OLIVIA JORDAN

NEW YORK POST – NOVEMBER 2017

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Model Olivia Jordan — one of six open casting finalists for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue — has two favorite assets . . . but they’re not what you’d expect.

“My feet are my favorite part of my body,” the Tulsa, Oklahoma native, 29, says.

They’ve carried her through a robust career so far. In 2015, Jordan was crowned Miss USA. She’s currently pursuing an acting career — she’s appeared in “Hot Tub Time Machine 2” and Lifetime’s “Unreal.”

And, of course, she’s done some foot modeling on the side.

But, growing up, Jordan wasn’t always confident about her body and described herself as a “tall, awkwardly lanky and insecure.” She ended up going to a modeling workshop at 14 years old for a self-esteem boost.

And when she showed up to meetings with casting agents who told her to lose weight, she says she pulled out copies of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and said, “These girls looked like me and there’s a place for me in the industry,” Jordan says. “I don’t have to fit into a box.”

Meanwhile, her ultimate goal is to be an all-around entertainer. “I’d love to have a career like ’ and ’s,” she says. HEAVY – NOVEMBER 2017

https://heavy.com/entertainment/2017/11/olivia-jordan-sports-illustrated-model/ Olivia Jordan: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know By S.M. Walsh

Actress, model and Miss USA 2015 Olivia Jordan attends the SI Swimsuit 2018 Model Search celebration and preview of the Sports Illustrated Swim and Active Collection at Mr. Purple in Hotel Indigo LES November 1, 2017 in New York City.

Olivia Jordan is ready to make her mark on the world. The 29-year-old actress, model, and beauty pageant titleholder is one of six finalists in Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue this year.

Jordan was one of six women selected from a pool of 5,000 applicants. The other five include Allie Ayers, Iyonna Fairbanks, Olivia Jordan, Haley Kalil, Camille Kostek and Tabria Majors. All six women will appear in the 2018 issue as model search contestants. Here’s what we know about Olivia Jordan.

1. She Was Miss USA 2015 Olivia was Miss World United States 2013 and was named Miss USA on July 12, 2015. As Miss USA, she was the 2nd runner up to 2015. She is the first woman from Oklahoma to be crowned Miss USA.

As a model, she’s been featured in national campaigns for retailers like Target, David’s Bridal, and in magazines like Cosmopolitan, Shape and Maxim.

HEAVY – NOVEMBER 2017

The model has found that with more success has come more opportunity. She tells Tulsa World, “I’m just blessed that opportunities keep coming my way… I remember being asked as a 10-year- old what I wanted to be and saying I wanted to be an actress and a model. And I think that was my early goal because of all the shows we went to, seeing people I knew doing creative things with their lives. It made me realize how the arts are something that really brings us all together.

HEAVY – NOVEMBER 2017

2. She Graduated from University According to her IMDB page, Olivia graduated from Boston University, where she majored in Health Science and worked as a group fitness instructor and personal trainer at BU’s FITREC facility.

Growing up in Tulsa, Jordan was exposed to and heavily involved in the arts. In an interview with Tulsa World, she shared, “I fear I took it for granted in a way because I can’t think of a time in my life when the arts weren’t a part of my life… It was just an integral part of my childhood — going with my parents to visit the museums, taking art classes at Philbrook, going to shows at the Performing Arts Center. And the schools I went to — Monte Cassino and Bishop Kelley — both had great music and art classes. So it was all around me, and I know it pushed me into pursuing a creative life of my own.”

HEAVY – NOVEMBER 2017

3. She Is an Aspiring Actress Along with modeling, Jordan hopes to find success as an actress. She was a party guest in Ted in 2012, and she also played Jessica in two episodes of Murder in the First. In Hot Tub Time Machine, she played a bridesmaid.

Jordan says that the interaction between acting and modeling can be both a help and a hindrance. She tells Tulsa World, “There is a huge stereotype associated with the pageant world that you have to overcome… There was a top film producer that my agent had been trying for a long time to arrange a meeting, but he kept saying he didn’t have the time. Then, when I was Miss USA, he wanted to meet — although the first thing he said was, ‘I just don’t understand this pageant thing — it’s got nothing to do with acting.” She continues, “On the other hand, there are those who appreciate the accomplishment, who realize that you’re someone who’s willing to work hard and do what’s necessary to accomplish something.”

HEAVY – NOVEMBER 2017

4. Her Feet Are Her Favorite Part of Her Body In a recent interview with the New York Post, Jordan joked, “My feet are my favorite part of my body.”

