Name: A.J. Alexander

Birthday: Sept. 16

Birthplace: Evansville, Indiana, USA

Now Lives: Dana Point, Calif., USA

Stats: 5’7”, 110 lbs., 32C-24-35

See her sexy video at SavvyTV!

Look for A.J. Alexander to make a big splash in the entertainment world in 2008 as she makes her feature film debut in the movie American Summer and leverages her growing body of modeling work for greater exposure. At least that is our prediction right now.

“All of these modeling contracts and awesome things were thrown at me in 2007. I am eager for 2008 to start so people can see the movie,” A.J. said.

This Indiana beauty grew up with a strong support system at home and continues to demonstrate how she is not only gorgeous but also smart, talented and exceptionally driven.

A.J., which stands for “Amanda Jane,” joined Savvy Nation in 2007, and has her sights set on providing some serious competition for the Million Dollar Woman in 2008.

“I’m just now realising over the last few months how popular Savvy is and what it can do for a girl’s career. I know so many things can come out of getting a feature on Savvy,” she said.

Following her photo shoot with Barry Smith of Studio 8 Photography, A.J. was kind enough to lend us a little more of her time to fill us in on how she made it from Evansville, Indiana to becoming a Savvy feature girl.

Savvy: You seem like a pretty cool, laid back kind of lady.

A.J.: That’s the tomboy in me. I’m the perfect girl for my boyfriend because I’m cool and I love watching sports, hanging out with the guys. My parents only had two girls, so I ended up being the son my father never had.

Savvy: What’d you play?

A.J.: Softball, basketball, horseback riding, golf. I actually lettered in softball and golf in high school. I also did swimming and tennis on the side. I played sports from the age of four up until I was 17 or 18. There’s not much I do these days that is athletic, so I tell people that was my workout regimen all those years. Having a fit figure just came naturally with all the running around I did.

Savvy: So you’re super-competitive?

A.J.: I’m not a sore loser or anything like that, but I am definitely competitive. I like to win, of course, and just get in on all of the action, I guess.

Savvy: Name your teams.

A.J.: I gotta say the Colts because I’m from Indiana and they did win the Super Bowl last year! I cheer for the Lakers too. I sort of go for whichever teams the people around me support. I don’t like Kobe Bryant that much, but there’s another Lakers player, Roni Turiaf, who I really like.

Savvy: What was your first job? Wasn’t it doing commercials for your dad’s business when you were nine years old?

A.J.: My first job acting was doing commercials for my family’s business, Putt-Putt Golf & Games. I eventually worked there throughout my teen years along with my sister. It was such a fun place for a kid; bumper boats, go–karts and batting cages. I was pretty much raised on eating junk food like snow cones and Snickers candy bars. (laughs) The miniature golf helped my golfing skills as well.

Savvy: How did you get into modeling? Indiana isn’t really a modeling capital.

A.J.: I went to the model search things in hotels, but those are mostly rip-offs. My dad would take me to these events and I’d get callbacks, but I was young so nothing ever came of it. When I was 19, I contacted a local agency on my own and did a lot of promotional stuff with them. Then I was introduced to the world of Internet modeling. I started getting contacted by photographers wanting to shoot, and that’s kind of where it all started.

Savvy: Internet modeling? You mean like starting a pay site where guys subscribe to look at you?

A.J.: No. (Laughs) I’ve never done anything like that. I’m talking about web sites like Onemodelplace.com where you can post portfolios. What happened was a photographer who’d shot me a good bit started posting pictures of me on these sites and was getting tonnes of feedback from people saying they loved my look or whatever. I got on there and built up my portfolio doing TFP (trade for print) shoots, which led to doing paid shoots.

Savvy: Wow, so those sites actually do get you work, at least if the model looks like you.

A.J.: I actually got discovered online and was invited to audition for the role of the deaf DJ in American Summer. A photographer I worked for had my photo posted on another portfolio site and Warren Zide, the producer of the American Pie movies, likes to scout new girls for his movies from those sites. American Summer is a comedy with a lot of hot women so that makes sense. I was already in California by then so I was able to go to the audition. I hadn’t done much true acting other than easy stuff like TV commercials and an Indie film. It’s amazing how naturally it happened.

Savvy: Whoa, back up. A deaf DJ?

A.J.: Pretty much half of the movie takes place at this huge party. You know about Beethoven, how he was deaf but could feel the percussion? Same thing. I had to learn sign language for this role. It was pretty cool.

