Nicole Linkletter

Biography

Nicole Linkletter Nathanson (born April 18, 1985) is an American fashion model and the winner of Cycle 5 of America's Next Top Model. Her prizes were a contract with Ford Models, a $100,000 contract with CoverGirl, and her photo appearing in a Ford Fusion (Americas) national advert. She is the first of two America's Next Top Model winners from North Dakota, the second being CariDee English, winner of America's Next Top Model, season 7.

== Family and education == Linkletter was born and raised in Grand Forks, North Dakota, the daughter of Monica and Steve Linkletter. She has two sisters. Linkletter graduated from Grand Forks Red River High School in 2003, and attended the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks and St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, Minnesota as a marketing major; she is currently attending California State University Northridge.

== America's Next Top Model ==

=== Winning America's Next Top Model Cycle 5 === Linkletter appeared on the UPN reality television show America's Next Top Model Cycle 5 after auditioning for the show at the Mall of America. She was the tenth contestants (just before Diane Hernandez, Ebony Taylor and eventual All Stars winner, Lisa D'Amato filled the final three places) chosen for the top thirteen to compete. Over her stay, Linkletter received one first call-out, was part of a non-elimination bottom two with Jayla Rubinelli and survived her second bottom two appearance over eventual All Stars contestant, Bre Scullark. In the final judging, the judges selected Linkletter over the runner-up Nik Pace. Tyra Banks said of Linkletter, "She's got that 'It' thing." Fellow judges Twiggy and Nigel Barker likened Linkletter's look to that of an "English rose". Twiggy commented, "She has that magical something that you can't quite put your finger on. It's not enough to just be pretty." Although she had some of the best photos of the whole competition, she often did not receive as much recognition as some of the other contestants because of her seemingly "sour" facade and not breaking from pretty to beautiful in her photos.

I was always the girl who, like, never really got that much attention. And now here I am—I'm a CoverGirl and I'm a Ford model... my life is beginning right now—Nicole's life as a CoverGirl!

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

=== America's Next Top Model Cycle 13 === Linkletter appeared in a Top Models in Action segment during an episode of Cycle 13.

== Career == Linkletter is currently signed with Nous Model Management (L.A.); Diva Models (Singapore); Dream Models (Hong Kong); Agence Presse (Tokyo; signed by ModelScouts); L.A. Models runway division; Paragon Model Management (Mexico); M and P Model Management (London) and SMG Models.