At 5’11”, Jordan admits that being tall has not always been easy. Speaking to the New York Post, she describes her teenage self as “tall, awkwardly lanky, and insecure.” At 14, she enrolled in a modeling workshop.

Speaking to the outlet about the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Model Search, Jordan recently said, “I have always dreamed of being an SI swimsuit model, which has led me to follow the Instagram accounts of the magazine, photographers and creative director for years. One week, I saw all platforms posting about an opportunity to submit an application for a model search via Instagram and I knew I had to take the chance. I posted a video, tagged #SISwimSearch and crossed my fingers.”

HEAVY – NOVEMBER 2017

5. She Helped Get the HOPE Act for Alzheimer’s Passed in Congress Jordan is an advocate for the Alzheimer’s Association, and according to People, she sites one of her biggest accomplishments to date as getting the HOPE Act for Alzheimer’s passed in Congress.

Tulsa World reports that Olivia worked with her father to speak with US senators about how the HOPE Act for Alzheimer’s “would increase access to information on care and support for newly diagnosed individuals and their families.”

Jordan shares, “Just to be there with my dad, trying to accomplish this huge thing, and being able to use my title as a way to gain access to certain people, was one of the highlights of my time as Miss USA.”

She has also been involved in Smile Train, and the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance. Jordan is also an outstanding advocate of Children of the Night, an organization dedicated to getting children out of prostitution in the US.

SI SWIMSUIT – JULY 2017

https://www.si.com/swim-daily/2017/07/26/olivia-jordan-si-swimsuit-open-casting-call-top-15 SI Swimsuit Open Casting Call Top 15: Olivia Jordan Kelsey Hendrix Mon Jul 31, 2017

It's that time of year again! SI Swimsuit Casting Call season is upon us, and you're in for a real treat.

For the first time ever, we held an open casting call to find our next big star. After receiving thousands of Instagram submissions from women around the world, we invited 35 finalists to SI's Brooklyn offices for an in-person interview and photo shoot. From there, it wasn't easy, but we narrowed down the list our Top 15, who made history during Miami Swim Week as they walked the runway in SI's first branded swimwear show.

So how about we get to know your Top 15 a little better? First up is the gorgeousOlivia Jordan!

SI SWIMSUIT – JULY 2017

Here's one of our favorite moments with Olivia during Miami Swim Week:

SI SWIMSUIT – JULY 2017

And here's a look at Olivia in our new SI Swimsuit-branded swimwear:

Taylor Ballantyne

Taylor Ballantyne

SI SWIMSUIT – JULY 2017

Enjoy some more photos of Olivia below, and be sure to keep coming back to Swim Daily to learn more about our #SISwimSearch Top 15!

SI SWIMSUIT – JULY 2017

TULSA WORLD – MAY 2017

For Olivia Jordan, being involved in the arts was simply a part of growing up in Tulsa.

“I fear I took it for granted in a way because I can’t think of a time in my life when the arts weren’t a part of my life,” the former Miss USA said. “It was just an integral part of my childhood — going with my parents to visit the museums, taking art classes at Philbrook, going to shows at the Performing Arts Center.

“And the schools I went to — Monte Cassino and Bishop Kelley — both had great music and art classes,” she said. “So it was all around me, and I know it pushed me into pursuing a creative life of my own.”

Jordan will be in Tulsa this weekend as the keynote speaker of the Arts Alliance Tulsa “Play Your Part” Brunch, one of the major fundraising efforts of the city’s united arts fund. TULSA WORLD – MAY 2017

The funds raised during the “Play Your Part” campaign will go toward operational grants the alliance awards to its 40-member group.

The event will also recognize some of the volunteers who contribute their time and talents to the member organizations.

“I have to admit, being asked to do this came as a huge surprise,” Jordan said.

“Writing the speech I’m going to give has been a real challenge because you never think you’ve done anything profound that needs to be shared. So I plan to talk about my own journey, about what it means to me to be an artist working in a creative industry, and on a more broad level, about how the arts have impacted and enriched my life.”

Jordan was already finding success as an actress and model when she entered the Miss USA pageant, which she won in 2015, and was second runner-up in the Miss Universe pageant. She has been featured in national campaigns for retailers, such as Target and

David’s Bridal, and in magazines including Cosmopolitan, Shape and Maxim.

She just completed filming her first major film role, a suspense drama with the working title of “Attraction,” playing one member of a group of vacationers who accidentally stumble upon a terrorist plot and are forced to run for their lives.

Jordan acknowledged that winning the Miss USA title has been at once a help and a hindrance to her career.

