Us humble folk, blessed with average cheek bones and stunted height are constantly being told by the media that models are more than just pretty faces, but are talented beings too. Some of them have degrees in art from Cambridge (Lily Cole) while others have built successful businesses around their magnificent looks (Elle McPherson). They're often portrayed as mythical creatures with names like 'Bambi' and 'Arizona,' who accidentally got discovered at some mundane place like a super market, while wearing their school uniform. They seem to live amazing lives, travelling the globe with flawless skin and skin tight jeans. Flaws and insecurities are rarely ever highlighted. Drugs, alcohol and saturated fats are nearly never mentioned.

Instead of opening up and sharing intimate details, models prefer to talk about their passions, and more often than not, their main passion is acting. Many a model has tried to succeed in Hollywood but very few have walked away with the thought 'that was a good career move' running through their head.

The latest model to try her hand at acting is Russian doll Sasha Pivovarova. Sasha plays Justin Timberlake's youthful looking mother-in-law in the sci-fi flick In Time. 



Just how much Sasha 'acts' in the movie is yet to be confirmed, but hey, not a bad movie to make an appearance in. And she's not the only Russian model popping up in a sci-fi flick. Daria Strokous is also set to flirt with film when she appears in the up-coming film Contagion, alongside Marion Cotillard, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, Matt Damon and Jude Law. 

So while we wait to see if these beauties succeed or fail on the silver screen, let us look back on  some of the best, worst and most potential model movie stars. 

The Good

Shalom Harlow 
Starred In: In & Out, How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days, Vanilla Sky

Now here's a girl that will happily give it to you straight. There's not many mythical qualities here. Sure Shalom Harlow has stunning features that the camera loves, but she's not afraid to make fun of herself and poke fun at what it's like to be really really ridiculously good looking. Granted, Harlow playing a great stereotypical air-head model, such as the monotone Sonya in comedy In & Out and a pouty Judy in How to Lose A Guy in Ten Days,  might not be much of a stretch, but to her credit she's yet to look out of place on film and has never overestimated her acting talents. 

Lily Cole
Starred In: The Imaginarium of Dr Panasses, St Trinians, Rage
It makes perfect sense for Lily Cole to be on the big screen. Even if she wasn't a good actress, those cherub looks are made to be seen in fantasy or period pieces. Luckily she is a good little actress and has landed fairly reputable roles, namely in Heath Ledger's last movie The Imaginarium of Dr Panassess and Sally Potter directed anti-fashion polemic Rage (where she played a model named Lettuce Leaf). The red headed beauty is now set to star in Snow White and the Huntsman, with Kirstin Stewart as Snow White and Chris Hemsworth as the Huntsman. 



Gemma Ward
Starred In: The Black Balloon, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
When Gemma Ward announced she was going to leave the modelling world and try her hand at acting I was both saddened and skeptical. As one of my favourite models of all time, my catwalk was going to feel incredibly empty without Gemma's baby doll face waltzing down. How dare she leave for such a predictable and cliched route. But thankfully, she wasn't bluffing. Instead of scoping for a Hollywood piece, Ward settled down with a golden Aussie flick and proved her critics and myself, that we had judged too hastily. She was magnificent in the Black Balloon. Though there was little acting to do when she was cast as a mermaid in Pirates of the Caribbean, she still played a bloody convincing mermaid . And now once again she's left me wanting more. Catwalk, magazine pages, movies - whatever you want to do Gemma just let me see your amazing face again!



Milla Jovovich
Starred in: Resident Evil, Zoolander, The Fifth Element
I once dressed as Katinka from Zoolander to a Derelict party. I wore a wig, bad ass lipstick and put on a Russian accent and everything. It sadly ended in me using the wig to catch my own vomit and getting carried home with red lipstick all over my face. Why am I bringing this up? Well considering I couldn't last a few hours without turning into a hot mess as Katinka, I gotta give props to Milla for making it through the whole movie sans lipstick on teeth (that's a skill in itself people). She was also pretty god damn cute in a kick-ass kinda way as Leeloo in The Fifth Element, especially considering that she had to portray a lot of emotion with very little dialogue. And in Resident Evil.....I've never seen Resident Evil. It's not my thing. But judging by how many of them there are (four in total) she can't be all that bad.



The Bad 

Rosie Huntington Whiteley
Starred in: Transformers: Dark of the Moon
To be fair, Rosie Huntington Whiteley never really had a chance to prove herself in Transformers. Sadly in a world of robots and world domination, there is very little room for the heroin to do anything but pout and look good in tight pants. If that's what I was marking Rosie on then she'd get an A+. But then again this is not a Roger Rabbit movie and I'm not a 14 year old boy. Sadly, Rosie did have to talk in the movie and when models talk it can be a very scary experience (Kate Moss anyone?) Never thought I'd say this but I miss Megan Fox. Please spare us from anymore movies Rosie babe. Still shots are your forte.
  


Gisele
Starred in: Taxi, The Devil Wears Prada
Is it bad I take sweet pleasure in knowing that I can act better than the richest model in the world? If Gisele's performance in Taxi and my grade 11 performance as Juliet's mother in Romeo and Juliet were up against each other for an Oscar, I'd have a gold statue on my mantle piece as we speak. I recently had the excruciating task of watching Taxi for this fun assignment. Sweet lord I would not wish it on my worst enemy. Not only was Gisele a stiff and skinny robot in the movie, but I had to endure watching Justin Long and Queen Latifah make a terrible movie choice. When bad movies happen to good people, it's the worst. The Devil Wears Prada was a much better movie, but Giselle's side kick performance was no where near up to scratch alongside Meryl. If we've all learnt one thing from today it's that Victoria Secret models do not make great actresses. Don't even think about it Miranda Kerr.



Tyra Banks
Starred in: Coyote Ugly, Halloween: Resurrection
Tyra's acting talent peaked when she danced to Ja Rule on a bar in Coyote Ugly. She then decided to go back to what she does best - going ape shit at young hopeful models. Best career move ever. 
 
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Who should get in on the act:

Freja Beha Erichsen
Should star in: Misunderstood indie filcks
That deep velvety voice! I want to take a luke warm bath in it and let it wash over me. Not only does Freja have dreamy looks and an equally dreamy voice, but her laid back and breezy attitude has great potential to translate to the big screen. Hey Sophia Coppola, start taking notes on this one. 



 Arizona Muse
Should star in: Westerns and movies set in middle America (with a name like that, come on now).
Oh how I do wish my name was Arizona Muse. The American model from, yep you guessed it, Tucson Arizona began modeling in 2008 but didn't gain much attention until last year. Around the time she started in the industry she also starred in the film Solitary Man alongside Michael Douglas, Susan Sarandon and Danny Devito. It was only a small part to play, but Arizon's face completely shone onscreen, and despite her spectacular looks, Arizona also embodies a natural 'girl-next-door' appeal. She's pretty but likeable and unlike watching Gisele in Taxi, I don't want to poke her legs with my fork. I think she ever wanted to swap Hermes for Hollywood she would have my blessing -  and that means a lot coming from a model movie star skeptic.