Tyson Beckford New "Supermodel" Role

The fascination with becoming a Supermodel continues as the second season of Make Me A Supermodel narrows down the choices to win the coveted title on the Bravo competition show. Male supermodel Tyson Beckford has guided the 16 new contestants down to the final three, who hope to win the $100,000 prize, one-year contract with New York Model management and a fashion pictorial with Cosmopolitan magazine.

While he acted as judge last year on the series, Beckford is now a mentor for the male contestants while model Nicole Trunfio will serve as the guide to the female contestants. Beckford took time out from sashaying on the runway to talk to Edge about the new season.

Comfort levels

While the series puts the models in competition based on their looks, walks and ability to take direction, one touchy subject that came up early in the season was nudity. Beckford said there is a method to getting the contestants comfortable.

"You try to build them up to it and talk them into it because, you know, this business is about body and face and it's nothing personal. We don't, you know, we're not trying to just say, "Hey, we want to see you naked." No, it's not like that. We just, you know, that's part of the business. And a lot of times if that person doesn't want to do that, we don't force them. You know? But it does - it probably will hurt them when it comes to elimination, yes."

Same sex coupling often occurs frequently as in a competition when contestants were paired up to pose in a glass box together for an intimate moment. The androgynous Chris, for example, struck a pose with very straight Branden, who voiced his concern over his "first gay shoot." Of coaching Branden, Tyson said, "I said, look, you know your sexuality, you know what you like and what you don't like, come on, just stand up and do the job...[and] this was the first time he has ever done anything like this. But he was very nervous, scared and didn't want to look."

An androgynous look is also something that Beckford addressed in terms of the business of modeling. "The male side asks for so much masculinity," he said, "and it's almost hard to accept an androgynous male supermodel. It's just so hard." One of the problems, the supermodel said is "you're still going to have to be able to toughen up on certain shoots...so if he was able to flip it and go both sides, he would have done really well, but it's really tough, though."

Speaking about Chris, specifically, Beckford said, "He's got to remember that he's a male model and he's going to have to be able to do - toughen up. When sometimes the photographers would ask him to play tough and then play androgynous...he can do the androgynous side good, but he can't play the tough side. And to be the supermodel, you got to be able to do everything that's asked of you." (Perhaps Chris didn't take Tyson's advice - he was recently voted out of the competition)

Market for androgynous models?

That said Beckford expressed that there is a market for androgynous male models. "It could be any designer who's ready to push the limit. I mean look at Jean Paul Gaultier. They're kind of risqu? with the men so it's anybody who is willing to try it and shoot it with the right photographer. That's all it takes."

Even the most masculine male models are sometimes asked to appear in a more feminine scenario. Beckford offered up his own way of handling that situation. "It's just a feeling of what you're wearing at the time. If I was modeling a scarf or something and it was a woman's scarf and they wanted me to get feminine, I think it's when you're put into that place and that time you can do it."

Working with the contestants, many of whom are not experienced at all in the world of modeling, does Beckford sugar coat it to keep from hurting feelings? "I love telling them the truth, because I'd rather tell them in my way than to them go out into the real world and the client tell them, because I mean, I've had clients throw my book back at me. And I just picked my book up and picked my face up and my whole attitude and walked off, and be like, oh, well, you'll be sorry."

Beckford also added, "I think the hardest part is when [the contestants] don't ask questions. You say, do you guys got it and they're like, yeah, yeah, yeah. And I think it's a nervousness of the camera crew that's around them that's why they rush and say they got it. But then when you see the finished product, you're like, you didn't get what I was telling you."

Are the lead contestants from a reality competition show like "Make Me A Supermodel" taken seriously in the world of high fashion? "I think the agencies are looking to pick people not because they win the show," Beckford said. "We've got guys who didn't win the show and they're doing really well. I've had girls from Australia version of "Make Me A Supermodel" who are doing well here in New York." He also said that it's not so much about who wins or lose the overall competition. "I think it's about the top five because you see who has potential and if the agency is willing to take the person and work with them I think that's a plus. Sometimes it's good if you don't win it because then not too much is expected from you. But there is a potential to take you to that next level."

Asked about his overall feeling on the 16 contestants this season and Beckford likes what he sees but already has some critiques. "I think basically the kids are outstanding but they don't really have so much personality. I don't think they are as talented as we [Beckford and Trunfio] were when I first started. You know a lot of these kids are just - they are just picking them off of the street. And they are just picking them because they are tall. I've seen some of them walk and they can't."

Make Me A Supermodel airs every Wednesday night at 10/9c on Bravo.