“There is a huge stereotype associated with the pageant world that you have to overcome,” she said. “There was a top film producer that my agent had been trying for a long time to arrange a meeting, but he kept saying he didn’t have the time. Then, when I was Miss

USA, he wanted to meet — although the first thing he said was, ‘I just don’t understand this pageant thing — it’s got nothing to do with acting.’

“On the other hand, there are those who appreciate the accomplishment, who realize that you’re someone who’s willing to work hard and do what’s necessary to accomplish something,” Jordan said.

But the title also gave Jordan ample opportunities to engage in a great deal of charity work for organizations that include Children of the

Night, Smile Train and the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance.

One of her proudest moments was working along with her father as an advocate for the Alzheimer’s Association. Jordan and her father spoke with a number of U.S. senators about how the HOPE Act for Alzheimer’s would increase access to information on care and support for newly diagnosed individuals and their families.

“Just to be there with my dad, trying to accomplish this huge thing, and being able to use my title as a way to gain access to certain people, was one of the highlights of my time as Miss USA,” Jordan said.

She is still involved with the pageant — she was a backstage host for the 2017 pageant, held Sunday in Las Vegas. And she will be heading to New York to audition for the upcoming Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.

“I’m just blessed that opportunities keep coming my way,” Jordan said. “I remember being asked as a 10-year-old what I wanted to be and saying I wanted to be an actress and a model. And I think that was my early goal because of all the shows we went to, seeing people I knew doing creative things with their lives. It made me realize how the arts are something that really brings us all together.” COSMOPOLITAN – DECEMBER 2015

Miss USA Olivia Jordan: What It's Really Like to Compete for Miss Universe

It involves "more sequins dresses than I have worn in my lifetime."

By Helin Jung Dec 20, 2015

COSMOPOLITAN – DECEMBER 2015

When the Miss Universe pageant airs tonight, the U.S. will be represented by 27- year-old Oklahoman Olivia Jordan, who has been traveling the country sporting her white sash and gleaming smile ever since winning the title of Miss USA in July. She is now in Las Vegas, where 80 women from all over the world have been holed up at Planet Hollywood for the past 20 days getting ready for tonight. Olivia spoke to Cosmopolitan.com earlier this month about Vegas buffets, interview prep, and all those sequin dresses.

Walk me through what the last couple of days have been like for you.

It's early, so it's not crazy yet, but I'm sure after 20 days that it's a long journey to be under high security and not on your own schedule, and long days and short nights. It's funny, none of us even really know what time of day it is. We've been indoors since we checked in. At 3 o'clock, it feels like 8 a.m. We're like, "What time is it? Where are we?"

COSMOPOLITAN – DECEMBER 2015

What did you bring with you to the competition?

I brought about six suitcases of luggage, which includes a lot of different sequins dresses — more sequin dresses than I have worn in my lifetime for these three weeks of my life. I think I have seven dresses that include beading and sequins, and probably more than 30 dresses in all. Daywear, rehearsal wear, workout clothes, and pajamas. So it's a lot of stuff. I always bring a journal when I come. This year, I brought The Power of Now. I have my meditation on my phone. It's the balance of all the craziness of this world, and finding the quiet moments to reconnect with yourself and stay true to yourself. You don't want to get wrapped up in all of the hoopla of Vegas and the competition, and lose your serenity during your time here. When you get to the final stage, you need to be stress-free and enjoy the moment.

COSMOPOLITAN – DECEMBER 2015

How tough is that to manage all of that stress?

It's been like a life progression for me but I am a lot better at this now than I used to be. I started pageants three years ago. I just try to enjoy every moment and really be present because it's such a special time. It's unusual to have women from all over the world together in a room to talk about the different issues that we're dealing with in our countries, the different issues we deal with as women and how we have overcome those. We're all passionate people following our dreams and that's a magical thing be proud of.

I can't believe you've only been doing this for three years.

There are a lot of girls here that this their second pageant ever. The first pageant they won was their country. In the U.S., you have to win your state first and then you have to win Miss USA, and then you go on to Miss Universe. There are also girls that have been doing this since they were 3 years old.

COSMOPOLITAN – DECEMBER 2015

Do you guys eat together?

Yeah. At the competition, we eat three meals a day together and it's basically an all-you-can-eat buffet in Vegas that has every different kind of food. So there's a lot of temptation there.

That's hard.

I know. It's actually really hard. I'm a crazy bread lover. I love carbs. I had oatmeal with berries as my breakfast, but I was inclined to have a croissant and, like, I don't need the croissant, I need the energy. I can have a boiled egg instead of the croissant and get the same calories — actually, less calories with the egg — and I would get a lot more energy out of it.

