Turning the Paige

Hi, my name is Paige Niemann.

I'm 20 years old.

I'm a content creator.

I have over 11 million followers.

- Ariana Grande lookalike, Paige Niemann.

Paige Niemann. - Paige Niemann.

You need to be yourself.

God really hit copy and paste.

- A lot of people share stories about who they think I am.

But now it's my turn to share my story.

I'm just also looking for people to not hate me.

Despite everything, like, you're still my dad.

You know I love you no matter what.

Is that really my little Paige?

Is that really my little Paige?

- (screams) Oh my god! That's crazy!

My name is Paige Niemann.

I'm 20 years old.

I'm a content creator and an aspiring model.

If I had to describe myself in three words,

it would be shy,

but also confident

and strong for all that I have to handle.

A lot of people share stories about who they think I am,

but now I'm just sharing my story about who I really am.

When I was 15 years old, I went viral,

and high school was really hard.

You would think, you know, like, this internet sensation,

like, it would make me popular

or a lot of people would wanna be my friend.

But it was actually, like, the complete opposite for me.

I was just, like, this cringey, you know, like, TikToker.

I had a really hard time making friends.

Everyone kind of just made fun of me

and, like, would record me and laugh at me.

- When she's not feeling well or if she has a problem,

she calls grandma.

Yeah, she always calls me no matter what.

I hate to say that, but I'm kind of glad she calls me.

I feel very special.

I love that my grandma is here with me.

She is, honestly, like, my best friend

and I know, like, she would do anything for me.

So it means so much for her to be here

because I could not do it on my own.

Today my grandmother and I

are going to my first modeling class in LA.

Hi there! - Hi!

Nice to meet you. - Nice to meet...

I hug. - Oh.

I hug. Hi, I'm Tiger. - Hi!

How are you? - Great.

So how you feeling?

I feel good. - Okay.

You excited to get started?

I am. - Okay.

So first things first, a little bit about me.

I have over 15 years of experience in fashion.

Oh, wow. - I've done four pageants.

I have done more fashion shows that I can count,

and I have done runway coaching,

and I went to classes, all the things.

So that's why I wanna make sure that I can help you

'cause I did see the viral video.

Oh!

- What I saw was somebody getting out there.

Aw. - Like, getting after it.

So I'm proud of you.

Thank you.

This is our first time meeting,

but, you know, I'm proud of you

because you got out there and did it.

So I would like to know what is the difference

between that Paige and this Paige that's sitting right here?

Well, I'm also trying to, like, overcome,

like, social anxiety. - Okay.

I think, you know, being homeschooled,

it probably did affect my social anxiety

and maybe even, like, my social skills

'cause I didn't really,

I wasn't used to being, like, around a lot of people.

She's very shy, and she's nervous,

and she's just self-conscious.

But I feel a lot more,

you know, like, more comfortable now.

So, yeah, I wanna take a more, like, professional approach.

- You're super brave, I'm very proud of you.

Thank you. - So we're gonna learn

a lot today. - Okay.

- Just a few things that I wanna learn about you

and how you walk. - Okay.

Meeting my model coach was different for me,

because I had a modeling coach,

like, prior, in New York.

Having one in LA was different,

but in a good way. (laughs)

Honestly,

what I learned from her

was different from what I was previously taught.

So my mind is just trying to combine the two

from what I had previously learned

versus from what she's teaching me.

So, yeah.

I feel like modeling is something

I'm really passionate about.

And as long as, you know, I'm given the opportunity,

I'll always be down to model or runway walk.

Say it, "I'm the baddest in the room."

I'm the baddest in the room.

Uh-uh, I don't believe that.

I don't believe it.

I wanna believe it. Make me believe it.

I'm the baddest in the room.

Is it a question?

- What's up, you guys? My name is Brandon Washington.

The film industry calls me WriterBoy.

I'm a writer, a director, and entrepreneur.

And, on the side, I manage talent a little bit,

helping them become something more

with the talents that they do have.

That's actually how I found Ms. Paige Neimann.

Hey! - Hi!

How did you like the model run show?

It went really good.

Really? - Yeah!

And you like the coach?

Yeah, I really do. - Yeah.

I found her specifically for you.

She'll bring you out your shell

'cause I know you be in it a lot.

Yes, we vibed.

That's what's up! That's awesome!

So, okay, how do you like this,

like, filming and documenting your life?

It's really fun and exciting.

It's very new to me, but I'm having a really good time.

That's dope. - Yeah.

And it's just getting started.

And I know that I talked to you about it.

I just want you to know,

like, it's okay to be uncomfortable.

This is the season for that.

This is the season for that.

You got it. You got it. - Thank you.

I'm doing all of this for you,

I'm setting up everything for you

because I truly do believe in you, Paige,

and I know that you have this. - Thank you.

Yeah. - Thanks so much.

Yeah, and you're going to prove me right.

Mark my words, you're gonna prove me right.

Thank you, I appreciate you so much

and everything you've done for me.

Of course, Paige.

Signing with my current manager, Brandon,

has been, honestly, like, the best decision I've ever made.

Just, like, the last four months of my life have been crazy.

I've been doing so many things

I never thought I would be doing.

And I'm just so, like, grateful for him, honestly.

Like, he's done so much for me

and I'm just so appreciative and grateful.

When you first reached out to me again,

we were talking for years,

but when you first reached out to me again, it was like,

full transparency, it was Vader,

Vader was one of the... - Really?

- Yeah, it was him reaching out to me and saying,

after he seen a lot of things happening online,

just saying he wished that you had someone to protect you.

And, to me, it was like, "Why not me step in?

Why not me be able to help you,

be able to help guide you in your career?"

Yeah. - Yeah, and I think...

That's sweet. - Yeah, and you,

full transparency, you're also willing to be guided.

You don't know what is out here.

And it's like, so for the fact for me to say,

"Hey, this is what we need to do,

"this is the way we need to go," and you say,

"Okay, let's do it." - Yeah.

And you see where we're at now.

- Yeah, I've been taken advantage of in the industry

in the past.

And the difference with my current manager

is that, you know, he's not trying to do me dirty.