The people behind Wilhelmina Models, a modeling agency founded by supermodel Wilhelmina Cooper, felt proud to have employed Tom Welling, who now plays the lead of the sci-fi series Smallville.

President of Wilhelmina Models Sean Patterson told USA Today that he was not surprised when Welling landed a gig on Smallville. He recounted, “Tom had just come in from Detroit, and he always seemed to glow. He was very sweet natured. He was definitely more boyish then. He is much more of a man now."

Welling joined Wilhelmina at the age of 20. He served the company for three years and represented brands like Gap.

Apart from the Smallville actor, Wilhelmina Models, over the past 40 years, had also featured numerous “unknown” models back then who are now famed Hollywood stars. These celebrities include Jessica Biel, Heather Locklear, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Katherine Heigl and Hayden Panettiere.

As for the men of Wilhelmina Models, they included two of the most popular figures on television nowadays, Grey’s Anatomy’s Justin Chambers and Lost’s Josh Holloway. Chambers, who joined the modeling agency at the age of 21, campaigned for Calvin Klein. Patterson described Chambers as an extremely focused guy when it comes to his work. He said, “Justin is an incredibly focused guy who maybe doesn't have time for the fluffy side of the business, which I think is also why people respect him. He was focused on his family -- always coming into the agency with Keisha, his wife, and their kids."

Holloway, on the other hand, joined the agency at the age of 22 and served for about eight years. Patterson described him as a very jolly person. He said, “Josh is a down-home Southern boy who embraced all different kinds of people - from the flamboyant stylist to the bitchy production person. He always made you laugh about things like getting hammered the night before. Everybody wanted him around."


-Kris, BuddyTV Staff Columnist

Source: USA Today

(Photo Courtesy of TV.com)