COSMOPOLITAN – DECEMBER 2015

Do you guys ever end up talking about that kind of stuff together? Commenting on what you can or can't eat?

At Miss USA, there was definitely a lot of that. At Miss Universe, it's funny — there are so many cultures and countries, and everyone has different body type goals. There are girls that are not restricting at all because they're hoping to have curves in the competition. I find that very empowering and beautiful because we do get wrapped up about in our own country's beauty standards. The acceptance that there are so many standards of beauty in so many different body types is so cool. It's so important to see all of these beautiful women have a second helping of ice cream after dessert. I'm like, power to you. I love that. It's all about balance. You have to enjoy yourself sometimes. And I feel like if you can do that and feel great on stage then definitely do it.

I've read about how stressful it can be to be Miss USA in the sense that you have so little time for yourself. Have you had a similar experience?

I have the unique and wonderful position that I've been active in the entertainment industry for four years as a full-time actress and model. I'm a hustler. In my career, it has been up to me to figure out what city that I need to be in, at what time, and manage travel and do all of that. I'm used to 15-hour days. I'm used to doing a shoot and then getting on a plane that night and doing a shoot the next day. I have been living with a crazy schedule for so many years that being Miss USA doesn't even feel crazy to me. Now, I have all of these people that are doing all of these things that I used to do for myself. I have a travel manager that helps take care of me and plans my flights. Sometimes, I'm so amused at how many people are helping me throughout the day, even helping me with ideas for social media. It's an incredible team that works together. It's definitely a demanding schedule, it's a full-time job, but it's a great opportunity and a great year and I don't feel drained for energy yet, but maybe I will let you know at the end of the year.

How many people are on your team?

There are about 30 that work on a day-to-day basis. That's a mix of full-time employees, interns, and part-time employees. Once we get into production then there are hundreds. It's incredible how many people it takes to make these shows go on. When I walk into the office, there are an outstanding number of times where I would be the face on everyone's computer. One person is working on a press release, and one person is working on sending me out to create a new sponsorship relationship. It's very surreal to walk into the office, and I'm hearing people pitch me and talk about about me. It's a weird feeling.

COSMOPOLITAN – DECEMBER 2015

What would people find surprising about training to be Miss USA and Miss Universe?

They don't understand how much we've done in terms of interview training. To answer a final question on stage is either going to break you or make you into a YouTube sensation. It's so important to answer questions and to know where you stand on important issues. That's something that gets overlooked. People don't understand the amount of pressure involved. When girls have blooper moments, they assume the girl's not intelligent, but the pressure gets to you.

COSMOPOLITAN – DECEMBER 2015

You talked about how you've gotten better at pageant life over the past three years. What's that progression been like for you?

In the beginning, I would look at other girls that had won and try to emulate them. The longer I do this, the more I realize that it's a different winner every year. It's someone that's completely confident in herself. The longer I do this, the more I'm true to myself. It's been a progression of self-acceptance and growth and learning about what makes me unique. I've become more confident in myself.

BACKSTAGE – DECEMBER 2015

Olivia Jordan, aka Miss USA in the Miss Universe Pageant, has spent the last three weeks with 80 other women at the Planet Hollywood Las Vegas Resort & Casino getting ready for the big night. She was kind enough to share some behind-the-scenes photos of the world’s most beautiful women—and proves that looking that good can sometimes take a lot of work! Catch Jordan competing live when Fox airs the competition Dec. 20. BACKSTAGE – DECEMBER 2015

Packing for three weeks of competition can definitely be challenging! I managed to get everything into these six suitcases. Almost everyone was pushing the 50-pound limit. I felt a little guilty as the bellman was helping me up to my room, but he assured me this was normal and that one contestant even brought 24 bags! That’s more than one case per day. It takes a lot of work to look competition- ready for three weeks.

I was lucky enough to have my hair styled by a fellow Oklahoma girl, Tammy Mixon. The hair and makeup team members are from all over the world and it’s an incredible opportunity when these connections work out to be someone from your hometown. BACKSTAGE – DECEMBER 2015

We have arrived! This is a snap from our welcome event at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. We had already been here a week, but this was like our coming-out party to the public. We drew quite a crowd on the Las Vegas Strip—81 women representing their countries proudly in their sashes is quite the head turner. (P.S. I promise I’m not naked in this photo…my dress was just strapless!)

