ETonline caught up with host and world renown photographer Nigel Barker to talk about this week's gender bending challenge and scored an exclusive clip from tonight's episode featuring RuPaul.
Already well into it's second season, The Face gives viewers unprecedented access to the fashion industry as supermodel coaches Naomi Campbell, Anne V and Lydia Hearst mentor aspiring models through challenges that accurately depict what it takes to have a career as a model and be the face of a brand. ETonline caught up with host and world renown photographer Nigel Barker to talk about this week's gender bending challenge and scored an exclusive clip from tonight's episode featuring RuPaul. Read on to find out who Nigel is dreaming to photograph next.
ETOnline: We're almost through the second season...
Nigel Barker: We have RuPaul joining us this week and Joe Zee as well from Elle Magazine. It's a really awesome week on The Face. To have RuPaul there, who is such an icon in general, in pop culture. And the challenge this week is for the girls to basically appear as chameleons as the opposite sex, which is easier said than done...
So how do the ladies react when they find out what the challenge is? When they find out they have to pose as men? Were they scared?
I think a few of them thought they would have it down, like Tiana who has the short haircut, like oh yeah I can do this, this is my thing. And then there are a few other girls that have longer hair and are like, this is going to be a bit tough. But I think one of the great things about this kind of challenge is that it's less about the way you look and is much more about the way you act. I think that is one of the surprising things about this episode that is revealed. The other coaches talk about that and how you emote and how not to get wrapped up in just your dress and your outfit. It's everything. It's your mannerisms, it's your behavior. You don't have to be a man. In fashion, it's about a nod and a wink to something like that; it's not about literally becoming a drag queen.
As we are half way through the season, things are getting intense among the girls and among the coaches. How much more intense are the girls feeling as we get closer to the end?
It gets crazier and crazier. It's no doubt that as the season continues the stakes get higher and higher. One girl, only one girl will win. Despite the fact that you are in teams, I think up until this moment for sure, they were like, 'we're teams, we're teams.' But then all of a sudden here are just two people left on the team. Then you're like one person is going to go and that means there's just one person on the team, that's not a team. One person is not a team, that's just an individual. They realize things are changing. The teams within the teams start getting a little more and that in itself is also an interesting dynamic to watch.
And as of photographer who has worked with so many wonderful people. Is there anyone you are still dreaming to work with that you haven't had the chance to shoot yet?
Oh yeah, for sure. It's kind of never ending lists of new stars or people who are arriving. Someone who is outside of fashion who I would love to shoot is actually the President. I'd love to photograph him with the First Lady and actually the whole First Family would be extraordinary and amazing and beautiful and all that. And from the entertainment stand point, I have yet to shoot Rihanna. She's right at the top of my list.
The Face airs tonight at 8pm ET/PT on Oxygen.