Model poised for new roles

Colin Egglesfield. The name’s great — as pretty as he is. He’s a male model.

Colin: “I was dorky and nerdy growing up. Skinny. Braces. Around age 26, I grew six inches. In college I heard about this talent search. After my waitering job, I went and I got hooked up with an agent. Calvin Klein saw my pictures, then had me do his underwear for eight years. Then Versace and Armani campaigns. After becoming an actor, I go to premieres and designers send me clothes.

“I’ve even ruined an outfit. A big deal Cynthia Rowley fashion show. At Grand Central Terminal. Celebrities were there. I was fitted with supertight leather pants. I could barely move in these leather things, and the runway had steps leading up to it.

“I ran up and I felt something pop. In front of everyone, lights shining, music’s playing, and major air conditioning’s in my crotch. I’d blown out the material halfway down my left leg. The whole thing’s open. I kept going, ‘cause what are you gonna do? Stop and, like, run off? At the end of the runway, in front of me is Kristin Davis from ‘Sex and the City.’ She looks at my pants, looks back up, and there’s this big smile on her face. I just kept going. One of the more embarrassing moments in my modeling career.”

So what do you do when you get older and not modeling anymore?

“Well, I’m acting now. I started on ‘All My Children.’ I played Erica Kane’s transplanted son for three years. I did ‘Rizzoli & Isles’ six years, and a movie with Kate Hudson called ‘Something Borrowed.’ I played her fiancé. I did a TV series with Jennifer Love Hewitt.”

And what must you watch to stay with your proper figure?

“Doughnuts, chocolate-chip cookies, cheeseburgers, but in moderation. I’m a three-time cancer survivor. I’ve done research on diet and health and wellness. I keep to mostly protein, so chicken, beef, pork, fish. As minimally processed as possible, like mashed potatoes, green beans. Nuts, dark chocolate. If it’s more than five ingredients, I stay away.”

One male model told me they’re treated like scum by the female models who look down on them.

“Not scum. More like props in a photo shoot of what they’re doing. Like I got paid $600 for the day, which is a decent amount for just getting your picture taken. Naomi Campbell made $25,000 for that day, and it was all about her. Women are the primary focus because they’re the consumer buying the products. I would say we’re definitely second rate. I did a commercial with Gisele Bündchen for Victoria’s Secret. I could’ve been a fly on the wall ‘cause I walked in and everyone’s like, ‘Who are you?’

“It’s like, ‘OK, go over there. There’s water and some nuts there.’ Then Gisele walks in, and it was like the pope. Everyone jumped up, bowing and kissing the ring.”

So what is an easy thing for those of us who are non-models to do to become better looking? Moisturize? Face-lift?

“Use a good SPF, drink lots of water. Really attractive is kindness. It’s deeper than outward superficial appearances. Drink water, eat healthy, do the gym. Move. Get that blood flowing. And plenty of sex can help.”

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Scene stealers

Not all performers get big-time treatment. Are actors doing scenes with big-time star actresses treated differently?

Kevin Bacon groused about not enough recognition for his work. When he did “Mystic River” years back, his co-stars Tim Robbins and Sean Penn were up for Oscars. Him not. He even got taken off the poster. The studio threw weight in the direction they thought it’s going. He said, “Taking me off the poster hurt. One day I opened the paper and it looked like I wasn’t even in the [bleeping] movie. They were amazing and I don’t begrudge them at all. But it hurt.”

Listen, not even stage actors always get their due. Once upon a time lived theater critic Clive Barnes. He realized the play he was reviewing was not distinguished. So, at intermission he ran up the crowded aisle for a cigarette. Once there, he remembered that he didn’t smoke.

Only in showbiz, kids, only in showbiz. Also, thanks to Johnny Oleksinski for his shout-out about me. I appreciated it.