family, but I have no idea what is going to happen. Right now, I’m concentrating on my modeling and am also looking for avenues in Bollywood. Let’s see where that takes me.
Finally, tell us how you maintain your body.
Well, I follow three principals when it comes to maintaining my body: I watch what I eat, I exercise regularly and I follow a healthy lifestyle. Of course, I do let my hair down and enjoy myself, but if you have a control over your diet and lifestyle, it won’t harm you.
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Angela talks about her first time in front of a camera…
“It was seriously nerve-wracking. I had never faced a camera before and I did not know what I was doing with my arms and legs. I asked the photographers for advice and they guided me on how I should be when in front of a camera. I slowly became confident enough to face a camera, but I will not forget the first time I faced it!”