Australian Beauties

Glamorous. If you look up the modern definition of the word, we are certain you would find three names: Amanda Ware, Kelsey Martinovich and Sophie Van Den Akker. Casually sauntering into the OK! photo shoot, this year’s Australia’s Next Top Model top three looked like any other teenagers – but in front of the camera, it’s evident these girls were born with the It-factor. In the words of judge Alex Perry, they’re ‘expensive’, and one of them will soon be crowned the most precious of all…

AMANDA WARE
University student, 18, QLD

Did you ever think you would make the final three?
I never thought I’d get this far. My hope was that I’d get past the first week, then every week after that was a bonus.

How do you get along with your remaining competition, Kelsey and Sophie?
I get along well with the other two girls. We’re a really tight-knit group this year – the whole 16 of us. It was a very enjoyable experience. Not many bitch fights and all that stuff.

So modelling is where you see your future?
Yeah, and I would really like to try acting as well. My mum always says I’m an actress, so we’ll just see how it goes. But modelling is my first choice, and always will be.

Will you finish your degree?
I might later on. You have to take modelling when it comes, though, so I’m going to pursue modelling first.

SOPHIE VAN DEN AKKER
Retail assistant, 19, VIC

Are you the woman to beat?
I hope so! [Laughs]

How do you feel making the top three?
I was excited just to get into the competition. If someone had told me that I was going to be in the top three, it would have blown my mind. I’m absolutely ecstatic.

You had your hair cut short on the show. How are you liking it now?
I love it. When it happened, I was a bit shocked, but when I cut it even shorter, I liked it much more. I think that was a big turning point for me.

Tell us about being known as Barbie amongst the group…
I am, and I like being portrayed that way because when people actually meet me, they see I’m not like that. So it’s sort of this mysterious, ‘Yeah everyone calls her Barbie, but you know what? She’s actually not.’ 
 

KELSEY MARTINOVICH
Retail assistant, 19, NSW

Are you excited for what the future holds?
I’m pretty excited. When I sit around at home and have time to think about it, I kind of go, ‘Oh, God, I’m in the top three!’ You forget about it and then it comes back and hits you. It’s scary.

What has been your family’s reaction to you coming this far?
My family is so thrilled. They’re so happy. When I phoned my mum to tell her, I had to hold the phone away from my ear! [Laughs] She was screaming for about 15 minutes. Everyone’s really excited.

What has been the highlight so far?
I have two. Walking at [Australia’s] Fashion Week – that was a lifelong dream of mine, I’ve always wanted to do that – and also going to Tokyo. I’ve never been overseas before and that was such a culture shock. The language barriers and things like that. But it was beautiful there, I really loved it.