MARY JANE AGRA
By Jessalee Anne
She’s Not Just Another Model
The typical aspiring model will give up different aspects in life, sacrifice their lifestyle, unwillingly desert certain relationships, let go of the freedom to do anything they please, and even give up one of the strongest foundations to a successful future - education. Most models of today limit themselves solely to modeling, but not Mary Jane or MJ, as she is fondly known.
People perceive ‘models’ merely as an object to be ogled upon, especially in entertainment, the fashion industry, advertising and photography. The stereotypical mass media do not give enough recognition to what is beyond a model’s surface and what lies beneath that tall and slim physique. No one has really taken the initiative to understand the overall beauty that a model exudes. However, with MJ, let’s discover what’s underneath that exquisite exterior of the fashion model that she is and why she wants to make a difference. MJ does not want to be just another model.
Crowned as ‘Miss Little United Nations’ in 1997, Mary Jane began to explore the beauty pageant scene at the early age of thirteen. At the same time, she also discovered her passion for the catwalk.
In later years, as she grew more adept in the world of beauty contests, she gained more experience and confidence to compete in almost everything. She then joined a modeling competition which won her the title as ‘Miss Supermodel 2000.’ This was the turning point in Mary Jane’s life.
At 21, she has an impressive list of awards, both in academics and in the industry she is fulfilling. Winning titles after titles, and crowns after crowns, she finally became conscious of what she really wanted to do. Her hard work, experience and achievements in the beauty pageant and modeling scene led her to believe that she was born to be on stage and made for the runway. Every walk and every wave convinced her enough to pursue a career in modeling. Finally, the true meaning of what she does became more apparent with the realization that she can help others know that modeling is not just about pretty faces; that there’s more to it than just an individual’s physical attributes.
When GTA asked MJ to tell us who she is, she simply referred to herself as the ‘Joan of all trades’. Her eloquence gave us a window of opportunity to grasp her multifaceted lifestyle and respect her perseverance in giving the modeling profession a deeper meaning.
GTA: If you were asked, ‘Who is Mary Jane’, how would you reply to this question?
Mary Jane: I’d like to call myself as the ‘Joan of all trades” because as much as possible I want to be a well-rounded individual and I try to make the most out of whatever experience that comes my way and be able to learn a lot from it. Right now I’m a full-time student and at the same time I’m pursuing modeling, acting, and writing. I want to be hosting, I want to be a lot of things. I want to be known or remembered as the person who excels in front of the camera or in front of an audience. At the same time, I want to be able to tell people that I’m responsible for whatever the audience sees. I want to be a producer, a director, basically the Joan of all trades. I want to experience everything. I can pursue everything but not all at once. I am focusing on modeling now that I’m still young but that doesn’t mean I’m leaving my other skills behind because I still want to be able to use my skills and develop it at the same time.
GTA: How would you sum up the life of Mary Jane now and then?
Mary Jane: I know what I want now. When I was younger, I was doing a lot of beauty pageants. At that time, I wanted to be in front of the camera and be in front of an audience. Everything I did then, I appreciate and understand a lot more now. I’m able to try to make people aware that there’s more to me than just beauty. There’s talent, intelligence and a lot more aspects to it.
next page » |
