America’s Next Top Model Star Told How She Crashed Into The Language Barrier

The Caledonian beauty making a splash in the latest series of America’s Next Top Model yesterday told how she crashed into the language barrier.

Producers have been forced to put up subtitles after Stateside viewers complained they couldn’t understand 22-year-old Ashley Brown’s West Lothian accent.

Mum-of-two Ashley admits the other contestants, judges and even show host supermodel Tyra Banks often had no idea what she was saying.

But now she has hit back, saying her accent makes more sense than producers dressing her up as Princess Diana.

America’s Next Top Model: British Invasion, which pits seven UK beauties against seven US rivals, is airing now in the States and will be shown in Britain in the autumn.

In the opening episode, Ashley is seen struggling to communicate with a stylist and the other models.

Now back home in Armadale but staying tight-lipped on the outcome of the show, Ashley said: “I got on so well with all the other contestants but knew from day one that the American girls could not understand me.

“I remember phoning my mum and saying, ‘I bet they put up subtitles when the show airs’ and they have. How funny.

“I was speaking slowly and politely so I don’t know how they would have coped if I had unleashed the full force of my Scottish accent.

“Even Tyra looked at me blankly every time I spoke and I had to repeat lots of what I was saying. It became a real laugh.”

Ashley took part in the British version of the show three years ago but was slated by viewers and fell out with her fellow ­contestants.

The bubbly brunette and her children, Alysha, six, and three-year-old Jay, are delighted she has a second chance to show her true self.

She is the only Scot in the show, which features Girls Aloud’s Nadine Coyle, singer Kelly Osbourne and TV host Cat Deeley as guest judges.

American TV ­critics have warmed to Ashley, who broke down in tears after narrowly avoiding the boot from the opening show.

Ashley, who has been with partner Scott Clarkson, 22, for two years, said: “I swore I’d never do another reality TV show but I couldn’t pass up such a great opportunity.

“I went in with the attitude that I was not going to start any trouble because I knew my mum would give me a row when I got home.

“Britain’s Next Top Model was three years ago and people change, so I’m glad I am coming across better this time.”

Ashley endured abuse from strangers after the UK show, in which she had several bust-ups with fellow contestants. Jibes about her kids and comments about stretch marks triggered tantrums and angry outbursts.

She admitted: “I am really embarrassed about the way I came across on the British show. Part of it was my own fault and part of it was the way it was edited.

“I talked about my kids all the time but they never showed it so I was slated for being a bad mum. I’ve shed a lot of tears over it all.

“I’m a good mum and want my daughter to be proud of me, so I’m delighted the American show is revealing my true character.”
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Ashley’s mum Kath Emerson, 43, who runs a business magazine, is proud of her daughter. She said: “Ashley is a great girl and everybody loves her. It was horrible to see the way she came across on the UK show.

“This time everyone is getting to see her as the outgoing and happy-go-lucky person she really is. She really behaved herself and we couldn’t be more proud.

“Ashley works very hard and deserves to go all the way to the top.”

Episode five of the fight to win a career-launching modelling contract in the US airs this Wednesday in the States and Ashley is still in the race.

Tasks have included a kids’ party photoshoot with the Kardashians and a shoot at Thunder Road, featured in the movie Grease.

In the first episode, Ashley ended up in the bottom two after being made up as Princess Diana.

She said: “The tasks have been amazing and it was fabulous meeting the Kardashians but why they made me dress up as Diana, I will never know.

“We were to pose as someone famous from our home country. I tried to tell them Diana was not a Scot, but they would not listen.”

Ashley can’t reveal how far she gets in the competition but admits it was one of the best ­experiences of her life, even though she has not watched one single episode.

She said: “I stopped watching the UK show after four episodes as my behaviour was making me cringe and I’ve no intention of ever watching the American one. I cannot bear to hear or see myself on TV.”

Ashley, who has a black belt in Taekwondo and won silver fighting big sister Nicole, 24, in the final of the Scottish championships last month, plans to start a modelling school.

She said: “It will be for girls from all walks of life. They don’t have to be model material.

“I want to give girls more self-confidence and as well as teaching them how to walk, I will be teaching them how to defend ­themselves.

“All my family are mad about Taekwondo. My dad David is a master and Nicole and I are always battling it out for titles.”

Hayden Panettiere Is A Style Superstar Who We Love

ABC has picked up the pilot of a new drama series, 'Nashville,' a family soap set in the music industry, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The show, which at this point will only film the first episode, stars Hayden Panettiere ('Heroes') as breakout musical sensation Juliette Barnes and Connie Britton ('Friday Night Lights') as Rayna, the 40-year-old superstar mother of two, who has been forced to tour with the up-and-comer.

Previously announced cast members include Eric Close ('Without a Trace') as Rayna's loyal husband, along with Powers Boothe ('24'), Sam Palladio ('The Hour'), Clare Bowen ('Home and Away'), Jonathan Jackson ('General Hospital') and Robert Wisdom ('The Wire').

It's Hayden Panettiere! Hayden's long-sleeved take on the classic Greek goddess-style gown was described as "too nun-like" by some other fashion critics, but we dig its quirky appeal. The tomato-red color is great on Hayden, and makes the modest cut that much more interesting...and let's face it, the bright yellow clutch and sky-high python-print shoes make this a look that's much too fresh and wild for the nunnery. And while things got a little crazy from the back—the dress has a keyhole detail topped by a miles-long bow that reached nearly to her knees—the actress' big, confident smile goes to show that sometimes, the best fashion is also just for fun.

