Eva Pigford extracted from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia, distributed under the GNU Free Documentation License

Eva Marcille
Birth name	Eva Marcille Pigford
Date of birth	October 30, 1984 (1984-10-30) (age 24)
Place of birth	Los Angeles, California
Height	5'6" ½
Hair color	Light Brown ( Dyed)
Eye color	Hazel
Measurements	32-23-32 (US) 1
Weight	118 lb (54 kg)
Dress size	2
Shoe size	9 (US)
Agency	L.A Models, Ford Models
Alias(es)	Eva the Diva, Eva Pigford, D-Eva, Eva Diva

Eva Marcille (born Eva Marcille Pigford on October 30, 1984) is an American actor and former fashion model. She was the winner of the third cycle of America's Next Top Model, and was the first African American contestant to win the program. She began portraying Tyra Hamilton on the Daytime Emmy-winning soap opera The Young and the Restless in June 2008. She previously went by the name Eva Pigford.

Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 2.1 Modeling 2.2 Acting 3 Personal life 4 References 5 External links

Early life

Eva Pigford was born in Los Angeles, California. She attended Raymond Avenue Elementary School, Marina Del Rey Middle School, and Washington Preparatory High School (2002). She attended Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia; however, she left the school shortly after it was revealed that she was the winner of America's Next Top Model Cycle 3.

Eva was granted early admission to Vanderbilt Law School before she became America's Next Top Model in 2004.

Career

Modeling

Marcille was the winner of the third cycle of America's Next Top Model,² beating fellow contestants Yaya Da Costa and Amanda Swafford. Her prizes included a CoverGirl cosmetics contract, a spread in Elle, and a modeling contract with Ford Models. She is the shortest winner of America's Next Top Model, a designation she will always retain; beginning with Cycle 4, a new requirement was included in the America's Next Top Model audition criteria that contestants must be at least a minimum height of 5'6" ½ (168 cm).³ She was voted one of the most memorable contestants by AOL entertainment.⁴ She is the contestant who has appeared on the most America's Next Top Model episodes to date (20, including 4 specials).

“

This little tomboy from L.A. that has never been beautiful. I was not the cute girl in school. I came here the shortest and the one that had the most insecurities inside of them, and now I’m America’s Next Top Model. And I get to represent all the little girls who feel the way I feel... Watch out world here comes Eva! Ahh!

”

Marcille has appeared on the cover of Brides Noir, Women's Health and Fitness (May 2005), King magazine (June 2005), IONA (November 2005), and Essence magazine.⁵ Her other modeling credits include CoverGirl, DKNY, Samsung, Red by Marc Ecko, Jewel magazine, In Touch Weekly magazine (June 2005), King magazine (November 2005), IONA, UNleashed magazine, Star Magazine, Elle, Elle Girl, Applebottoms, and Lerner Catalog.

Marcille's runway shows include the Marc Bouwer Fall 2005, Elle Girl presents Dare To Be You: Wal-Mart Meets America's Next Top Model 2005, Gharani Strok Fall 2005, Deborah Lindquist Spring 2006, Naqada Spring 2006, 8th Annual 'Models of Perfection' Show 2006, and L.A. Fashion Week's Monarchy Collection Fall 2007.⁶⁷⁸

On November 15, 2006, Marcille left her managers Benny Medina and Tyra Banks. After leaving Banks and Medina for new management, she officially dropped "Pigford" from her name, now going by Eva Marcille (her middle name, which she has from her grandmothers Marjorie and Lucille). She has stated she did this in order to not use her modelling fame to get into acting but earn her acting roles.⁹

Marcille is now signed to L.A. Models. She has recently been featured on America's Next Top Model: Exposed on the CW.

Acting

Marcille has guest-starred on several series on UPN and The CW Network. Her guest-star credits include two episodes of Kevin Hill, one episode of Smallville, one episode of Everybody Hates Chris, and one episode of The Game as herself. Marcille has also appeared on Tyler Perry's House of Payne.

In addition, Marcille hosted BET J's reality show My Model Looks Better Than Your Model, as well as Rip the Runway on BET. Furthermore, she has appeared in several music videos, including "Baby" by Angie Stone (featuring Betty Wright), 50 Cent's single, "I Get Money," and Jamie Foxx's music video, "DJ Play a Love Song".¹⁰ She is also mentioned in Lil' Kim's song, "I Know You See Me" and Missy Elliott's "On & On" where the rapper sings "Top model diva but my name not Eva."

Marcille was cast as a regular on a FOX show called "The Wedding Album" (2006), but FOX cancelled it before it aired.

In 2005, Marcille appeared in a first-season episode of the MTV improv show Nick Cannon Presents Wild 'N Out.¹¹ In December 2007, Marcille played a featured role in an episode of Smallville.

She has recently joined the cast of The Young and The Restless as a young mother named Tyra Hamilton (Contrary to speculation, Eva's character was NOT named after Tyra Banks. The Young and The Restless headwriter Maria Arena Bell's best friend's daughter is named Tyra).¹² After a few months, her character, who was planned to be temporary was made permanent¹³. In 2009, Marcille is nominated for a NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series for her Y&R role.

In film, her credits include The Walk, Crossover, and, most recently, I Think I Love My Wife.

Personal life

Marcille has been dating Tyler Perry's House of Payne star Lance Gross since mid 2007. Ironically, the two dated in House of Payne as well. She and Gross have been seen at many red carpet events, including the 35th Daytime Emmy Awards and the Why Did I Get Married? and Meet The Browns film premieres. Eva and Lance got engaged on December 24, 2008. She endorsed Barack Obama for the 2008 presidential election.¹⁴

References

^ FORD models website. Last accessed December 26.Note: Due to the flash, the portfolio can't be accessed directly

^ Reality TV world Accessed December 26, 2006, ^ America's Next Top Model Eligibility Requirements

^ Top Model Contestants We Can't Forget - AOL Entertainment Canada

^ Fashion Models Directory Profile

^ Olympus Fashion Week Website

^ Wire Image Photographs

^ http://community.livejournal.com/topmodel/1502391.html

^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-UWBVCk44Q

^ About Reality TV article

^ TV.com episode guide

^ Top Model Eva Marcille Cast on The Young and the Restless! - The Young and the Restless News - Soaps.com

^ http://www.examiner.com/x-964-LA-Celebrity-Gossip-Examiner~y2008m12d11-ANTMs-Eva-Marcille-joins-The-Young--the-Restless-permanently

^ http://www.all-antm.net/displayimage.php?album=269&pos=

External links

• Eva Marcille Pigford in the Fashion Model Directory
• Eva Pigford at MySpace
• Eva Pigford at the Internet Movie Database

Preceded by Yoanna House

America's Next Top Model winner Cycle 3 (2004)

Succeeded by Naima Mora

v • d • e America's Next Top Model Current Judges & Personnel Tyra Banks • J. Alexander • Nigel Barker • Paulina Porizkova • Jay Manuel Cycles: Former Judges 1-4: Janice Dickinson • 1: Beau Quillian • 1: Kimora Lee Simmons • 2: Eric Nicholson • 3-4: Nolé Marin • 5-9: Twiggy Cycles: Winners 1: Adrianne Curry • 2: Yoanna House • 3: Eva Pigford • 4: Naima Mora • 5: Nicole Linkletter • 6: Danielle Evans • 7: CariDee English • 8: Jaslene Gonzalez • 9: Saleisha Stowers • 10: Whitney Thompson • 11: McKey Sullivan For the entire list of contestants, click here.