Elyse Sewell was a contestant and third runner up during Cycle 1 of ANTM.
A native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Sewell obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of New Mexico. Sewell was known on the show as the “edgy pre-med student.” In 2005, one of her “confessional” clips from the show, in which she started a profanity-laden rant against the people on the show, earned her 16th place on E!’s Most Outrageous TV Moments.
Elyse dated Martin Crandall of the Shins until January 2008, when he allegedly assaulted her in a Sacramento hotel. Both Crandall and Elyse were charged with felony domestic assault, though their cases were later dimissed.
Previously, Elyse told the Singapore Straits Times in an interview that she had dumped her boyfriend because he cheated on her while she was working in Japan, though they reconciled shortly afterwards.
As a model, Elyse has been incredibly successful, especially in Asia where she has had print advertisements for Chanel and Chow Sang Sang Jewelry and appeared on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar Hong Kong.
Sewell’s first book, based in part on her LiveJournal Weblog, was published in Hong Kong in 2006. She appeared in multiple book signings across Hong Kong.
Over seas, Elyse has been signed with Zucca Tokyo, ZEM Osaka, Mannequin Singapore, Model Genesis Hong Kong, Chadwicks Sydney, Eye For I Milan, Dream Models Hong Kong and Elite Santiago.
Elyse has also been signed with Wilhelmina West Models, M4 Models, Q6 Models Portland, Model One (Hong Kong), Studio KLRP Paris, Seattle’s Model Guild, M4 Hamburg, Good Fashion Shenzhen and Model 1.
She is perhaps one of the the most successful models from America’s Next Top Model.
Source: Elyse Sewell’s LiveJournal
Source: Wikipedia
Photos: Fashion Model Directory
Source: Elyse’s Facebook
Source: Elyse’s Twitter
Source: All ANTM
Source: ANTM / Douglas Bizarro
Source: ANTM / Barry Hollywood
Source: ANTM / Daniel Garriga
Source: ANTM
Source: ANTM / Michel Haddi
Source: ANTM / Troy Ward
Source: ANTM / Patrick Katzman
Source: ANTM / Tyra Banks
Source: Justin Monroe
To see more photos of Elyse, click here.
April 25, 2010 at 2:41 am
Go figure … She talked all that crap about disappearing, and there she is, all over the place!
July 31, 2010 at 12:43 am
I’m glad she’s done so well! Out of all the cycles, she’s my favorite model by far.
January 11, 2012 at 9:25 pm
Me too. She is my favorite contestant out of all of the seasons of Top Model. I’m glad that she is doing so well.
August 14, 2010 at 9:42 pm
I love her! Thanks for digging up all those photos; they were fun to look through.
September 7, 2010 at 9:14 am
I’m not surprised that she made a name for herself in Hong Kong simply because she has a semi-Asian look about her (Eurasian?) that the Chinese love. I can say that with confidence ’cause i’m Chinese myself
January 23, 2011 at 12:44 am
What makes her Eur-Asian? LOL. Just cuz she’s got black hair? She’s got nothing Asian! They make it in Asia because people over there are obsessed with trying to become western. Ha ha!
February 12, 2011 at 6:26 pm
You MAD? Clara doesn’t mean that. What she meant was that Elyse kinda looks like part Asian, not because she has black hair. I mean, seriously? If you see some people who are sort of Caucasian-Asian, you’ll see what Clara meant.
May 27, 2011 at 4:55 pm
Really now? you think that Asian people wants to become Western looking? Asia? Have you been to Asia? Its not like that.
October 2, 2011 at 1:15 am
Ron’s wrong. It is like that. Not all Asian folks, but many. It’s not a judgment, just a fact. There are “double eyelid” surgeries popular in Asia to give young Asian women (primarily) a more Western-look. And yes, I’ve been to Asia. Although it’s by no means true everywhere you go there, many young Asians really dig US-everything – jeans, baseball, Hollywood, etc. That’s starting to change, fortunately, as the East starts to rise and the US is beginning to falter.
For what it’s worth – of course she looks a bit Asian. She’s tall, so not that part, but she’s got a very slight build, tiny facial features, big eyes, and yes, short dark hair. She has a look I think many young Asian women would find accessible; more so than some of the blonde all-American looking models.
September 17, 2010 at 4:29 am
Nice. First Class work. And an impressive presentation! Thanks. Elyse has been inspiring and fun. Wish her blessings!
