Tyson Ballou and Sean Harju Rock Dolce & Gabbana!

Two of IMTA's hottest alumni male models are featured in the new Dolce and Gabbana 2008 mens ad campaign. Tyson Ballou and Sean Harju are part of the gorgeous Spring-Summer layouts. These fabulous shots were taken by the famous fashion photographer Steven Klein. You can see Sean on the left and Tyson on the right of the shot (front and center) below:



Sean competed at IMTA in Los Angeles in 2006 where he won first runner up for Male Model of the Year and he signed with the legendary Major Model Management team. He has been featured in the magazines Arena, Europe's premier modeling magazine, GQ where he was featured in a six page photo layout by himself, and in an editorial spread in Details for November 2007. Sean is a favorite runway model and appeared in an astounding number of shows during the past season!

Tyson competed at IMTA in 1996. He signed with Ford Models and is now with IMG. Tyson has appeared on runways and ad campaigns for every top designer, including Jil Sander, Emporio Armani, Moschino, Perry Ellis, Donna Karan, Dolce & Gabbana, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Byblos, BCBG, Valentino Roma and Hugo Boss. He has also appeared internationally on the covers and in editorials of major fashion magazines including L'uomo Vogue, Jalouse, The Face, Harper's Bazaar, Arena Homme Plus, Visionaire, Numero and W.

Aria Wallace returns as Roxy Hunter!

Aria Wallace can be seen on Nickelodeon in the latest installment of the Roxy Hunter series! It's called Roxy Hunter and the Secret of the Shaman. Aria plays the title character Roxy Hunter. In this installment, Roxy believes the town vagrant is secretly a shaman with magical powers. It's the sequel to the hit Nickelodeon original movie Roxy Hunter and the Mystery of the Moody Ghost. The original movies are based on the best-selling children's novel series by Tracey West.

Aria Wallace competed at the New York, New York 2001 IMTA Convention where she won several awards in both modeling and acting. In January 2002, Aria and her family moved to Los Angeles, so she could pursue her dream of being an actress. Shortly after that, she landed her first job, a co-starring role on The Bernie Mac Show. Aria has subsequently appeared on numerous TV shows, including Desperate Housewives,with stars fellow IMTA alum Eva Longoria, Charmed, That 70's Show with another IMTA alum Ashton Kutcher, Judging Amy, Criminal Minds, CSI: Miami, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and What Should You Do? Aria was also in the feature film The Perfect Man with Hilary Duff and Heather Locklear.

Don't miss this talented young actress in her new movie Roxy Hunter and the Secret of the Shaman on Nickelodeon on February 1st!

Eva Longoria on the Cover of Self Magazine

IMTA alum Eva Longoria is the cover model for the February issue of Self Magazine. She looks absolutely stunning! The article discusses her healthy eating and exercise habits and how she got started in the business. It states,"By eighteen, Longoria Parker had won her first competition, and five years later, she was named Miss Corpus Christi USA. Her title earned her a trip to L.A. to compete in a modeling and talent competition [IMTA]. Eva says,"I was about to start grad school for a master's degree in exercise science but I called my mom from L.A. and asked her to send my stuff to Hollywood, rather than to school. She was like,"What?" And I said,"I'm going to be an actress."

Eva competed at IMTA in 1998 and had 38 agencies and managers interested in representing her! She signed with a manager she had met at the convention. Eva recently told Pageantry Magazine that “The first day they signed me I had four auditions...It was pretty fast.” She quickly moved to Los Angeles and landed guest-starring roles on Beverly Hills 90210, General Hospital, The Bold and the Beautiful and The Young and the Restless. In 2003, she took a role as a detective in a TV remake LA Dragnet and made her big-screen film debut in Carlita’s Secret, and starred in the films Harsh Times, and The Sentinel. Eva has her own charity Eva's Heros which helps disabled children and adults with the various challenges they face. She puts her star power to work in the PSA's and other cancer awareness and education programs.