The best part about the weeks leading up to competition is meeting all the women from across the world, and selfies are a must! Here is one with the gorgeous Miss Philippines. BACKSTAGE – DECEMBER 2015

Interviews! We stay busy with Fox, our sponsors, and other media that come in to interview us on everything from our thoughts on world issues to tips on how to stay confident and be your best self. You have to stay current on what is happening across the world—and stay well-rested enough to always form complete sentences!

Want more exclusive photos? Check out our Backstage Life series!

TIME – JULY 2015

Miss Oklahoma Olivia Jordan Is the Winner of the Miss USA Pageant 2015

Miss Oklahoma Olivia Jordan poses onstage at the 2015 Miss USA Pageant Only On ReelzChannel at The Baton Rouge River Center on July 12, 2015 in Baton Rouge, La.

By JOANNA PLUCINSKA July 13, 2015 TIME – JULY 2015

Olivia Jordan, Miss Oklahoma, took home the crown at this year’s Miss USA pageant, in a contest that was mired in controversy after it’s co-owner made a series of highly controversial comments about Mexicans.

The pageant was held in Baton Rouge, La. for the second year in a row. Trump himself chose not to come, saying he had to attend to his presidential campaign.

Last month, Trump referred to many Mexican immigrants as rapists and drug dealers in his presidential campaign announcement, according to the Associated Press. The comments infuriated the Hispanic community and many of Trump’s business partners, causing both Univision and NBC to back out of airing the pageant. Many of the original hosts and judges also dropped out.

Reelz, a digital cable network, stepped in to broadcast the ceremony instead, saying, according to AP, that it was “an integral part of American tradition.” To fill the hosting gaps, the show brought back old Miss USA and Miss Universe contestants as judges.

THE WASHINGTON TIMES – JULY 2015

ON-CAMERA

CNN – JULY 2015

MISS USA TALKS TRUMP http://www.cnn.com/videos/tv/2015/07/15/olivia-jordan-miss-usa-donald-trump-cnn-tonight.cnn

ABC NEWS – JULY 2017

Meet Miss USA, Olivia Jordan http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/video/meet-miss-usa-olivia-jordan-32522202

PIC

TULSA CHANNEL 8

Tulsa native and former Miss USA Olivia Jordan advocates for women's empowerment http://ktul.com/news/local/tulsa-native-and-former-miss-america-olivia-jordan-advocates-for-womens- empowerment

"It's always great to be home and see the community where I grew up," Jordan said.

Jordan graduated from Bishop Kelley High School in 2007, then went on to study health sciences at Boston University, graduating in 2011. From there, she knew the sky was the limit.

On July 15, 2015, Olivia Jordan was crowned the winner of the Miss USA pageant. She was the first woman from Oklahoma to win the title.

"It's been a crazy, hectic year! Hectic, but so much fun!" she says.

Fast forward to now, after a year of appearances, traveling the world and being proactive on a variety of topics, Jordan has a new mission: To advocate for women's empowerment and raise awareness for Alzheimer's. TULSA CHANNEL 8

Jordan says her activism for women's issues during her reign as Miss USA provided countless opportunities to share her experience with a proactive voice.

Her father, Robert Thomas, is co-founder and co-owner of 14 Senior Star senior living communities in the United States, many of which provide innovative, best practice and award-winning programs for those who suffer from Alzheimer's. She's contributed to dozens of community events that give back to those who suffer from the disease, and she hopes her platform can make a difference.

In a press release, Jordan is quoted as saying: "Some people would flat-out say that at my age, I should be focused on getting married and having babies," recounting public reaction to her being the oldest woman to ever win the title at age 26. "And in a lot of ways that affected me - it hurt. But it was worth the pain to be put in a position where, as a public figure, I could start a disruption around our society's views on women. If I could leave one legacy from my time as Miss USA, it would be an end to the idea that females have expiration dates on their dreams."

As for her future plans, Jordan says she will be heading back to Los Angeles to focus on her acting and modeling careers.

FOX5 NYC – JULY 2015

Miss USA Olivia Jordan interview

http://www.fox5ny.com/news/miss-usa-olivia-jordan-interview

POSTED: JUL 24 2015 10:45PM EDT VIDEO POSTED: AUG 04 2015 02:58AM EDT UPDATED: JUL 24 2015 10:49PM EDT Donald Trump's presidential campaign almost stole the spotlight from Miss USA. But the pageant went off without a hitch. Steve Lacy talked to winner Olivia Jordan about her crowning moment and the Trump drama.

MISS USA – JULY 2015

Oklahoma - Olivia Jordan [OFFICIAL 2015 MISS USA CONTESTANT INTERVIEW]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nc6DQ0dpuV4

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