September 19, 2010 at 10:30 pm
I am so glad she was eliminated from ANTM; and where is she now? Doing better than Adrianne.
October 10, 2010 at 8:09 pm
Elyse is beautiful and very cool. I like her.
October 11, 2010 at 12:23 pm
I think Tyra should get a little credit for launching new models who otherwise might never have tried to become one. Elise was my second favorite in the first cycle, but I would have been very happy if she had won.
November 16, 2011 at 1:20 pm
My thought exactly. Tyra is a star because Elise probably won’t be taking all these photographs without her show. I love her (both of them)
The power of good ideas and good work to change the world…
October 21, 2010 at 9:25 am
If Tyra gets to take credit for Elyse’s career, than Tyra also gets to be accountable for all the ANTM alumni whose careers have bombed.
November 6, 2010 at 4:24 am
I’m not shocked she looks amazing on all these pictures and I’m totally not shocked she got all these jobs. But the thing I’m shocked about is that she actually tried and continued modeling outside of the competition. Mostly, because on the show it seemed like all she wanted to do was become a doctor. I agreed with Adrianne about Elyse. She said that Elyse hates everything about being a model and yet she’s the best at it.
February 12, 2011 at 6:32 pm
She doesn’t really hate it. It’s more like she’s thinking about the future. She said it from the start that you can still be a doctor when you’re old, but you can be a model in a short period of time. If she hated it, she could not have send an audition tape in the first place. She did hate it because of the people. She didn’t like the way the other contestants behaved and thought. Especially about how the girls were making a really big deal out of everything fashion.
Elyse has set her mind in the future; like everything is not fashion because there will be a time when you’re no longer a model. So, in the other words, she’s very intellectual that she couldn’t really handle the environment in the show.
November 25, 2010 at 6:54 am
Pics don’t lie; best to come out of ANTM.
November 26, 2010 at 12:02 am
She is so beautiful! When I first saw Elyse in ANTM I have started to watch this show only for to see her. She has really amazing face!
January 18, 2011 at 11:07 pm
Oh yes! You’re right; she has a beautiful face and a skinny-though-beautiful body!
December 12, 2010 at 8:29 pm
She looks a lot like Winona Ryder.
December 19, 2010 at 2:21 am
I love Elyse, she is beautiful, I also love her body type, I’m shaped like her and it’s nice to know I’m not the only super naturally skinny and small girl out there.
January 6, 2011 at 2:07 pm
She does look kind of Asian… maybe almost Faye Wong-ish.
August 20, 2011 at 12:24 pm
Elyse is certainly photographic and she’s got brains, but hey – don’t compare to Faye, that’s sacred ground (as you know).
January 10, 2011 at 5:46 am
I am a big, big fan. Thank you for posting this photos which were new to me.
January 11, 2011 at 4:07 am
I loved Elyse and find it ironic that she’s become arguably the most successful of all the models to come from ANTM, especially considering they didn’t even select her for the final two. Finally, on the most recent cycle, they had another contestant who was high fashion, and they played it smart and selected her to win. As much as I respect Ann, she had nothing on Elyse when it comes to personal presentation, and I can’t help but wonder if ANTM missed it’s brightest star when the show decided to eliminate Elyse?
January 18, 2011 at 11:05 pm
What happened to Shannon? Shannon came in 2nd but I’ve never heard of her. Though I think Elyse is beautiful and great!
February 3, 2011 at 5:37 am
Elyse should have won cycle 1. I don’t think she would have made all the mistakes that Adrianne did.
February 7, 2011 at 4:23 am
I think that she copped out at the end. I think that she knew she’d be big so there was no reason to have the title of antm. She knew she had it, even though she hated it at one point. Hey man, try living with just a group of women who are of different background and for some (Robin) who treated some of the girls like they were nothing because of how they portray themselves. I mean sh**, I’d go nuts and want to leave also. But good for her, and yeah she probably is the only one who is the most successful throughout all of the antm seasons put together.
February 12, 2011 at 6:35 pm
I think I should point this out: IT WAS FATE THAT ELYSE DIDN’T WIN. Because if she did win, she would be cheated out of that Revlon prize of $100,000. So, it’s a blessing in disguise.
But I don’t think Revlon was the problem. I think it was Adrianne. They probably didn’t like her; that’s why they didn’t book her. If Elyse won, Revlon would have booked her.