Eva's breakthrough role is as the beautiful Gabrielle Solis on the award-winning Desperate Housewives on ABC (now in its fourth season). Eva just shot her newest campaign for Bebe's sportswear where she serves as their spokesperson. Pick up the February of Self magazine now and look for Eva in her new Bebe ads!

Katie O Grady in Untraceable opening this weekend!

IMTA alumni Katie O'Grady can be seen in Untraceable, this weekend's must-see movie! Katie plays a reporter in the thriller which stars Diane Lane and Billy Burke. The film's storyline is about a serial killer who makes use of an untraceable website to torture and kill his victims. Diane Lane plays the FBI agent who is out to stop the cyber-killer.

Katie O'Grady competed at IMTA in 2005 where she won Talent of the Year. Talent of the Year is the prize given to the actor who has the highest composite score from five of the IMTA acting competitions including Monologue, Soaps, Sitcoms, TV Real People Commercial and Cold Read. Katie also won a scholarship when she competed at IMTA.

Katie has appeared in the independent film Some Will Fall, Sasquatch Dumpling Gang which starred another IMTA alum Jeremy Sumpter (it's from the producers of Napoleon Dynamite) and she will appear in the Jennifer Aniston upcoming feature film Management.

Be sure and check out Katie in Untraceable this weekend!

AJ Trauth film debut at Sundance Film Festival!!

IMTA alum AJ Trauth is starring in a new feature film that is premiering at the Sundance Film Festival taking place currently in Park City, Utah. The comedy, titled The Last Word, is about a man who makes his living writing suicide notes for other people. The plot thickens when he accidentally falls in love with one of his client's sister. AJ plays the role of Greg. The cast includes beloved actors Ray Romano and Winona Ryder. The film has been nominated for a Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival.

AJ competed at IMTA in the late nineties and has been on various television shows since. He played Alan Twitty on Even Stevens for three years, appeared on Pepper Dennis which starred another IMTA alum, Brooke Burns. He guest starred on CSI, Numb3rs, Kim Possible, Ghost Whisperer, Reba, and House. AJ raised money for AIDS Project Los Angeles. He also ran in the Los Angeles Marathon in March 2007. AJ starred in the Hallmark Channel movie Wild Hearts and Mystery Woman and in the movie Happy Endings with Lisa Kudrow and Tom Arnold. AJ is not only a talented and handsome actor, he is a great musician as well. AJ’s band Mavin plays on the Herbie Fully Loaded soundtrack as well as the theme song for American Dragon. Get their song “Welcome to my World” on itunes today. Stay tuned for more information on AJ in The Last Word!

Krista Schell on the Cover of Modern Salon

IMTA alum model Krista Schell's is on the cover of Modern Salon for January, 2008. Krista competed at IMTA in July and signed with Ikon in New York. She is featured inside the magazine in an article called Doing Hair.She was also featured in the December 7 issue of Women's Wear Daily modeling for top designer Peter Som.

Katie Holmes in Mad Money in Theaters now!

IMTA alum Katie Holmes is starring in the feature film Mad Money opening nationwide today. This hilarious comedy is about three women who decide to rob the Federal Reserve Bank where they work. Katie plays the role of Jackie Truman, a young woman with an adventurous streak. The women become friends and plan to steal money that has been marked to be destroyed. When they almost get caught they have to work together to keep the authorities at bay.

Katie competed at IMTA twice, in 1993 and 1995 . She participated in seminars and workshops which got her noticed by industry greats Al Onorato, David Guillod and Bobby Moresco. Katie actually shot her first audition at IMTA with the IMTA Video Crew. When Katie returned a couple of years later to present awards at IMTA, she debuted the first fifteen minutes of the pilot episode of Dawson's Creek. The entire ballroom was riveted by this ground-breaking stylish teen drama and Katie received thunderous applause!

