CariDee English is an American
fashion model and TV personality who won
Cycle 7 of
America's Next Top Model in December 2006. Her prize was a $100,000 contract with
CoverGirl Cosmetics, a modeling contract with
Elite Models, and a six-page fashion editorial and cover for
Seventeen magazine. She is the second
ANTM winner from
North Dakota, the first being
Nicole Linkletter of
Cycle 5.
English is also the host of
Oxygen's biggest premiering show to date,
Pretty Wicked.
Early life
Caridee English was born in
Fargo,
North Dakota. She is of
Swedish,
Danish and
Norwegian ancestry. English was named CariDee by her brother, after both
Carrie from
Little House on the Prairie and her grandmother, whose name is Dee.
Before appearing on
America's Next Top Model, English worked as a photographer, and was also an actor in the sketch comedy group known as
The 4th Option, which performed weekly in the old East Gate Lounge in
Moorhead, Minnesota. On December 13, 2004 she sang with the
Willy Waldman Project. She was a listed model with the Academie Agencie in Fargo North Dakota in 2001. She entered the Millie Lewis Actors Models and Talent Competition in 2002 and was placed with Mega Models in Miami Florida for the summer of 2003, then returned to Fargo at the end of the summer. English has suffered from the skin condition
psoriasis for 15 years.
On Top Model
Throughout the competition, the judges found much controversy in English's personality, which was considered notably more outgoing than that of the other contestants. She was noted for her striking comparability to
Rebecca Romijn and
Karolína Kurková. In the early stages of the cycle, her personality was considered fun and outgoing, most notably during her "hiding dizzily" at a panel challenge.
As winner of the acting challenge in
Cycle 7, English had an opportunity to guest-star in an episode of the
CW series
One Tree Hill (which airs immediately following
Top Model). English had multiple scenes, while the previous challenge winners only had one. Also, during that same episode, she mentioned in an emotional outburst during the acting challenge, that she knew about stress and had attempted to kill herself earlier in life because of it.
She was criticized for making an impulsive yet crude joke to fashion photographer and ANTM judge
Nigel Barker during the
bullfighting photo shoot in Barcelona, asking him "Did you just remove that from your ass from the last panel?" in regards to a large stick Barker was holding. However, English has stated that "he actually joked back", and was never really mad. In panel, she took out a note and apologized to Barker.
There was a small bit of controversy regarding her on the show as well. She was shown speaking to her boyfriend on the phone in one episode. In the next episode, when the girls were overseas in Barcelona, she was shown passionately kissing one of the male models the girls worked with. English was interviewed saying that during that point, she and her boyfriend were seeing other people, and had since gotten back together.
Later on, the judges began to express concern that her personality may be a little too much. Because of this, the judges were unsure as to whether she was the person they wanted to represent Top Model, noting in the cycle's finale that she was sometimes too unpredictable and unstable. However, she was crowned the winner over runner-up
Melrose Bickerstaff because the judges said that she has the much sought after "X-Factor."
In early 2008, English was voted as one of the most memorable contestants by AOL Entertainment Canada. With a flawless body and classic beauty, they said she was the first contestant everybody knew would win since the first episode.
Other work
Modeling
She appeared on the weekly "My Life as a CoverGirl" segments on
The CW. In 2007, she was featured in an ad for CoverGirl Eye-wear alongside cycle 6 winner Danielle Evans.
She returned to ANTM for the finale of the eighth cycle to give advice to the final three contestants and to open the finale's runway show.
English was featured on the front page of
Social Life and
Cover magazines with
Top Model alumnae
Naima Mora and
Danielle Evans. She has modeled for Wedding Style,
Bisou Bisou,
Stephenson Denim,
Johnny P. Shoes,
American Salon,
Matrix Professional Colors in Cosmopolitan
and the "Heart On My Sleeves" clothing campaign by
Aubrey O'Day of
Danity Kane and
Christian Siriano Fall 09.
She was in the Winter 2007 issue of Knit.1 Magazine
, the February 2007 issue of Seventeen,
the March 2007 issue of In Touch,
the Spring 2007 issue of Social Life,
the April 2007 issue of Cover,
on the cover of "Inked Magazine" for Fall 2007,
Loops&Pluto
, Short Hair Magazine
and on the cover of Runway Magazine
.
Her runway credits include
J.C. Penney, Carlos Campos,
Renee Larc, Jordi Scott,
Jill Sander,
Snoopy in Fashion,
GM Style Auto Show,
Honduras Fashion Week,
L'Oréal Fashion Week in Toronto,
In Style's 2009's New Year's Eve lingerie show at the Estate, where she was the guest of honor
and Richie Rich F/W 09 "Blondes have more fun" Show.
She has also been featured on Mystyle.com
and Blastmagazine.com
.
She is still and currently signed with
Elite Model Management.
Television work
English had a cameo appearance on
One Tree Hill as a prize for winning the acting challenge on ANTM. She also appeared in a small role on
Gossip Girl.
She co-hosted MTV's Scarred
and the
Pretty Wicked reality show on
Oxygen.
She has appeared several times on the
Tyra Banks Show and has been featured in the advertising campaign for ANTM on Oxygen.
Social
English has hosted several parties
. She has also taken part in the Seventh Annual World Poker Invitational at the Commerce Casino in 2009
. She will also host the Capital Fashion Awards in Sacramento together with
Jonathan Waud,
Naima Mora and Merlin Castell.
Music
English is featured on Brad Walsh's debut album in the song called Boy/Girl
[Brad Walsh Music] and is working on music with
Better than Ezra[CariDee English changes her tune].
Philanthropy and animal rights
She is a spokesperson for the
National Psoriasis Foundation, spreading awareness about psoriasis and encouraging others to seek treatment. English says she felt "cursed" with
psoriasis when she was young because of the taunts of classmates. Today, her "curse" is her cause. "Psoriasis awareness is very important to me. I want others with the disease to know they are not alone. I want to inspire them to live their dreams," she said.
As such she opened the walk for Awareness on January 13, 2008 in San Diego and was featured on the cover for Allure.
She has also held a congressional briefing on Psoriasis on June 11, 2007.
She has taken part in the walk for awareness multiple times since.
She is also featured in the Canadian Psoriasis Education website.
English has also taken part in a video against seal hunting.
She also attended the Power of Paws opening, an association which promotes animals as part of health programs
and promoted Project Cuddles.
She has also taken part in the
NOH8 Campaign.
Television