February 21, 2011 at 3:13 am
Boo, I agree with you. That atmosphere was seriously toxic at some points. And it wasn’t just the varying backgrounds, there was also a religious aspect to it. I think it’s fair enough having your own beliefs, but to force them unpleasantly on someone else is seriously unethical in my books. And Robin did have a massive tendency to do that! That makes it uncomfortable for everyone all around.
Does anyone know why she hasn’t been updating her livejournal?
February 23, 2011 at 9:38 pm
I LOVE Adrianne, but Elyse should’ve won. Just look; she has amazing pictures, and during the show she looked like a real model.
February 24, 2011 at 5:57 pm
Her Paris photo shoot was awful. What was she thinkin’?
July 18, 2011 at 7:00 pm
Who cares…she’s a model and was paid for the job.
February 24, 2011 at 11:50 pm
My conclusion from Elyse’s success is that not only beauty, but personality, rules in this business. Love her.
March 2, 2011 at 3:40 am
I can’t believe she went off and did all this modeling!! What happened to the doctor career? I didn’t like her though.
March 5, 2011 at 9:16 am
Yo creo que Elyse era mas de lo que aparentaba y la verdad me alegra el futuro que ha forjado. Era mi favorita aunque si me dio como coraje que no ganara. Veía que los fotógrafos la adoraban y a pesar de sus arranque en ANTM demostró que tiene todo lo necesario para ser una modelo a nivel internacional; a diferencias de otras. Me alegro mucho por ella ya que es mas que una cara bonita.
March 6, 2011 at 4:45 pm
I like Elyse. she has brain, personality and looks. Good thing she didn’t win or she’d have gone straight into fulfilling her contract prizes and wouldn’t have done her double degrees. Though whatever happened to her ‘doctor’ dream is anyone’s guess. I’m second guessing she wasn’t successful with her application to that faculty.
I also like Ann. She and Ann are same category; gentle and demure looking, but both strong inside and clever with charisma. Ann especially seems a very sweet and nice person with a vulnerable look. Elyse is more edgy and gutsy, but nonetheless sensitive like Ann is how I feel about them. No unnecessary judging of others.
I suspect that Robin, who forced her religion down others yet she was a hypocrite, who wouldn’t strip for the shoot yet exposed herself to Jay Manuel – she must be thinking doing that will advance her chance – almost like prostituting herself. Yuck. She’s so low class, no wonder Elyse couldnt stand her. Respect to Elyse for not slugging her off in a big way. In Elyse’s place I would have cursed at that braindead bimbo Robin.
March 6, 2011 at 4:58 pm
I am glad she ditched her ugly boyfriend Martin Crandall. He’s not ugly physically, but also ugly as a person because he allegedly assaulted Elyse, but no charge was brought against him because Elyse was maganimous enough not to pursue the matter.
She deserves better than that stupid b*stard.
March 7, 2011 at 5:04 am
Where is she right now? She hasn’t updated her blog since 2009.
March 28, 2011 at 2:01 am
Done good like I figured she would, but I felt she was such a liar about modeling and it was a facade in case she did poorly. Nobody likes to lose, but she handled it by faking her likes, dislikes and eating habits.
March 29, 2011 at 8:51 pm
I THINK SHE DID very well and a not surprise that she did. But at elimination she said that she was going to be that lawyer and know look at her. You go girl; keep up the good work. You are beautiful.
April 25, 2011 at 11:43 pm
Elyse wanted to be a doctor.
June 1, 2011 at 10:12 am
LOVED her. I am so glad she went on to be successful.
June 8, 2011 at 1:34 am
Unfortunately, Elyse was a hot mess personally. I notice in her bio above, they only glancingly mention her violend, dysfunctional relationship and don’t at all mention her own drug addiction, eating disorder and multiple arrests. Please don’t admire this girl. There is literally nothing there to admire.
July 13, 2011 at 2:50 pm
melissa,who do you think you are,by judging people just like that?!are you God or something?or are you just jealous?Elyse is just a person like everyone else,can’t be perfect in this world without makin’ mistakes,but you have to accept the truth,she’s amazing!
July 18, 2011 at 7:04 pm
I am not surprised by her violent behavior….. when she told the judges models were dumb… that was a dumb and hateful, she has tons of resentment and violence in her.
August 11, 2011 at 6:40 am
She had a drug addiction? What was/is she addicted to? I didn’t know anything about that… when?
September 23, 2011 at 3:07 am
The bio is borrowed from wikipedia, so don’t expect much.
