Esther Petrack the eighth girl cut from 'America's Next Top Model'

Esther Petrack, an 18-year-old student from Boston, MA, became the eighth girl eliminated from America's Next Top Model's fifteenth season during Wednesday night's broadcast on The CW.


"I think moving forward from this competition, I am going to try to open myself up more," Esther lamented. "I'm sad about leaving and not being here anymore -- When I go home I want to continue modeling and maybe be on the cover of Italian Vogue on my own rights -- We'll see."

Esther was eliminated after Top Model's judges reviewed still photos from a commercial shoot the season's seven remaining finalists had participated in, which required them to each shoot a commercial for a fictitious brand of water while wearing roller skates and acting with a professional male model.  

Esther ended up in the bottom two alongside Ann, a 19-year-old student from Dallas, TX, who had previously dominated the competition and she won best photo for the season's first five weeks. Both girls had failed to impress Top Model photo shoot director Jay Manuel during the commercial, which featured them speaking memorized lines while skating.

"At this point, I was bottom two last week, so sink or swim," Esther said before her commercial.


"Having fun, Esther, having fun!" Jay kept reminding her during the shoot. "That's having fun? A couple bobs in a chair (to music)?"

Jay had a few more thoughts about Esther's performance following the commercial shoot.

"I have never seen someone deliver a performance that was so under-energized and so flat," Jay said.

Jay had also been frustrated with Ann, whom he felt could not shake off her fear of falling on the skates enough to exuberate any confidence.

"Ann's biggest issue is she's afraid of failing and making herself look like a fool in front of people. As a result, Ann completed psyched herself out," Jay critiqued after her commercial. 


The next day the girls arrived for the fifteenth season's seventh elimination panel -- where they were met by Top Model creator and lead judge Tyra Banks, photographer Nigel Barker, judge Andre Leon Talley, and fashion designer Zac Posen, who served as a guest judge. 

The judges had criticized both girls' best takes of their commercials during their panel critiques.

"I felt as if you were in deep pain even from the moment you stood up, and it showed. There was not a sense of letting go," Andre Leon told Ann about her commercial.

"You have to come here with that strength that I'm going to believe, okay maybe roller skating is not her forte, so make me believe -- and all of us believe -- that we want to put you in a giant gown. You have to have a sense of confidence," Zac added.

"If you own it -- we believe it -- it would be endearing, but fear is not endearing, Nigel said.


Esther's photo was then reviewed.

"It's a mess in every way," Zac told Esther.

"Nigel help us," Tyra pleaded.

"The biggest problem is that you really weren't memorable in any way," Nigel said. 

"Your voice has a natural muffle on it we would call it, where it kind of gets caught. So you have to practice and go in the mirror and push past your muffle," Tyra suggested to Esther. 


"It was a mess, but standing here today for the first time with your hair pulled back -- the striped shirt, the whole thing -- it's the first time you actually look like a model that could go on a go-see," Andre Leon added.

Tyra revealed the girls in order of the best still photo to the worst of the week. Jane, a 19-year-old student from Baltimore, MD, received the first photo. Following Jane, Tyra then revealed Chris, Jane, Chelsey, Kayla and Liz had also advanced to the competition's next round -- leaving Ann and Esther in the bottom two.

Tyra recapped both girls' issues before revealing which one would get to remain in the competition.

"Ann, first time in Top Model history you had best photo five weeks in a row, and you should be applauded for that, but I think you know that America's Next Top Model is not just about taking fantastic pictures," Tyra told her. "It's about speaking, it's about presenting yourself, and the judges do not think that you are capable of that."

"And then we have Esther, Esther's whose pictures -- not as strong as Ann's -- but beautiful, edgy, interesting, and commercial at the same time. And Esther, you're a girl that came in here and took the note that I said to slick back that hair and the judges saw a whole new you, a different you, and fashion loves versatility -- But what fashion doesn't like is blah," Tyra explained.


Tyra then revealed Ann's photo, resulting in Esther's elimination. 

"My curvy sister here, I'm so proud of you and you're such an amazing example for young girls about beautiful curvy bodies, and that they can be models too, so you have to continue. You have to study. You have to go home and talk into the mirror and work on the voice and work on all of that, and I want to see you in high fashion magazines," Tyra told Esther afterwards.

"You will, you will," Esther replied. 






About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski