Amity Santa Lucia – An Xperience Interview

Amity Santa Lucia – An Xperience Interview – by Liam Sweeny.

RRX: Tell me a little bit about yourself.

ASL: OK, let’s see. I’m from the area. I went to Shaker High School, and I didn’t stick around too long. I moved to Sweden and I lived there for five years. I studied at a university and it was amazing. I love other cultures, diving into and learning about other cultures. I think that’s really interesting. It’s intriguing. I love it. And Sweden is so small. I couldn’t get citizenship; it was impossible. They didn’t want American influence. So I ended back here and I went on to California for seven years. I lived near LA, San Diego, and I did a lot of modelling and acting there, but I came back. I missed my family. I have a huge family. So I came back, went to college, and I studied fashion and business. I love fashion, as you know, and modelling, and I love to act too, so I’m broadcasting now.

RRX: Yes, you’ve been working with Glenn Slingerland on the Glenn Slingerland Situation.

ASL: For eight years. I’m his main announcer. It’s been eight years, and I’ve really gotten my feet wet with the broadcasting. It’s so different than acting. Yeah,

RRX: When we started our paper (we’re getting on seven years), so when we first came on, you’d already been there a year. Isn’t that crazy? Because we’re seven years – that’s kind of how I measure time – and you might even be measuring time by the Glenn Slingerland show yourself, yeah?

ASL: I had come back from California in 2014. I started with Glenn, you know, soon after.

RRX: Now, I heard you say online that you had your face on Times Square. Can you tell us about that?

ASL: Yes, I’ve had two billboards. Two magazines reached out to me, and I think it’s just from me meeting all these fantastic people, inspiring people in New York City, going and doing the runway shows for New York Fashion Week, etc. And the same people are there, and they have a lot of that going on in their lives, and maybe the magazines went through them. I’m not quite sure how, but they contacted me on Instagram and asked if I would do a billboard for both magazines.

RRX: Wow, that’s really cool.

ASL: The first one I didn’t get to see, and it was a horrible taping … so I went down to New York City to see it. I was like, “I should really go.”

RRX: Did anybody, like, see you see it, and they’re like, “Hey wait a minute…”?

ASL: It was Christmas time (the second time), and the tree was being put up, so it was so crowded. I couldn’t even move when my billboard was up.

RRX: Yeah, they’re like “it’s New York City,” so they’re like, “Yeah, whatever …”

ASL: Probably, yeah, that’s probably what happened.

RRX: You mentioned the magazines contacting you on Instagram. Obviously, there are a lot of what they would call “Instagram models” on Instagram. And sometimes that’s derisively put, but at the same time, like, how would you start any career in modelling? How would you do it other than Instagram? You know, like how else would you do it?

ASL: Nowadays, definitely. But I started at the Barbizon with Maria V. Janis when I was 8 years old. Locally, that’s how long I’ve been doing modeling. Oh wow. Do you remember the Barbs, and when that was a big thing?

RRX: It sounds familiar.

ASL: The only photographer around was Dan Doyle. He was the go-to. He was like the guy to go to, and Evan was there slightly after; Evan Lauber’s his name. But this is ages ago.

RRX: OK, so you said you said “time in Sweden.” Were you modelling in Sweden?

ASL; Yes. Shoot, I wish I had printed my resume out. I have a really long, expensive resume. Because I’ve modelled in California, and I try to keep up with everything. I have to actually go and edit it and add more to it. When I remember something, I go back and put it in. But yes, I modeled for an agency there, and I modeled for some of the companies in Sweden, and I did a runway there. And I also watched kids, too. I was an au pair for a while.

RRX: OK.

ASL: Because I’ve been to Sweden a couple of times.

RRX: When I look at runways, say on television, they look pretty basic, just people walking back and forth. But I’m sure the reality behind the scenes is more complicated. Can you tell us about that?

ASL: Behind the scenes, and no matter where you go – if it’s LA, San Diego, Sweden – it’s chaotic. They always say, “Oh, this shouldn’t be like this,” but it’s chaotic, everybody’s trying to accomplish their role, like the makeup artist. And it’s not like a smooth thing, but that also makes it more exciting. And you’re also mingling with people behind the scenes, which is meeting new people, and that’s nice, but it’s so chaotic. The designer is usually a mess because they want it to go. They’re a nervous wreck, you know? That’s their show, and they want everything to go perfectly. But it all works out in the end, I think. So that’s it. It all ends up coming out smoothly, but it’s really chaotic.

RRX: Looking at it from the stage, you wouldn’t think it was chaotic.

ASL: It comes out that way. You could be in line going out, not next, but in line, and then having someone say, ‘Wait, you can’t wear that. You have to change it.” They’re pinning you, and you know it’s just that crazy. It’s exciting.

RRX: So let’s talk about shoots. For example, the Times Square shoot. What are they like?

ASL:  Actually, it was a local photographer; she’s phenomenal, Natalie Clark Photography. She took the pictures for the billboard. Those are the newest ones that I had, and I asked her if it was OK, and of course, she was all for it. And the makeup artist is new and upcoming in the area, and he’s amazing, too. Alexander Dijon. And he’s now my go-to locally because he does my makeup really well, and he’s got a great personality, and he’s the nicest guy.

RRX: So, LA. I mean, I know, like obviously, Sweden was a whole other world. LA is a whole other world as well. What is it like being a model in LA?

ASL: I was the biggest, the curviest, just to give you a perspective. I weigh 108 pounds, and I was definitely the biggest model there. So it’s kind of sad in a way because I don’t really like that. I’m hoping they’re turning that around. I see that slowly they are. I’m glad to see that because I don’t think it should be about starving, and tiny stick figures are not attractive. I also think personality has a lot to do with it. I remember talking to one of the celebrity photographers that I worked with, Jen Hoffman in LA, and she was saying, ‘Yeah, you’ve got meat on you.” And I like that ‘cause she worked with so many celebrities, and she was so sick of seeing it.

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