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Renee Alway | |
|---|---|
| Born | Renee Diane Alway (1986-04-29)April 29, 1986 (age 38)[2] |
| Other names | NeNe, Nayiem |
| Spouse | Jason DeWitt[3] |
| Children | 3[4] |
| Modeling information | |
| Height | 5 ft 10.5 in (1.79 m)[1] |
| Hair color | Brown |
| Eye color | Blue |
Renee Diane Alway (born April 29, 1986), is an Americanfashion model, the last eliminated contestant onAmerica's Next Top Model, Cycle 8, and the runner-up onModelville.
Alway was born and raised innorthern Michigan, where her father was apastor andpolice officer. She revealed in the first episode ofModelville on October 8, 2008, that her father was physically and mentally abusive, and that she, her siblings, and her mother Sandra, were afraid to leave due to her father's respected position in the community as well as his mental instability.[5]
Alway was one of the top three contestants onAmerica's Next Top Model, Cycle 8. She heard about the audition the day before it took place inChicago, and had been in town to get married. She went to the audition four days after she gotmarried.[citation needed] On the show Alway received two first call-outs and won two challenges. She started feuds with many contestants, but after mediation with Tyra Banks the feud stopped. Alway soon began to get along with her fellow models. Alway made it to the finals but was cut after herCoverGirl ad and commercial. Despite making the best commercial and shooting the best ad, the judges felt Alway couldn't embody a Covergirl because she photographed too old. She was subsequently eliminated.
Alway started modeling when she was 13.[6]BeforeTop Model, she modeled inNew York City,Europe andJapan and appeared inSeventeen and ItalianVogue.[7] She also appeared in ads forDelia's. Alway appeared inUS Weekly withJaslene Gonzalez, Natasha Galkina and Dionne Walters. Alway has also done post top model work for Roman Holiday Collection.
She has appeared on theCBS TV seriesShark, in an episode titled "In Absentia."She competed on the reality showModelville that aired withinThe Tyra Banks Show and finished 2nd.
BeforeTop Model, Alway was a stay-at-home mother. She and her husband Jason have three children.
She has said that she has a lot of respect forGermansupermodelHeidi Klum.[1] She has stated that it was hard for her to find jobs because she was just lost in a sea of blond-haired, blue-eyed models.[8]
On June 28, 2013, Alway was arrested after a six-hour standoff with police inPalm Springs,California.[9] She was arrested for multiple offenses, including drug possession, burglary, committing a felony while on bail, theft, and fraud.[10] She also had prior arrests that year for grand theft of more than $400, grand theft with a firearm, and receiving stolen property.[11]
On December 10, 2014, Alway was sentenced to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to four felony burglary counts, one count of vehicle theft, one count of firearm possession, and one misdemeanor count of identity theft. She was dismissed of more than a dozen other counts under a plea agreement.[12] Alway was released from prison in April 2018 after serving a 5-year sentence since June 2013.[13]
Alway publicly came out as gay in 2018.[14]
