Charlotte McKinney

Atoms and I heart radio podcast. What's up, guys? How are we doing today? Me? I'm a little doom and gloom because, like I said, it was raining outside and it's like gross, I don't understand how people live in Seattle. How one day of rain every three months and I'm like, what's going on? Like how my dog has been comes l a where it's reigning outside and he'll look out to go to the bathroom and he'll be like, nah, I'm just gonna hold it. I don't that doesn't seem

fun out there. It's like you're a dog, dude, you don't what does that matter to you? You've got all built in jacket. He's like, I don't know. I'm gonna sit here on the couch and just wait for this to blow over. You know, it's not always sunshine and bikinis in Los Angeles. It's not. But I will say this today on the Wells Cast, we have someone who started their career hanging out in the sunshine, modeling mckinnis. That's what she lived over in Florida. Her story is crazy.

She knew what she wanted. She actually dropped out of high school and yeah, manifested her destiny, became a model, became an actress, became an entrepreneur. Literally, she has done everything you can do. She holding the title of one of the sexiest women by g Q in the world. Yeah. Was she g q's International Model of the Year. You know it was she just in the movie The r comm In or just in the movie Guesthouse. Yes? Was

she in Fantasy Island? Yeah? Was she in Baywatch? You know it was she and mcgever, Yes, the newer versions of those, Just so you know, did she team up with Maria Sharapova and Mark Cuban on fitness Successories. Yeah, that's the real money right there. She's done everything, and that she's about to do my podcast, which I can only assume is the low light of her career whatever.

It all started in two thousand fifteen, and if you were watching the Super Bowl that year, which I mean, I guess that's everybody might have seen Little Carl's junior commercial. That was her big break. And then since then she's been killing it on the Wells Gas Today. The origin story of the multi talented Charlotte McKenney. This is one guy's you do not want to al right, look about

the Wells Gas excited to have actress model. I'm gonna go ahead and say, comedian entrepreneurs on the show, Charlotte McKinney, How are you? I think that's the best title I've gotten so far. Thank you that well, hey man, you've done everything, like I think, the first time I became aware of you was the Super Bowl, So maybe I should throw athlete in there as well. Yeah right, I mean you could call me an athlete, so totally fine.

You're athlete adjacent. I mean, you were on a super Bowl commercial basically a football player like totally you got a ring, I assume that year, Yeah, of course. Yeah. Yeah. So, like I guess the first time everyone maybe saw you on the global scale was that Carl's Junior commercial. Everyone probably listening to this being like wait, who is this and then every guy's like, yep, I know exactly what's happening right now? Do you do you, like remember that

Super Bowl sun a vividly? Well, yeah, I was actually doing press for Carl's, so like I did, I actually went to the Super Bowl like a few days before and then like had to like work with them and and all that, so it was exciting. But yeah, I mean, I guess that would be like my most I mean I feel like, no matter what, I will forever be the Burger Girl. So people definitely just know me as

the Carl's Junior girl. So try still trying to like break that, you know, saying, but hey, like I'm super grateful for it, and it is what it is, hey man, Everyone needs a break. And the truth of the matter is, is it propelled you to do a lot of other stuff. Obviously, like hard work and talent led to all this other stuff. But you know, everyone has to figure out a way to get in the door at some point, and I think that's a pretty good entrance into a large scale

But you've done so much since then. I was just going over kind of like your resume and like the stuff that I'm supposed to talk about with you, and it's a lot, so I I guess, what do you want to talk about first? Yeah, I mean I think I'm just trying to like get away from that stereo type of you know, my fan base is a lot of men and that whole world of the Carls Jr. But I think there's just a lot more to me and a lot of other things that I've worked on

that I guess people aren't so familiar with um. But yeah, I mean I've kind of just been doing press today for a recent campaign. I did so just all around anything you have to ask me, I'm pretty open to. Well, your acting career has gone from like girl on a bicycle to now leading movies. I want to go that far. I mean, you're but you know it's these are like legit roles on big movies, Fantasy Island, Baywatch, and you've got some new stuff coming out. I was just going

