You remember the hair. That electric, fire-engine red that basically glowed under the studio lights? If you were watching America's Next Top Model back in 2010, Kayla Ferrel was impossible to miss. She wasn't just another girl in the house; she was the one with the high-fashion edge and a backstory that actually made you root for her.
People still talk about her. Honestly, it’s because she felt real in a show that often felt like a caricature.
The Girl From Rockford
When Kayla first walked onto Cycle 15, the "High Fashion" cycle, she wasn't some polished socialite. She was a 19-year-old from Rockford, Illinois, who had been working at Hooters. Think about that jump. Going from wings and pitchers to being photographed for Vogue Italia? That’s the kind of TV arc producers dream of.
But Kayla’s story had teeth. She was incredibly open about her past—poverty, being bullied for her sexuality, and surviving sexual assault.
She was one of the few out lesbians on the show at the time. It wasn't just a label for her; it was part of her struggle. During the iconic "bullying" photoshoot, she chose the word "Queer" as the slur used against her and "Free" as her power word. It was a heavy moment. You could see the trauma she was carrying, especially during a male-model photoshoot where she had a literal panic attack because she felt uncomfortable being touched by men.
Why She Was "Robbed"
Many fans still insist Kayla from America's Next Top Model should have won. She was a beast in front of the camera. She took some of the best photos of the season—remember the statue shoot in the rain? Or the Grammys challenge she won?
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She made it to the final four. Then, she was gone.
Tyra and the judges sent her home right before the final runway in Italy. It felt like a gut punch to the audience. Ann Ward ended up winning, and while Ann was high-fashion personified, Kayla had the total package. She had the walk, the look, and the personality that usually wins over a brand.
The All-Stars "Fiasco"
She came back for Cycle 17 (All-Stars), but things felt... off. The show gave her a "Free" branding word, which was basically a setup. How do you "act" free in every single challenge?
The makeover was a disaster too. They traded her iconic vibrant red for a muddy, brownish-crimson that washed her out. She was eliminated halfway through, and honestly, it felt like the show didn't know what to do with her anymore. She had outgrown the format.
Life After Tyra: A Plot Twist Nobody Saw Coming
If you haven't kept up with Kayla since the early 2010s, brace yourself. She didn't just stay in a modeling agency in Tokyo (which she did for a bit, and actually found success there).
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She pivoted. Hard.
Kayla went to law school. Not only did she graduate, but she is now Kayla Ferrel Onder, a powerhouse attorney. She’s a partner at OnderLaw in St. Louis. If you see billboards in Missouri now, she’s still on them—but she isn't selling Dior. She’s advocating for survivors of sexual abuse.
It's poetic, really.
The girl who cried on national television because she was afraid to be near men is now the woman taking those men to court. She leads the firm’s sexual abuse practice and has helped recover nearly a billion dollars for victims.
The Sexuality "Controversy"
Because it's the internet, people had a lot to say when they found out Kayla married a man—Jim Onder, the founder of her firm. Since she was the "lesbian contestant," some fans felt "betrayed" or confused.
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But here's the thing: sexuality is a journey.
Many people pointed out that after working through her trauma, her attraction might have expanded. Whether she identifies as bisexual, pansexual, or just "Kayla," she’s clearly living her best life. She transitioned from a reality TV star to a social justice advocate, following a similar path to other ANTM alumni like Furonda Brasfield.
What You Can Learn From Kayla’s Journey
Kayla Ferrel is proof that your "edit" in life isn't permanent. You can be the girl with the red hair on a reality show and then become the lawyer who changes lives.
- Trauma isn't a dead end: Kayla used her platform to speak about abuse when it wasn't "trendy," and then she built a career protecting others.
- The "Robbed" narrative is just a start: Losing ANTM was probably the best thing that happened to her. It allowed her to move into a space where she had real agency.
- Reinvention is key: Don't be afraid to leave the "brand" people built for you.
If you want to follow her current work, you can find her on the OnderLaw website or occasionally on TikTok, where she shares legal insights. She’s a reminder that being "Top Model" material is cool, but being a top-tier advocate is a much bigger win.
To see how other Cycle 15 contestants fared, you can check out the careers of Ann Ward or Chelsey Hersley, but none of them have a transformation quite as dramatic as Kayla’s.