Updated: Tuesday, 07 Jul 2009, 9:17 AM EDT
Published : Tuesday, 07 Jul 2009, 9:16 AM EDT
“THE BEAUTIFUL LIFE” (New Series)
Wednesdays at 9:00 p.m. on The CW on WWHO-TV
The life of a high-fashion model appears glamorous and sexy,
but as every new model quickly learns, behind the beautiful
façade is a world of insecurity and cutthroat competition. Two
teenage models who are about to discover this world for themselves
are Raina Collins (Sara Paxton, “Last House on the
Left”), a stunning beauty with a secret past, and Chris
Andrews (Benjamin Hollingsworth, “The Line”), a
strikingly handsome Iowa farm boy. When Raina makes an
unforgettable impression at a show introducing the new line from
designer Zac Posen (appearing in a cameo role), she steals the
spotlight from her friend Sonja (Mischa Barton, “The
O.C.”). Sonja has been out of the country for mysterious
reasons and is now desperate to reclaim her standing as the
reigning supermodel. While Raina and Sonja live at the top of the
fashion food chain, Chris is starting at the bottom, having just
been discovered by agent Simon Lockridge (newcomer Dusan Dukic) of
the Covet Modeling Agency, which is owned by former supermodel
Claudia Foster (Elle Macpherson, “Friends”). At his
first photo shoot, Chris’ inexperience almost derails his
career until Raina comes to his rescue, showing him how to relax
and work the camera. That afternoon, Raina brings Chris to the
“models’ residence” where she lives along with
other young hopefuls, including Marissa Delfina (Ashley Madekwe,
“Secret Diary of a Call Girl”), Egan (Jordan Woolley,
“As The World Turns”), Issac (Corbin Bleu, “High
School Musical 2”) and the current alpha-male-model known as
Kai (Nico Tortorella, “Twelve”). At an exclusive
industry party that night, Chris is again impressed by
Raina’s generosity when she steps aside to make sure Sonja
lands a job that will resurrect her career. However, after an ugly
scene with Simon, Chris is left to question whether he can survive
in this world of dangerous excess and fleeting fame. THE BEAUTIFUL
LIFE is from Katalyst Films in association with CBS Television
Studios and Warner Bros. Television with executive producers Ashton
Kutcher & Jason Goldberg (“True Beauty,”
“Punk’d”), Karey Burke (“True
Beauty”), Mike Kelley (“Swingtown,”
“Jericho”) and Carol Barbee (“Swingtown,”
“Jericho”). Christian Duguay (“Coco
Chanel”) directed the pilot.