And our other lady in red? Erika Christensen, who wiggled her way into this ultra-glam long-sleeved look for the Costume Designers Guild Awards this week. And while the va-va-voom vibe of this body-hugging gown is perfect for the occasion, we can't help noticing that it fits more like a weak handshake. Erika's gorgeous figure is being showcased not at all by the saggy bodice and bunching across the hips. The biggest surprise? That not one of the costume designers on hand pulled her into the ladies' room for some lickety-split alterations.

Oscar winner Callie Khouri, who won for writing 'Thelma & Louise,' has partnered with R.J. Cutler to write and executive produce 'Nashville.' Cutler will direct the show's pilot, which Deadline.com describes as "about love, country music, family, politics and sex."

In addition to her acting career, Hayden has a slew of singing credits. Her debut single, 'Wake Up Call' was released in 2008. She also has a variety of songs that can be found on various movie soundtracks, including 'Ice Princess,' 'Cinderella III: A Twist in Time' and 'Hoodwinked Too!'

ABC Pilot Casting: Hayden Panettiere Heads to 'Nashville', Ashley Greene Goes 'Americana'

Hayden Panettiere is plotting her primetime TV comeback by landing a role in ABC's pilot "Nashville". The 22-year-old, who is best known for playing cheerleader Claire Bennet on "Heroes", will play a teen sensation named Juliette Barnes, Deadline reports.

Set against the backdrop of the Nashville music scene, the new drama revolves around a 40-year-old superstar Rayna James, whose star begins fading. She is forced to team up with Juliette on tour in order to maintain her label's support for her latest record, whose sales have been underwhelming.

Prior to Panettiere, Robert Wisdom, Powers Boothe, Clare Bowen and Jonathan Jackson have been cast in "Nashville". The pilot, which is described as a family soap about love, country music, family, politics and sex, is written by Callie Khouri and will be directed by R.J. Cutler.

It doesn't happen every day that two pretty celebs show up in our weekly fashion feed wearing dresses on a distinct theme—but that's exactly what happened this week, when one beautiful blonde went head-to-toe red in a long-sleeved, body-hugging, floor-sweeping gown...and then another showed up in a slightly less-formal take on the same hue and silhouette. But while one of them tickled our fancy, the other just cramped our style file. Who's this week's Style Superstar?
In another ABC pilot development, Ashley Greene has signed up for "Americana". The Alice Cullen of "Twilight" movie series takes the female lead role, Alice Clarke, and will star opposite Anthony LaPaglia.

LaPaglia plays iconic fashion designer Robert Soulter, who is also the patriarch of a famous fashion industry clan. Greene's character will join Robert's business and her shocking arrival will turn his family and the legendary label on its ear.
Phillip Noyce is set to direct "Americana" with the script provided by Michael Seitzman. The project will mark the second time Greene starring in ABC's show after she recently appeared on "Pan Am" in recurring basis.

The America’s Next Top Model:Angelea Preston

The America’s Next Top Model all-star season is now over, but even though these season finales tend to be anticlimactic – it’s been a long time since anyone went into ANTM believing that they’re ever going to be famous for anything other than doing the show – what happened Wednesday was strange enough to get some attention.

The finale had proceeded as it typically does, with the three finalists participating in one last location photo shoot and runway performance.  But when it came down to the end of the hour, contestant Angelea Preston was suddenly nowhere to be found. Tyra Banks announced that “unusual circumstances” were at hand, and that Angelea had been disqualified. Lisa D’Amato, who is 30 and thus a lot closer to retirement age for a model than she is to starting a brilliant career, was then declared the winner, with Allison Harvard as the runner-up (the same position she finished in the first time she competed).

The CW issued a statement that addressed the controversy without actually saying what happened: “After production wrapped on the current cycle of America’s Next Top Model, we learned information that made Angelea ineligible and she was subsequently disqualified from the competition.  As a result, new scenes were filmed to address this for the audience during the finale.” The network didn’t say that Angelea was the original winner of the season, though this would seem to be implied by the reshot final scene, and since no one would care if a non-winner had done something worthy of a disqualification.

So what’s going on here? Angelea has yet to say anything (and maybe she can’t – just because she got disqualified doesn’t mean she can’t still be sued), but unconfirmed reports suggest that she might have used her Facebook to spoil the season, perhaps by announcing or implying who the finalists were, and possibly even suggesting she was the winner. Her only response so far came Wednesday night on Twitter, when she thanked her fans for the fact that she was trending.
On the "America's Next Top Model" all stars cycle finale, it came down to Lisa D'Amato, Allison Harvard and Angelea Preston. But at the final judging, only Allison and Lisa were present.

Why? The judges just said that Angelea had been disqualified. But they did not elaborate past that much information. We haven't been able to dig up much either.
Some Yahoo Answers people are saying that Angelea posted "Top Model" spoilers on her Facebook page. Some on Wiki Answers are even saying she said that she won the season, so they re-shot the finale and had Lisa win instead.

We have received an official statement from the CW:
"After production wrapped on the current cycle of America's Next Top Model, we learned information that made Angelea ineligible and she was subsequently disqualified from the competition.  As a result, new scenes were filmed to address this for the audience during the finale."