A MODELS' LIFE: ROTIMI PAUL

rotimi paul is easy on the eyes. very easy.

new york city -- in case you didn't know wednesday's are the days when i feature blayreport exclusives: these are specially researched and reported pieces done by myself and my team of blay reporters: danielle, shavon and meredith. in keeping with that theme, check out this exclusive q&a with rotimi paul. you may not know the name, but if you read magazines or watch televisioin, you've probably spotted his charming smile and dazzling looks. this 23 year old, syracuse university grad, has already lived across the world with with stints in guyana and antigua. learn about this and many other fascinating bits below....(p.s, my saucy comments are in bolded text. his aren't.)

girls and (some of my) guys, i know what you are thinking. i'm thinking that too.

mr. rotimi paul. that's a pretty cool name. you could almost be a designer.
"Thank you, it's Youraba for 'stay with me.' My mother gave it to me, so I think it's pretty special. As a model, I just use my first name because of it's uniqueness, but as an actor I'll go with both."

so what made you go into modeling -besides your stunning good looks?

"You are too kind," (Blushes). "Ummm...modeling actually came about as a segway to acting. I knew I was going to be in school studying and wouldn't be able to really audition for anything acting-wise but I wanted to be doing something I felt was related. I knew a few people on the business side of the industry, and they helped get me started in fashion."

do you enjoy it at all?

"I actually do enjoy it. I love clothes (especially the free ones you get at some shows). I love to travel; it is something I have been fortunate to have been doing since I was a child-i'll never stop loving seeing different parts of the world and experiencing different cultures. I also enjoy it because of all the interesting/creative people you meet along the way."

what's a typical day like for you?

"Get up early. Go to the gym. Get a bite to eat. Check in with the agencies. Go to any castings I have. Go to classes. Get dinner. Meet up with friends or just enjoy a few hours of free time before bed. Since I am an acting student in New York, I try to catch a few Broadway shows a month in the evening.what are some cool gigs/jobs you've had since starting?I shot for the JC Penny campaign that is out now and that was a cool shoot. I shot an editorial for Vibe Magazine which was pretty cool. I love doing the "Gilded Age" runway shows because the clothes are so cool and I get a nice outfit afterwards. I also recently shot a commercial for AT&T where I was a basketball player-that was cool for me because I have been athletic all my life, I even played football in college. I also just shot an editorial that was styled around the civil rights movement. That was probably the coolest one to date. The clothes were phenomenal, but more important, the images I saw in the play-back moved me. It made me feel very proud of that heritage."

brilliant. but at the end of the day, are you making money doing this?

"Yes, I can actually say yes. I save it all because I have another job.how else do you supplement your income?-I work events and banquet parties at one of the chic hotels here in NYC. It is really good for my schedule right now-it pays well and does not conflict with modeling/acting for the most part."

five years from now, do you think it will be a lot easier for you to earn money modeling?

"Of course! From purely a modeling perspective my book would have had a few years to build, and I would have had a few years to develop relationships with the clients. The other thing is that as a make a name for myself as an actor, it was only boost my career as a model because I would have become a more marketable commodity. And I will do well as an actor...just remember the name 'Rotimi.' "

do you find that being a male model is hard compared to being a female model?

"There are obviously more opportunities for females. It is harder in that you have to fight harder in an equally big pool of people for the quality jobs. You don't just want to settle for the jobs that anyone could do...every model should have that feeling of self-worth I think. I drives me to be the best I possibly can."

what are some ways in which you make yourself stand out of the pack?

"For a male I think it is imperative that you make yourself noticeable and network when the opportunity presents itself. Little things like how you behave on a job, cleanliness, arriving a few minutes early could mean the difference between forming a good relationship with a client and leaving a bad taste in their mouths. In this industry, your reputation is important to the scope of your career. For me once I book a job, it's "game on"; it becomes all about how I can be the best model for that client to: a) show them that they picked the right guy, and, b) make sure that I am one of the first people they think of for future jobs. I also have my own sense of style. I'm never trying to follow every trend that's out. I think that same characteristic that cause me to get teased as a kid actually helps define me as model. It is important to have your own style."

any advice for aspiring male or female models?

"1)Be yourself! Don't loose yourself in an industry that tells you what you should be. 2) Care for your body and face, after all, you are a model. Plus, you never know who you'll run into or could be introduced to-first impressions are important."

and our signature question - what's your signature style?

"A complete mix up. Some prep influence, some skate influence and some bohemian influence I guess."

oh! and our most important question, why do you love the blay report?

"I love the blay report because of the topics it covers. It a place where people who are into fashion, for whatever reason, can go a be updated on the latest happenings. Plus if you're unsure what to wear when you leave the house, you can simply take a few seconds to get an idea of what could be fashionable that you could pull off easily."