A Follow-Up: Mesa People In The Media | What It Takes for Jenny Watwood

Here's an update to an earlier post with the March 2018 Playboy Magazine cover. Here's the background: What was it like growing up in Mesa, Arizona? Do you think there’s anything specific to your Mesa upbringing that makes you who you are today? ". . . I had a pretty rough start in life living in Mesa, Arizona. I grew up in government housing until I was about fourteen-years-old and got out. I wouldn’t trade those hard times for the world. 100% they made me who I am today. I’m such a strong person and very motivated to always move forward in life because I came from nothing. When I look at where I came from I’m just thankful for everything I have now and the life I’ve created for myself. . . .
_______________________________________________________________
That excerpt is from a post on this blog from April 18. See Link below after
_________________________________________________________________________
Raised in Sunshine Acres, Mesa model fulfills her dream

by Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Tribune Staff Writer Jun 15, 2018

click here

"Watwood grew up as the youngest of seven children in a conservative household in West Mesa.
“When I was younger, my mom needed help with two of my brothers,” Watwood said. “We lived in a really bad neighborhood. My brothers were at Sunshine Acres until they graduated high school and could make their own decisions.”
Their mother soon landed a job as the Sunshine Acres chef and Watwood and her sister moved to the facility at Loop 202 and Higley Road with her.
Watwood’s mother was a former model, and the little girl heard stories about her career. In high school, she decided to try it.
“I found a photographer on Facebook who would do a test shoot,” she said. “I borrowed money from my sister, who had a job at the time. I thought I had to have pictures before going to an agency and see if they wanted to sign me.”
The photographer submitted the pictures to a modeling agency. Watwood immediately moved to Milan, booked international campaigns and appeared in Vogue, GQ and Vanity Fair.
“I took it into my own hands,” she said. “Nobody came up to me in Starbucks. Arizona isn’t a fashion state.”
Watwood spent the next five years working and living between Milan and the United States, establishing an impressive modeling career. While living in Milan, she was cast in the 2016 reboot of the Italian cult favorite TV series “Ciao Darwin,” which boosted her into the spotlight in that country.
She acknowledges that her family initially was shocked.
“But they told me they were proud of me, and they knew any decision I made would be thought through,” Watwood said. “They trust my decisions. That meant a lot to me.”
The Arizonan’s true passion is as a writer. She and Cuban actress Rachell Vallori are developing a female-focused TV series based on the lives of women living in Los Angeles.
“I want to eventually be a film director,” Watwood said. “That’s my main goal. I love suspenseful drama, serious movies, documentaries, things like that. I love comedies when I’m in the mood. I’m more of a serious person. That’s what I like to write about, as well.”
_________________________________________________________________________________
Mesa People in the media:
https://mesazona.blogspot.com/2018/04/mesa-people-in-media-this-is-jenny.html