Multiple arrests? Please elaborate. The only publicly known arrest was the Sacramento one in January 2008. She picked up a DWI yet? Her drinking was getting out of hand even by 2008.
Any convictions? Anyone can meet a bad cop, after all.
How many punchouts with Crandall?
Which drug(s)? What eating disorder(s)?
If you’re going to slam her, be specific. Otherwise it’s just lame innuendos.
October 27, 2011 at 2:29 pm
Have you read her blog? It’s full of pictures of her eating loads of food, some people are just naturally thin. No reason to bash her. It’s also not her fault that her boyfriend beat her up, and she broke up with him afterward. Completely unwarranted assessment.
December 4, 2011 at 1:24 pm
Pictures or it didn’t happen. B.s. Rumor mongering from a hater
July 17, 2011 at 5:51 pm
I like her way more than Adrianne!! She has amazing pictures and it’s pretty obvious that she’s made it farther in the modeling industry than the others.
July 22, 2011 at 3:28 pm
Она самая замечательная!!!!!! Как же я расстроилась когда её выгнали…… Она 100% должна была быть первой топ-моделью по-американски!!!! Остальным участницам других сезонов будет очень тяжело затмить её!!! Все её фото просто восхитительны, как во время шоу так и после!!!
July 25, 2011 at 9:14 pm
On ANTM she to me seemed the small lovely girl)))
August 30, 2011 at 3:47 pm
Except that she doesn’t have an eating disorder, nor addiction, nor multiple arrests, and she got out of that relationship a while ago.
Anyway, ANTM undermined themselves when they didnt choose her to win. That was so obvious.
August 31, 2011 at 12:58 pm
I love her smile. Pretty teeth. Glad to see she has done well for herself.
September 17, 2011 at 11:30 am
nice pictures
October 18, 2011 at 8:22 am
Does she remind anyone else of Winona Ryder she sure look like her to me. Elyse and Yoanna are the Most beautiful and talented models that have been on the show yet!
October 20, 2011 at 7:20 pm
I knew was going to make it big. She stood out as the star from the very beginning.
November 4, 2011 at 12:23 pm
a lot of job after ANTM!!! wow!!!
December 9, 2011 at 3:45 pm
Where are you getting all that from, Melissa? It doesn’t seem backed up by any public information so either you know something most people don’t or you’re just throwing stones and casting aspersions. Yes Elyse was arrested with her now ex-boyfriend, and some people thought she had an eating disorder on the show, and she is really thin, so is Kate Moss, and somehow everyone was shocked, shocked! when it was revealed that Kate Moss used drugs – in an industry that has exposes young, young girls and women to bizarre situations and demands they stay in an almost pre-pubescent state? I think there’s plenty to admire in Elyse. She’s got the brains to know what she was getting into, and to those saying “she was going to be a doctor!” she still can be a doctor, like she said on America’s Next Top Model that can wait, being a model can’t. The show really benefited from having her on it, and the combination of Elyse and Adrianne vs. Robin and the holy rollers made for more interesting conversations and interactions than any subsequent series have managed (although Jayla wanted to be like Elyse really, really bad, and failed). After Robin was eliminated and Adrianne and Elyse included Shannon completely and even brought her out a bit was wonderful; Robin would never have done that in reverse. It was also okay that she was eliminated; she dozed off during a meeting with someone giving them advice and again from a television standpoint it was Shannon and Adrianne that really wanted it, and I for one was thrilled that Adrianne won, and am equally delighted to see Elyse being successful at anything she chooses to do.
December 18, 2011 at 6:23 pm
Is that Elyse Sewell in this commercial? At 0:36.
January 8, 2012 at 8:17 am
I love the fact that she doesn’t have to tuck in that gut when modeling. It gives her an advantage over models who do not have naturally flat stomachs. I also love that she looks like Twiggy in some of her photographs.
January 16, 2012 at 6:15 am
I watched Cycle 1 and loved it – because Elyse was on it. Haven’t watched ANTM since, except for little snippets of each season before I see that every girl since Elyse has basically been the typical ANTM contestant – shallow, petty, and ignorant. Heard about the All-Star cycle just a few days ago, and was like, “God, I hope they bring back Elyse!” Then found out they didn’t – interest level, once again, zero. -.-
January 17, 2012 at 3:56 pm
I really miss reading her blog I keep checking it every 6 months or so hoping she came back to it. She’s a great personality and someone I think deserves more positive attention. She stood up for what she believed and I respect her a lot.