If you’ve been following America’s Next Top Model, you know the age restriction has been lifted for Cycle 24.
The maximum age used to be 27, but as creator/host Tyra Banks announced on Tuesday’s season premiere, the new range is “18 to infinity!”
Official previews for the VH1 show identified two over-27 contestants: 32-year-old Khrystyana and 34-year-old Christina. But in a surprise twist, 42-year-old grandmother Erin Green was named the 15th finalist.
Green failed to stand out in the first photo shoot, and her stiff posing was described as coming from the ’80s. She had even packed her bags to leave when Banks stopped her at the door and told her she would be continuing in the competition.
The twist was even hidden from the press; Green’s photo doesn’t appear on the VH1 site nor in the group shot.
Here are five fun facts about Erin Green, the oldest contestant in America’s Next Top Model history!
She’s a Glammother
Green is a mother of five and grandmother of three!
She’s a Twin
Green has an identical twin sister, Desiree. It would be fun if both Erin and Desiree competed against each other, but not necessarily original: Cycle 7 featured twins Amanda and Michelle, while Cycle 23 had sisters Tash and Cody.
She Has Plenty of Modeling Experience
Green began modeling in her twenties but had to give up her career after she had children. She and her sister have made up for lost time, often hitting the runway in fashion shows ranging from swimwear to couture.
She’s a Philanthropist
Green and her sisters are the founders of Twin of a Kind, an anti-bullying foundation. They’re organizing a Pretty Girl Conference Retreat in April, aiming to help girls build stronger self-esteem and create value in their communities. They enlisted the help of boxer Laila Ali to promote the event.
She’s a Reality TV Regular
If Green looks familiar, she’s had numerous TV appearances.
Green and her sister recently appeared on The Real to talk about their anti-bullying initiative.
She also appeared on Fear Factor: Twin Edition where she had to, among other tasks, gnaw the meat off a cow jawbone while wading waist-deep in cow parts. Hopefully, her Top Model challenges will be more glamorous.
