Following his successful run as an actor and model on America’s Next Top Model, Nyle DiMarco gained notoriety as a public personality. He also shared a memorable victory with Peta Murgatroyd on Dancing With the Stars.
In a PEOPLE interview, Nyle reflected on his time on the reality TV program and expressed his gratitude to Tyra in particular and ANTM in general.
Tyra Banks And Nyle DiMarco Are Still In Contact
Nyle DiMarco and Tyra Banks, the founder of America’s Next Top Model, grew close, and they are still friends today. Even with all of the challenges he faced, he has positive memories of his time on ANTM.
Being the first deaf competitor to win ANTM, he had it harder than most.
“It was both difficult and thrilling,” he remembered. “I had to step out of my comfort zone and adjust to new and unfamiliar situations.”
At the time, he was really enjoying it, and he remarked that 10 years later, his opinion of that particular point in his career “has not changed at all.”
It was a fantastic chance and a significant step forward in my career. I still occasionally stay in touch with Tyra, and I will always be appreciative of the chance she gave me and the opportunities that followed.”
In addition, he expressed his gratitude to ANTM for providing him with a platform that enabled him to advocate for the deaf population “in a truly positive light.”
Nyle DiMarco Discusses The Difficulties Of Being A Deaf Participant
Although Nyle DiMarco had a great experience on ANTM, there were difficulties along the way. His victory is all the more amazing considering how much tougher he had it compared to the other competitors.
“I often had to depend on visual cues, lip reading, and occasionally my sign language interpreter, who wasn’t always present on set,” Nyle remembered.
This occasionally made it difficult for him to get along with his castmates.
“Even though it was still difficult for me, my other competitors were generally understanding. I was not accustomed to the feeling of constantly being left out of conversations and social situations because I was raised in a neighborhood and home where everyone was deaf.”
He was extremely clear in saying that there was no deliberate attempt to exclude any of the other applicants. All that was involved was “a normal part of the process for everyone.”
It was equally important for me to continually assert myself to demonstrate that being deaf doesn’t restrict one’s ability to navigate life or achieve success in any area.
He found that the “night creatures in the dark” photo shoot, where they had to pose in complete darkness, was the most memorable task.
He clarified, “It meant ‘losing’ another sense, as I couldn’t see or hear anything.” It didn’t matter in the complete darkness that there was no interpreter available either. Working with the photographer to develop clues was a creative challenge that was enjoyable.”
Of course, ANTM was important to Nyle’s career, but his brilliance is evident, and it’s wonderful to see him succeeding.
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