Eva Longoria in double-page L'Oreal ad

IMTA alum Eva Longoria is the spokesperson for L'Oreal Paris and a brand new gorgeous ad featuring her is appearing in several magazines! Eva signed the exclusive worldwide contract with L'Oreal Paris in the spring of 2005.

Eva was honored to be selected saying,"To have L'Oreal select me as a spokesperson is a wonderful honor,” said Eva, “L'Oreal is one of the few companies that really reflect my values. Their company philosophy and their legendary phrase, ‘Because I'm Worth It,’ go hand in hand with who I am as a person. It's exciting to be a part of such a diverse group of spokespeople, from all-American Heather Locklear to African-American Beyonce, and now me, a Latina. This is it, the best, the culmination of an amazing year."

The youngest of four sisters who grew up on a ranch in Corpus Christi, Texas, Eva's talent and persistence with her acting have paid off. Eva competed at IMTA in Los Angeles in 1998. She received 38 callbacks and signed with theatrical agent who encouraged her to move to L.A. and the rest is Hollywood history! She starred on the daytime dramas as The Young and the Restless and General Hospital, and she currently stars on the ABC mega hit Desperate Housewives, where she portrays Latin sex symbol Gabrielle Solis.

Eva is the second IMTA alum to serve as spokesperson for L’Oreal Paris. Jessica Biel represented the company in commercials, print ads and on their website beginning in 2002.

Agnes Bruckner's feature film is in theaters now!

IMTA alum Agnes Bruckner's Sony Pictures/MGM feature film opened this weekend! The werewolf tale Blood & Chocolate is based on the best-selling young adult novel of the same name by Annette Curtis Klause. Agnes plays Vivian, a werewolf who falls in love...with a regular boy! You can watch Agnes Bruckner in exclusive scenes from the movie on Yahoo! Movies.

This is from her official bio for the film:

"Nurturing an impressive body of work that encompasses film and television, AGNES BRUCKNER (Vivian Gandillon) came to national prominence after garnering rave reviews for her role in the coming-of-age independent film Blue Car, which made its debut at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival and for which she received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Female Lead. She was also recently honored with a ShoWest Female Star of Tomorrow Award.

Bruckner was most recently seen alongside Nick Nolte, Amy Smart and Scott Mechlowicz in the drama Peaceful Warrior. Her other recent projects include Lucky McKee’s thriller The Wood, opposite Patricia Clarkson; Haven, with Bill Paxton and Orlando Bloom; and Stateside, with Val Kilmer. She has also starred in Rick, with Bill Pullman and Aaron Stanford, which debuted at the 2003 Toronto Film Festival. Bruckner’s other film credits include Barbet Schroeder’s psychological thriller Murder by Numbers, The Glass House and Homeroom.

Segueing between the big and small screen, Bruckner recently had a recurring role on the critically acclaimed drama 24. She also starred in the HBO film The Shrunken City and was a series regular on the CBS award-winning daytime drama The Bold and the Beautiful. Her other television work includes roles in the pilots Minor Threat for Warner Bros.; Hell House for MTV and National Lampoon for Fox. She has also guest-starred on Alias, Pacific Blue, The Fugitive and Touched by an Angel."

Before she accomplished all of that...she was an IMTA contestant! Agnes competed at IMTA in 1995 when she was nine years old. She won Child Model of the Year and signed with a manager and an agent.

Be sure and catch Agnes' film in theaters now!

Brandon Routh Hallmark Update

IMTA alum Brandon Routh looks amazing in a full page ad for Hallmark in the current issue of Entertainment Weekly on newstands now. Hallmark's newest line of greeting cards featuring favorite films with sound clips features Brandon as Superman from his hit motion picture Superman Returns which was released this past summer.

Brandon Routh competed at IMTA during the New York, New York 1999 Convention. His handsome face was on the IMTA stage for Swimwear, Team Fashion, Runway and in acting competitions. IMTA insider scoop...he was known as BJ Routh then!

He had been scouted by Patrick Baca, who encouraged him to compete at IMTA. Brandon got lots of face time with the agents, managers and casting directors and ended up moving to Los Angeles. He signed with Mara Santino and Ryan Daly of Kazarian/Spencer & Associates. Routh was chosen for the role of Superman following an exhaustive search that spanned the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. Thousands of candidates were interviewed before the final selection was made.

Check out Brandon in EW and in Hallmark stores today!