over the IMDb. There's a film called Phobias that's completed but hasn't been hasn't been released, Guesthouse, the Argument, Like this is all new stuff. I think the one I was most excited about was um it was and indeed that came out this year was The Argument and guest House and those were those were super fun and Phobias was another just a small little cameo. But um, but yeah, I'm just kind of working towards that, you know, whether it's a t a reoccurring TV role or you know,

a bigger movie role. But that's kind of where my where I've kind of put my focus on is more of the acting. And I love comedy and that that kind of area. So so yeah, I'm just kind of trying to break the break the mold of it. My fiance and myself are huge fans of the show Shark Tank, and I know and I know that you are now linked to Shark Tank. I guess talk to everyone about Yeah. So so it's pronounced Balla and yeah, today we're on kt l A talking about it and doing a bunch

of things. So I just did at a collaboration and a campaign with Bala Bengals. And if you're familiar, So I mean, yeah, I guess people would know it from Shark Tank. Um, they were on Shark Tank. They got picked up by Maria. I don't know if I'm saying it Mark Cuban and um, the Maria Sharapova Maria exact

thank you. So so they started working together and during kind of the lockdown, it's really just taken off because it's been It's basically these ankle weights and arm weights and these things you can basically just wear them when you're walking around going to the grocery store. They're just like super convenient. And they totally took off during the time when everyone had to kind of work out from home, and so we kind of were able to do a big campaign during the time, and um, now it's all

launching and it's been really fun. I remember that episode very vividly, and I remember Maria Mark going in together. That's so cool that you guys are teaming. And also like it just makes sense everyone stuck at home right now. It's like either you lean into just eating Postmates every day or you try to better yourself in your body. And I guess totally yeah, I mean I feel like I feel like there came a point where like at the start, everyone was like eating and drinking and this

and that. But then there came a point where it's like, okay, I've put on like the COVID nineteen. Yeah, like I need to like I need to get my ship together. So so they just like totally took off. And and it was funny because I got photographed maybe like leaving air one or something wearing them and and so you know, we kind of connected again on that, and I was like, we should really work together. And I was just such a fan. I was literally living in these ankle weights.

So the girls and everyone was just so amazing to work with and collaborate with. And um, I'll have to send a pair to you and your girlfriend. Yeah that would be really cool because I need all the help I can get because I didn't pack on the COVID nineteen for sure, I think we all did. Yeah, no judgment here. Tell me about the Detox bar and the

good chocolate. Oh yeah, so randomly, so totally random. Um. Another thing, I just like, I loved this chocolate line and they kind of reached out to me to collaborate and we made a chocolate bar together. I I found their chocolate at a grocery store and then they were like, we'd love to make something with you. And during COVID I had I had kind of that downtime to like do my research, and I made a chocolate bar, so

that happened. It's basically, like I'm practiced an anti inflammatory diet, and it's basically an anti inflammatory like tumoric dark chocolate chocolate bar, so you don't feel bad while you're eating it. So here's the plan. You can go eat chocolate and then afterwards you can use the ball of ants to work off said chocolate. So it's perfect exactly exactly, but this chocolate is so healthy that you don't even really have to work it out. So I'm just kind of

here helping everyone live their best and healthiest life. I love that. Yeah. Alright, well I don't know if anyone told you, but this show is an origin story podcast, so I like to talk to like uber successful people and find out how they got to become successful in their careers. And so we are going to take a break and when we come back, can we do a deep dive and find out where the hell Charlotte came from and how the hell she got here. I am

ready a good story. I cannot freaking wait. Stick around everybody all right back in the Wales cast very excited to have Charlotte McKinney on this show. You know her as an actress and a model, Instagram influencer. She's now getting into the entrepreneurial side of social media, helping out with the ball of bands that are weighted bands to help you lose that COVID nineteen. You can find out

more at shop Bala dot com. She's also getting into the food industry with the detox bar from The Good Chocolate. Go to the Good Chocolate dot com. You've got a new movie coming out called Phobias is not yet released out right now that you can go check out Guesthouse. The argument for she was on Fantasy Island Baywatch. You did mcgeiver too, which is cool. Were you a fan of mcgeiver. Are you old enough to remember like the