On that special night, she gave us a very nice interview saying,"Let's just say a girl from Toledo, Ohio wouldn't end up cast in a Hollywood movie if it weren't for IMTA!" You can read a letter from Katie Holmes on this archived page! She then moved on to feature films such as Teaching Mrs. Tingle, Pieces of April, Batman Begins, and Thank You for Smoking.

To find out more about Mad Money, visit the official website. Be sure to get to the theater now to see Katie in Mad Money and check back with us for more information on Katie and her newest films underway titled Tropical Thunder and The Other Side.

Joseph Castanon in Comanche Moon Tonight on CBS

IMTA alum Joseph Castanon stars as Newt in Comanche Moon. This six hour miniseries is the prequel to Lonesome Dove which was one of the most successful miniseries in history. Comanche Moon tells the story about two men, Woodrow F. Call and Augustus McCrae, who enlist in the Texas Rangers and work together catch crooks and outlaws. This miniseries portrays them in their youth rather than as adults as in the sequel Lonesome Dove.

Joseph competed at IMTA in 2004 where he met then signed with Martin Weiss Management and Abrams Artists Agency. He has co-starred in the following films: Happiness Runs, Plot 7, the hilarious comedy Click, Dead Write, Little Wings and Brothers. He has appeared in the following television shows: Shark, Jericho, Pepper Dennis, NCIS, Without a Trace, Crossing Jordan, multiple episodes of VH-1's I Hate My 30s, a comical role on NBC's E.R. and Badlands. His work on Ghost Whisperer was submitted for consideration for an Emmy Award. Joseph just guest starred on October Road last night! Don't miss this talented young actor tonight in Comanche Moon on CBS.

Katie Holmes on The Late Show Tonight!

Look for IMTA Alum Katie Holmes (NY 93 & NY 95) on The Late Show with David Letterman tonight on CBS! Katie is a favorite David Letterman guest and it always proves to be an interesting interview! Pictured above is a past appearance on the show with Katie.

Katie will be promoting her new feature film Mad Money which will be opening this coming weekend. Look for full coverage of her new movie on the blog Friday!

Seann William Scott in Mr. Woodcock Now on DVD

Update your Netflix queue! IMTA alum Seann William Scott is starring in the New Line Cinema Mr. Woodcock out on DVD now! Seann plays one of the lead characters, John Farley, who comes home to try to stop his mother (Susan Sarandon) from marrying his high school athletic coach (Billy Bob Thornton). This coach was the bane of John's life while he was in high school and in the film is continuing to bully Seann's character fifteen years later.

Seann's good looks and winning personality made him a favorite of many of the agents, managers and industry VIP's at the Los Angeles IMTA convention in 1995. After the convention, Seann relocated to Los Angeles and started auditioning and booking some roles. His break-through role was that of Stifler in the incredibly funny comedy American Pie. Seann's determination, talent and incredible comedic timing have landed roles in some of the funniest movies of all time. He has starred in The Dukes of Hazzard, The Rundown, Bulletproof Monk, Ice Age: The Meltdown, Trainwreck: My Life as an Idiot and he teamed up with a fellow IMTA alum, 1997's Most Sought After Male Model, Ashton Kutcher for Dude Where's My Car? Be sure to watch Seann in the hilarious comedy and check out the trailer below!

Melody Woodin in Marie Claire!

IMTA alum Melody Woodin is the featured model in an eleven page layout in the January 2008 edition of Marie Claire! In an editorial spread,"Fashion Fresh Start", Melody appears in neutral clothing and accessories by Helmut Lang, DKNY, Giorgio Armani, Forever 21, Chloe, Celine, Lanvin, and Versace! Pick up your issue of Marie Claire today to enjoy the full layout!

Melody competed at IMTA in 2004 and won Model of the Year. She signed with the prestigious international modeling agency Women Management. She is also represented by Nathalie in Paris. She is a favorite runway, editorial and commercial model. Melody has modeled for some of the most highly influential and highly respected fashion designers in the world such as: Christian Dior, Badgley Mischka, Marc Jacobs, Oscar De La Renta, Luca Luca and appeared in a print ad for the Biore facial products.

