Eleven Ohio State students are taking part in a contest to be the next CW Star.
Three of the students have already moved to the final round, and the other eight are battling it out for the 10th finalist spot. The three finalists are Jessica Brohard, Alyssa Hayman and Angela Quach. The eight semi-finalists include Becca Brudzynski, Stephanie Carpenter, Katie Denlinger, Rachel Jacklin, Kristina Keck, Kory Kubasek, Amber Robinson and Brea Spencer.
The local CW television station held open auditions at Polaris Mall on Sept. 19 and at Buck-i-Frenzy on Sept. 21.
Ouach, a finalist and fourth-year in marketing, heard about the opportunity while she was watching the CW.
“They asked, ‘Could you be the next CW star?'” Quach said. “I immediately said, ‘Yes, I can totally do that.'”
After completing a written application and submitting a birth certificate and three photos, statio representatives interviewed the Hollywood hopefuls and they pled their case for one minute.
Jacklin, a semi-finalist and fourth-year in journalism, said contestants were thrown in front of a green screen in the middle of Polaris Mall and instructed to talk about why they should be the next CW star.
“They asked a couple questions about ourselves and our goals and then we were put on the spot for a one-minute plea for votes,” Jacklin said.
After the open audition, the CW chose nine finalists. To fill the 10th finalist spot, producers selected 25 semi-finalists. The semi-finalist with the most votes by Thursday will be given the final spot.
Jacklin said she has been doing a lot of self-promoting on Facebook, Twitter and through family and friends.
“My ultimate goal would be to end up reporting on E!,” Jacklin said. “This is just like E! but in a smaller market. Being the CW Star would be a dream job.”
Another semi-finalist, Kubasek, a third-year in exercise science education, said he didn’t plan on auditioning until he got to Buck-i-Frenzy, but feels confident.
“I have a lot of humor in my video,” Kubasek said. “And my dad works in the broadcast industry, so if I continue on, I will be able to get a lot of feedback.”
Brohard, a fifth-year in computer science, is one of the nine finalists. As an intern for a video game company during the summer, Brohard said she has plenty of experience with promotions and people.
“I’m very enthusiastic and outgoing, and that’s a huge part of this role,” Brohard said.
Voting for the 10th finalist ends Wednesday at 11:59 p.m. The 10th finalist will be announced Thursday during the CW show “Vampire Diaries.”
Charles Penzone salon will provide makeovers to the 10 finalists. Finalists will also have a second audition in front of a celebrity panel.
“I’m most excited for the celebrity interviews,” Quach said. “I am all about entertainment and fashion.”
The public will choose the CW Star based on the combination of their second interview, public appearances and promotion and votes.
The winner will receive a yearlong contract. The contract includes television and radio appearances, meet-and-greets with fans and celebrities, and a key role on the marketing team.
“The ideal CW Star is the fresh face of the network,” Jacklin said. “They connect the CW to the younger demographic.”
To vote for a semi-finalist, the viewer must watch the contestant’s video from beginning to end. All submitted videos and a list of finalists can be found at cwcolumbus.com.