O G mgeiver? No. I know mcgever from. I don't know if it was Saturday Night Live or Mad TV, but I know them from like the they would when they would like make fun of mcgever. But I never really watched like the real mcgeiver, Yeah, it was. I think it was mcgruber was the That was it? So I knew that, And then I had a had a few episodes on the Real Show and I was like, I kind of still thought it was a joke. Yeah, oh that's awesome. But yeah, thank you for all the plugs. Yeah,

did I forget anything? Okay? Yeah, So this is an origin Story podcast, and I just am so fascinated with how people become famous. And I think a lot of people out there just assume that everyone, just I guess just is born famous and they don't realize all the hard work and dedication and crazy odd jobs and burnie at both ends to kind of get to where everyone then all of a sudden knows you aren't. You have a blue check mark next to your name. So I'm

fascinated to hear your story. Are you from like the Los Angeles area? No, So that's kind of what was interesting. And I feel like nowadays, like I feel like everyone, like you said, it's kind of like born into it or like a famous celebrity kid or things like that. Um, so people just think it's like such an easy thing, or they live in Hollywood and know someone, but I knew absolutely no one from Hollywood. I grew up in Florida, so I literally had no ties or any connection to

the Hollywood world. And are you, um like an only child? You have siblings? No, So I grew up with an older sister, UM and my parents. My my dad was from the Bahamas, my mom was from Canada, and they thought, you know, well, I guess we'll live in Florida. So I kind of grew up in Florida and going back and forth to the Bahamas and things like That's why. So I really lived kind of like an simple life by the water, just like kind of a beach rat

and just yeah, it was a pretty normal life. I guess you could say, are not really but kind of what kind of kids were you? Were you a nerd? Were you like someone who skipped class? I was very introverted even my whole life, like I just you know, never had too many friends. And then when I hit high school, I you know, I was this girl who had like a double D chest. Everyone kind of hated me. I didn't really fit in. I had no like good friends at the time, and I wasn't I to be honest,

I really struggled with school. I grew up dyslexic, so no matter what, I literally couldn't even pass like eighth grade math. So I was like about to be in my senior year trying to like pass you know, middle school math, and I just got to a point where I dropped out. So I am a high school dropout. I'm also like at the point in my life where I'm not afraid to like say that. So what were your parents saying when you were like, guys, this is just I can't get through algebra, so we did I

gotta go. Well yeah, I mean, like I hate to say it, but it kind of ran in my family, like my grandfather, my father, and like my mom, like it just everyone was very just like visual and business oriented and like just did school just wasn't really in the McKinney jeens, Like it just wasn't for us. Um So like my sister did good and graduated from FIDLM and things like that, but for me, I was just like f this everyone's mean to me. I you know, I can't finish any like I can't pass these tests,

so I'm out. So I kind of just like my parents were like you know, like obviously they weren't stoked like their kids dropping out of high school, so they weren't like super excited. So but I did it, and I like I I was grateful like they at the end of the day, they still supported me and like they were you know, they were happy for me because I wanted to just like start modeling. So I just kind of said, you know, this is what I'm gonna do. I find it very hard to believe that you were

unpopular in high school. I know it's always like the pretty girl being like, oh boo, who me? I had no friends, but I really didn't. Like I just like I had, like my best friend went to a different high school, so I just didn't really you know. And then like the guys were just you know, I had a lot of guy friends, which made the girls not like it was just like it was dark. I just