That IMTA Blog will be on hiatus until mid-January...it's time for the next amazing IMTA Convention! We will be in Los Angeles with all the new models and actors who are competing, learning and meeting managers, agents, and casting directors.

Hundreds of agents, managers and VIP's have RSVP'd and are ready to judge, scout and discover the next wave of IMTA models and talent who will be on the hottest new shows, the silver screen, the covers and pages of magazines!

So we'll see you back here on January 15th!

Sofia Vassilieva in the Season Premiere of Medium!

IMTA alum Sofia Vassilieva is starring in the season premiere of her hit NBC series Medium on January 7th! This is the start of the fourth season of the intriguing series based on a real-life story and fans have been clamoring for its much-awaited return! Sofia plays Ariel Dubois, the daughter of the main character, Allison (Patricia Arquette). This season will feature Allison and her family as their world is turned upside down after her psychic abilities are tested.

Sofia competed at IMTA in New York, where she won the title of Child Actress of the Year and she was the first runner-up for Child Model of the Year 2000. She went on to star in many films such as Eloise at the Plaza, The Brady Bunch in the White House, and Day Zero. She recently wrapped Hurt about a widow and her children coping with loss and a new life. Sofia won a Best Supporting Young Artist Award in 2006 for Best Performance in a TV Drama! Tune in Monday, January 7th to see Sophia in what promises to be an exciting beginning of the season!

Adrianne Palicki makes Maxim Magazine's Hot 100 List!

IMTA alum Adrianne Palicki was named one of Maxim magazine's Hot 100 of 2007 list!! She is most famous for her current role as Tyra in the hit Friday Night Lights. This show received three Emmy nominations and won two, one of which was for Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series. It was also nominated for awards by the Image Awards and the Teen Choice Awards!

Adrianne competed at IMTA in New York City in 2001 and was signed by an agent. During an interview with the IMTA Video Crew, she said,"It was amazing. I love IMTA. I'm so sad it's over. It's very nerve wracking but it's a blast and you're here to have a good time, whatever happens, happens."

She went on to work in both film and television. Her first feature-film was 7 Mummies and she starred as Judy Robinson in the television pilot The Robinsons: Lost in Space, and she had a much larger role in the feauture film Popstar. Her television credits include guest appearances on Smallville, CSI, North Shore, South Beach and Supernatural.

Jessica Biel is starting the New Year by giving!

The big hearted and very talented IMTA alum Jessica Biel is a co-founder for the Make a Difference Network. This charity helps donors and supporters get together to make a difference. She was quoted on GoodSearch.com saying, "The future of giving and of nonprofits is to have a social community where your organization can talk to my organization and join forces or somebody gets to know about a charity because you’re meeting someone on a blog on a nonprofit social network. It’s definitely the future and everybody should get on it".

One of the charities Jessica supports is the nonprofit, no kill Much Love Animal Rescue organization which works to reduce overpopulation and mistreatment of domestic animals. Watch Jessica talk about Much Love Animal Rescue and using GoodSearch here:

Jessica captured the attention of many of the talent managers and scouts when she competed at IMTA in 1994. Her first big role was as Mary Camden on the incredibly popular WB series 7th Heaven. She has gone on to star in many major motion pictures such as The Illusionist, Stealth, Elizabethtown, Home of the Brave and Next. She recently wrapped the film A Women of No Importance which is about a woman who has an illegitimate child and is based on a play by Oscar Wilde. Things become sticky when her son tries to get a job from his father a secret neither of them knows. She just finished working on the movie Powder Blue about four people from very different backgrounds who find themselves thrown together which is set for release in 2008. Jessica was was seen most recently in hilarious comedy I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry. We all look forward to seeing Jessica on the big screen in her upcoming movies and know she will continue to use her star power to help others!!