Jaslene Gonzalez

Biography

Jaslene Marie González (born May 29, 1986) is a Puerto Rican model, television host, and winner of Cycle 8 of America's Next Top Model.

== Biography == Gonzalez was born in Bayamón, Puerto Rico and grew up in Humboldt Park, Chicago. She attended Notre Dame High School for Girls on the Northwest Side of Chicago. She was an online college admissions advisor prior to America's Next Top Model. Gonzalez had done some modeling prior to America's Next Top Model, having been represented by Avant Garde Models. In her CW "Close-up" interview, it was revealed that she appeared in fashion shows for local Chicago designers, including Michelle Gomez of Chicago and Alexis Arquette, as seen in local Chicago newspapers Extra and La Nota. Gonzalez said in her Seventeen interview that she had been in an abusive relationship with her ex-boyfriend; the relationship ended shortly before the filming of cycle 7.

== America's Next Top Model ==

=== America's Next Top Model Cycle 7 === Gonzalez initially auditioned for Cycle 7, but only made it to the top 21 during the bootcamp. Assuring the judges that she would be back for the next cycle's audition, Gonzalez's determination caught the eyes of producers, who thought she had potential.

=== Winning America's Next Top Model Cycle 8 === Gonzalez re-auditioned for Cycle 8 and this time made it to the top thirteen, being the twelfth contestant selected (just before Diana Zalewski filled the final place). During the competition, Gonzalez was called first at panel four times, received four Covergirl of the Week awards, and won the Go-Sees reward challenge in Sydney where she chose fellow contestant, Dionne Walters to participate with her in the challenge prize. She was also the second contestant after Cycle 6 runner-up Joanie Dodds and the first winner to never appear in the bottom two. On the season finale, Gonzalez was revealed as the winner. She is the first contestant in the show's history to compete on more than one cycle and win, followed by former Cycle 5 eighth eliminated contestant, Lisa D'Amato of Cycle 17: All Stars. Gonzalez is the second of three winners from Illinois, preceded by Adrianne Curry of Cycle 1, and followed by McKey Sullivan of Cycle 11. Natasha Galkina was the runner-up upon Gonzalez's win.

=== America's Next Top Model Cycle 9 === Gonzalez appeared in the first episode of Cycle 9 at St. John’s where the 33 potential contestants met her before preparing for a beach photoshoot. Gonzalez also appeared in the final episode to assist the top three contestants (Chantal Jones, Jenah Doucette and Saleisha Stowers) with their CoverGirl Wetslicks Fruit Spritzers commercial and photoshoot. After Doucette was eliminated, the remaining two contestants Jones and Stowers participated in the final runway modeling Qi Gang's line of couture dresses with Gonzalez opening the show.

=== America's Next Top Model Cycle 10 === Gonzalez appeared in a Cycle 10 episode posing in a Lot 29 photoshoot in Seventeen magazine with challenge winner Katarzyna Dolinska along with fellow contestants chosen to participate, Amis Jenkins and Marvita Washington. Gonzalez was also present for the 7 Up party where the top seven contestants had to work a "green" carpet leading to eventual runner-up Anya Kop winning the challenge where her prize was another nude photoshoot for 7 Up and US$10,000 as payment.

=== America's Next Top Model Cycle 11 === Gonzalez appeared in a Top Models in Action segment during an episode of Cycle 11.