Deanna Karlheim

IMTA alum Deanna Karlheim was chosen among several top signed new faces. Deanna was selected as the Best Fresh New Face of Spring 2007. Deanna competed at IMTA in 2005 and credits IMTA seminar teacher the late Willie Ninja with teaching her how to walk on the runway. Deanna signed with Fusion Models and is on is their new faces board.

Sean Harju on the Runway in Milan!

Sean Harju, IMTA's gorgeous 1st Runner Up Male Model of The Year '06 is appearing in the news in photos from Fashion Week. The picture being featured on tons of online news sites about fashion, shows Sean modeling a black jacket and skinny, black, cigarette pants created by the fashion great Calvin Klein. This beautiful shot was taken during Fashion Week, the most important and influential fashion show in the world, which is currently underway in Milan, Italy.

Sean attended IMTA a year ago and won Male Model of The Year! He signed with Major Model Management and has worked for fashion houses such as Dolce & Gabbana, Calvin Klein, Karl Lagerfeld, Donatella Versace, and Narciso Rodriguez. Sean was featured, solo, in a 6-page layout in the May 2006 issue of GQ Magazine. He then appeared on NBC's Today Show in a GQ fashion segment. To read an article about Sean's success, click here. He has accomplished all of this in one short year after being discovered at IMTA. Congratulations Sean- we can't wait to see what you do next!!!

IMTA alumni have THREE FILMS on Top Ten List

Jessica Biel's critically acclaimed film The Illusionist was #1 on the Top 10 Most-Anticipated January/February DVD Movie Releases for about.com ! The film is getting widespread recognition...Stephen King even named the movie in his 2006 Top Ten Movies column for Entertainment Weekly! Jessica Biel played a starring role as the Viennese Princess Sophie who falls for a magician in the 1900's. The DVD was released on January 9th. Check out the trailer on the official site to watch scenes of Jessica in her regal role.

Ashton Kutcher's film The Guardian was #2 on the same about.com list! Ashton stars in this drama as a hotshot new recruit who learns a lot from the veteran Coast Guard rescue swimmer played by Kevin Costner. You can watch the trailer and behind the scenes exclusives on Yahoo! movies. You'll find this DVD release on January 23rd. Ashton's other hit film from 2006 is being released on January 30th and it was honored in the Top Ten List as well! Ashton provides the voice of a wisecracking mule deer in the animated comedy adventure Open Season.

Jessica Biel competed at IMTA in 1994 where she debuted her acting, singing and dancing abilities. She signed with an agent and manager who helped her land the breakthrough role of Mary Camden on the beloved long-running WB series 7th Heaven. Jessica won a scholarship at IMTA to a top acting school and moved from Boulder, CO to Los Angeles. To read a great interview Jessica gave to IMTA in 1998, please visit the archived web page. In the interview, Jessica says:

IMTA: Would you recommend attending an IMTA Convention to other aspiring young actors and models?
Jessica: Definitely! You will meet people who can change your life and make your dreams come true!

Ashton competed at IMTA in 1997 where he won Most Sought After Male Model. After his win, he interviewed with our video crew and said,"If you want to be a model, actor, singer or dancer, IMTA is the place to be! I'm on the top of my world right now!" He signed immediately with a top men's fashion agency and began modeling in men's fashion shows the very next week after IMTA!

Hallmark features greeting card with sound with Brandon Routh as Superman!

You can find Superman Returns and IMTA alumni Brandon Routh on the front of a Hallmark greeting card! Exclusively at Hallmark Gold Crown stores, the card is part of a new collection of greeting cards with sound. It's a Thank You card and it plays the Superman theme song.

Brandon competed at IMTA in New York in 1999. Patrick Baca scouted him in Iowa and encouraged him to showcase his talent at the upcoming IMTA Convention. Brandon competed in Team, Runway and many other modeling and talent IMTA competitions. He impressed several agents, made contacts and relocated to Los Angeles. He signed with Kazarian/Spencer & Associates, who represented him when he was cast as Superman after an exhaustive world-wide search.

IMTA Alumni are Presenters at the Golden Globes!

IMTA Alumni Eva Longoria and Jessica Biel were among the A-List celebrities who presented awards at last night's Golden Globe Awards broadcast live from Beverly Hills! Eva Longoria, who competed at IMTA in 1998, presented the award for best actor in a comedy series with Adrian Grenier. Jessica Biel, who competed at IMTA in 1994, presented the award for best supporting actress with Sean "Diddy" Combs.