Savvy: How did you make the big move from Indiana to California?

A.J.: I thought I would always live in Indiana because I’ve always been big on family, but I had a profile on Myspace and met a guy from Orange County, Calif. on there. After talking for a while, I came to visit him and sparks flew. Photographers had been telling me for years that I needed to be in California to make it in the industry. But it was love that literally drove me to California from Indiana. And from there on, my career has grown and it continues to grow as we speak.

Savvy: Did California give you a bit of a culture shock? You know, in a big fish/small pond turned small fish/big pond kinda way? Surely Orange County has to hold some kind of per capita record for hot women…

A.J.: It’s funny but when I go to a bar in California, I actually get even more attention than I did in a small town. It’s kind of crazy that it happened like that. I’m a natural girl; I don’t wear a lot of makeup out. People tell me that I am true beauty, inside and out, and do not have a stuck up attitude like a lot of Orange County girls do.

Savvy: Speaking of inner and outer beauty, you’ve put your hand up for Savvy’s Search for the Million Dollar Woman. What do you think of the contest so far?

A.J.: It is pretty cool. It was definitely a different way of doing an online modeling contest. I definitely like that Savvy makes you register and you can see comments that people leave for you every day. It’s pretty cool when someone takes the time to leave you a message saying, “I voted for you today.”

Savvy: Yes, we have a great community going here. What would you do with a million buckaroos?

A.J.: Whoa. (Laughs) I would pay off any debts I have and then buy my first home in North Laguna Beach, which is where I want to live. I would also definitely have to pay my parents back for all of the times my dad has loaned me spare cash!

Savvy: Your dad sounds like one cool cat.

A.J.: Yes, I love my dad. He’s totally awesome. He’s handsome and really smart. He tried college for a couple of weeks then dropped out. That did not stop his drive for owning many successful businesses. My partner in life will have to match what he is or be even better.

Savvy: It will be tough to find a guy who measures up to dad. Describe your ideal guy…

A.J.: I want a guy who is smart, who has goals and ambition. He needs to want something for himself. I always thought, growing up, that I liked mumma’s boys, but it can get pretty annoying having to teach a grown man how to write a cheque or do his own laundry. It’s nice to find a man who knows how to do all of that stuff by himself. Then, of course, good looks and behaving like a gentleman, and being a good communicator.

Savvy: So what does a guy have to do to get your attention?

A.J.: I don’t like pick-up lines, even clever ones. I know guys are probably thinking, “Well, how are we supposed to approach you then?” I kind of like it when you are shy, exchanging glances and smiles across the room, then you just say “Hi” to each other. That’s so much better than walking up to a girl and asking her if her legs are tired because she’s been running through your mind all night! (laughs) I also hate when guys act stuck up or snobby.

Savvy: What’s the most romantic thing a guy ever did for you?

A.J.: I think it is amazing when a guy has everything planned out and surprises you. Like having an amazing dinner on the beach at sunset. When I was a teenager, my boyfriend was an artist and drew a picture of us slow dancing in a fountain, which we had done one night while my car radio played a love song. That was pretty romantic but a long time ago.

Savvy: Have you had any bad experiences since you started modeling?

A.J.: There was this photographer I dealt with once over the phone. While we were talking about him hiring me, he asked me all of these unnecessary questions. He asked me about drugs, trying to find out if I did them or might do them, and said he’d wire me $5,000 so I could go shopping and have some outfits to bring to the photo shoot. He said we could go out to strip clubs when I got there. I asked this guy to stop calling me. It ended up getting really ugly where I had to cuss him out and hang up on him. That was really the only bad experience I’ve had with modeling.

Savvy: Ouch. Let’s not end it on that note – instead, run us through the shoot you just did for Savvy with Barry Smith, who is always a gentleman on the set.

A.J.: He was great. My Savvy shoot was a very relaxing experience. You’ll probably see on the video where I was dancing the whole time to the music they had playing, and everyone on the set had fun that day. The whole crew made me feel as if I’d known them my whole life.

Savvy: Alas, we are just getting to know you, A.J., but we hope we get to see you fulfill all of your Hollywood dreams and have a happy life.

A.J.: Thanks, Savvy!

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On the Web:

http://www.ajalexander.net/

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Credits: Photography by Barry Smith, Studio 8 Photography; interview and story by Steven Stiefel; Make-Up by Devon; Styling by Arekah; video shot by Thom VanQurkerk; video edited by Daniel Parkinson; shoot produced by Candace Rae.