didn't I didn't vibe with anyone at my school. So were you doing the modeling like while you were in high school or when you dropped out where you like, well I got to pivot over and do something. Yeah, So basically I was just like I told my parents, I'm like I'm going to drop out. I'm not doing my senior year, and I'm gonna move to Miami and I'm going to try to start modeling, and everyone kind of just like laughed in my face. So technically I went out to Miami and you know, kind of started

doing like test shoots and things like that. No one really like I would meet with these modeling agencies, but no one really wanted to take a chance with me. I was kind of this no name. Um, I was five, I'm five seven, I'm not super tall. I couldn't fit into any sample clothing because my chest was so large at the time, and so I just kind of was just like no one was working with me, and I

was getting really really frustrated. I think I put into like a strong year and like just nothing was happening. And then I had met a one of the New York modeling agencies. One of the directors was in Miami, and I got to do like a dinner with him, and he saw something in me, and we started working together, and I started going to New York a bit and bo like booking small things here and there, and then it was kind of the question of like do I want to live in New York? Do I want to

live in California, Like where do I see myself? I think this was like two years in and my sister lived in California, so so I moved out and I was just like suck it, like I want to take a chance, and like I saw myself like I didn't see myself fully being a model. I really just wanted to get more into the entertainment industry. So for me, it was kind of like how can I kind of get in there? And I thought, you know, start modeling and then slowly can kind of work my way in

And that's kind of what I did. Did you go to New York? So? New York just wasn't for me, like I grew like growing up in Florida, like you just like it was too much. I remember I was there during one winter and I was just like, there's no way I'm living here. So California was like I could work there. There was more work in California than like Miami. So so I moved to like Beverly Hills

and just like went right into it. And my first kind of big job in l A was Guess and then after that, I like book Carl's and it kind of just like after Carl's it just kind of took off when you were in Miami. Did you find like an agent or a manager? How does it work? And yeah, my, I mean it's just like a sketchy, weird modeling scene. Like it wasn't like it was just it wasn't great, and like I had like kind of like a weird agent that would like send me out on things, but

it was nothing. Nothing, Nothing in Miami was going to really change my career. And I knew if I stayed there, I'd literally just be modeling bathing suits every day. So I knew I kind of needed to like go somewhere and kind of take it more seriously. I imagine I've I have never been good looking enough to be a model, but I imagine that it's a lot more creepy than

people realize. Oh totally. I even look back on it now, and the older I've gotten, I've I kind of say to myself, like because I have two nieces now, these two beautiful young girls, and I'm like, like, I would never let my niece model. I would never you know, if I had a kid, I would never tell them to go modeling. I mean, things have gotten better, but like things I saw at time before all this, it was just it was grimy. So I don't really I never I just don't really encourage it after kind of

the things I've seen and gone through. It's it's it's not the prettiest. I've been to enough fancy Hollywood parties or whatnot, and you're there and you'll look around. They'll be like, you know, a nineteen year old model, and I'm like, you are just out of high school and and you're trying to buy a bunch of like really high powered, like creepy do Like, I don't know, It's just one of those things where I just always got the vibe that, like, you have to be really really

tough to be a model. Yeah, And I think from growing up and just dealing with assholes all the time, I just I just always had tough skin. And for the first year trying to model, everyone was like no, no, no, And so I built this tough skin. So by the time I got to l A, I was just kind of like looking like everyone's telling me no, but I'm gonna still kind of keep doing it. But but yeah, I definitely didn't fall into it. It wasn't some easy thing. I wasn't like my mom was a successful model, and

I got to just kind of take after her. It was it was challenging. So you come out to Los Angeles, you're in Beverly Hills, your first thing you book is guess I understand how television works, but I don't really understand how modeling works, Like do you go on auditions and stuff. Yeah, so I definitely went on like casting calls and things like that. But oddly enough, for even for it was weird because my life was always like

castings and things like that. But when I booked Carls, it was just like a direct booking, which I thought was so odd. I've never really had that happen, so that was super exciting. But yeah, it was mostly just a lot of like casting calls, you do the guest spot, and then you book Carl's JR. I guess my first question is is there's also like the stigma of you know, models eat like rabbits, you know, like of course let us and smoothies and whatnot, Like were you a vegetarian

at the time, Like are do you like burgers? Was that hard for you to do? No, to be totally honest, I mean at I now that I look back on it. There was a time I was like vegan, but at the time I eat burgers all the time. I like I was you know, I didn't. I was young. I didn't really care what I was eating. So it wasn't like, oh my god, I'm eating me, like this is disgusting.

