Former Top Model Yaya, dancing her way to becoming a movie star

[Otaku]

Los Angeles, CA (AHN) – Third season runner up on the popular UPN series, "America's Next Top Model," Yaya DaCosta is giving up the catwalk, for now.

The afro-centric wanna-be model has parlayed her 15 minutes of fame into a starring role opposite Antonio Banderas in her feature debut "Take the Lead." Yaya now admits that acting was her plan from the beginning and modeling was a detour.

"When I was 11, I had taken classes and did some educational films. As far as my family was concerned, I've always been acting," says the Brown University grad. "So I did that show kind of like taking a break from 30-page papers in school on midterm week. I was like, 'Oh, that would be cute,' but I didn't really know what I was getting into. After that was over, it was over."

Yaya plays a troubled high school student in the film which is a stretch from her actual upbringing.

"My parents are educators, I had both parents at home ... so it was more secondhand information," Yaya admits. "I'm from New York City, from Harlem, and my 'hood' isn't one of the nicest in the city. My friends when I was younger had more in common with [my character] than I did on that level, but it was right there. All I had to do was go to my block."

[buttmunch]

Oh dear God NOOOOOOOO....this woman is beyond irritating. Yes, Yaya, you are so bloody special and yes you're parents are so great and yes you are so smart and so beautiful and so wonderful and if only we could all come to our senses and see it as you do. Hopefully she'll get killed off in a particularly painful way. I really dislike this person. She's an embarrassment to humanity.

[miss_perfect]

Remember that horrid t-shirt she wore, and the way she pronounced it? "Hay-spay-to!"

[buttmunch]

I've tried to block out everything about her except her rather considerable number of zits. That just makes me laugh.