In a sea of stunning celebs, both IMTA alums stood out as the most beautiful leading ladies!

Independent Film Festival featuring A-List celebs and IMTA Alumni!

The Palm Springs International Film Festival featuring 12 days worth of 256 films held a black-tie gala event this weekend and hosted A-List actors including IMTA Alum Jessica Biel. Filmmakers and Hollywood studios rely upon the event to clinch Oscar statuettes. Cate Blanchett, Kate Winslet and director Sydney Pollack were also among the star-studded guest list. Representatives of the event said the Awards Gala was the splashiest in the festival's 18-year history and was hosted by Mary Hart of Entertainment Tonight.

The Palm Springs International Film Festival Black Tie Awards Gala on Saturday is shaping up to be the splashiest in the festival's 18-year history. The glittery party is at the Palm Springs Convention Center and will be hosted by Mary Hart of Entertainment Tonight.

Oscar buzz and Jessica Biel (for her film The Illuisionist) have been going hand-in-hand recently and she was one of the announcers of the Golden Globe Nominations at a news conference with Rosario Dawson. If Jessica's film is nominated, it will be the third year out of the past four that IMTA has had a direct link to the Academy Awards!

Last year's Best Picture Winner was written by longtime IMTA friend Bobby Moresco (who won Best Original Screenplay with Paul Haggis). IMTA alum Elijah Wood's film The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King won the 2003 Best Picture Award (presented in 2004). Superman Returns and Pirates of the Caribbean are already under consideration for Academy Award Nomimations so it will be an exciting year for IMTA once again!

Brendon Ryan Barrett classic movie rereleased in deluxe dvd edition!

IMTA alum Brendon Ryan Barrett's film Casper: A Spirited Beginning is being re-released in a Special Edition DVD! It includes a sneak-peek at the upcoming Casper's Scare School movie! Right now Applebee's is featuring the classic and the new film in their kids meal booklet which includes a $4 discount coupon for Brendon's film!

Brendon competed at IMTA when he was eight years old!

Ashton Kutcher is a guest writer for Harper's Bazaar!

IMTA alum Ashton Kutcher is the guest writer for this month's Harper's Bazaar. He wrote a great review of the collections of four fashion designers. You can read a preview of the article on Harper's website here. Look for the magazine on newstands now to read the whole article. It's fabulous!

Ashton certainly knows fashion! He was a model before he was an actor and he got his start at the New York, 1997 IMTA Convention. He won Most Sought After Male Model and went straight from the IMTA runway to the catwalks of some of the most famous designers as he was booked like crazy for men's fashion week. The agent he signed with during the IMTA Convention thought he would make a great actor and had him audition for That 70's Show! It was called Teenage Wasteland at the time. All of us at the IMTA were crossing our fingers that he would get the part and when his agent called and told us he got it, we were elated. Once Fox ordered an entire season, we knew Ashton was on his way to being a superstar! His hard work, talent, gorgeous looks and fun personality have made him a Hollywood A-Lister! It's awesome to see Ashton and all that he has achieved!

Josh Duhamel Extended Trailer online now!

Summer's much anticipated blockbuster Transformers has an extended trailer available online now! Watch for the scenes with star and IMTA alum Josh Duhamel in this very exciting looking film that will be released July 4th, 2007! It's the movie event of the summer and you can see the exclusive preview on Yahoo! Movies now! Steven Spielberg is the Executive Producer and the production companies include DreamWorks SKG and Paramount Pictures!

Josh Duhamel is the perfect action star and leading man for this action adventure/science fiction fantasy adaptation. He plays Captain Lennox in the film directed by Michael Bay.

Josh Duhamel was the IMTA New York 1997 Male Model of the Year, narrowly beating Ashton Kutcher for the title (he was won the title of Most Sought After Male Model). Since then, Josh played Leo du Pres on the daytime drama All My Children for three seasons. He followed that up by starring in NBC's hit drama Las Vegas. Josh is not only talented and gorgeous but he has a great sense of humor and is a truly nice guy! He is going to be a big hit this summer!

Happy New Year from IMTA!

Happy New Year from IMTA! 2007 will be another exciting year filled with impressive accomplishments from all of the illustrious models, actors, singers and dancers who showcased their talents first at IMTA!

Keep checking That IMTA Blog to find out the latest about what the IMTA alumni do in 2007!