I was. It was. No, it was totally natural and like obviously, like when I was on set for that spot, like the burger was being painted on and things like that, so I kind of I couldn't really eat it like I kind of And then we were doing so many takes, so I was definitely spitting it out in between teakes. But no, I wasn't like afraid to eat me. Now, did you have any idea how big of a deal that was going to be at the time. No, to

be honest, they didn't say. They didn't really make it like oh, this is like a Super Bowl ad because they didn't fully know, so like no one was really saying like, oh, this is a Super Bowl ad, blah blah blah. It was kind of just like, this is a commercial hopefully it could be you know, in the

Super Bowl. For me, I was just living in the moment and I was not trying to worry about like if it was going to ghost anywhere, and like I had been through so much stuff to where like I was like, oh, who knows, maybe this won't even go on, you know. So I wasn't. I didn't put any pressure on it. I just kind of took it as a day to day job. And like that's why I think it was so exciting, because I really had no idea

that magnitude it kind of wouldn't bring. Can I ask a business question about this, okay, because I'm fascinated with this because I've done commercials to none of them were on the Super Bowl, But like, do you get more money if it gets on the Super Bowl? Or is it like you've signed kind of a crap contract and you don't get more money even though fifty million people

see it on one night. Well, yeah, I mean that's it's a tough question because I don't probably, But I think at the time they I think that they were smart and they got me when I wasn't very known, so I got I think I got paid up front and I got like residuals. But yeah, I think now if I booked something like that, I probably would have had a better lawyer. Look um, So it's definitely a learning experience. Like I think I was so stoked to

just like be able to do that. I wasn't even thinking about money or like when they said a rate, I wasn't trying to make it higher or anything like that. I was just like, oh my god, I'm getting paid to do this, Like this is crazy. But like now, like I have a lawyer who looks over every contract I do, so so yeah, definitely Carl's got me. Hello, Yeah that's what I assumed. But I just wanted to I wanted to know, well, hey, listen, like I know that you probably and I and I totally get it.

I can very much empathize with like, yes, I was on this Carl's Jr. Commercial, but like I'm so much more than that. But the truth of the matter is, and the same with me. You need some sort of way to get the fifteen minutes, and then you have to be talented and you have to be hard working to be able to continue the upward trend of your career,

which you've done really really well. And you know, we have a lot of reality TV people on this show, but there's also a lot of a lot of actors, a lot of musicians, and everyone has a story of like listen, I needed a break and that was it. And so I think that that's cool that you had that, But I also think it's really impressive that you've continued forward momentum upwards. What was the next big thing after hold Well? I then I signed with U t A, the talent agency, and I think I kind of went in.

I went in so naive and young, and they had put me on Dancing with the Stars like right after. And it was really bizarre because at the time, like when people brought up Dancing with the Stars at you know, no offense, but it was kind of like the like the hasbands and older you know people. But I guess that that that year they were you know, looking into people who like, we're trending and younger, and they had like me and Rumor Willis and um like this young

actress and stuff like that. So so I did that. Um, but after that, I knew I didn't want to do anything in the reality space. I saw how like manipulous, like they just kind of pined me as this person and made me kind of like look a certain way. So I knew that that's not really not really what I wanted to do. So it was kind of like the part of my career I don't I love to talk about or say I did, but you know, it is what it is, and you know, I got my name out there again. So well, I do have friends

that have been on Dancing with the Stars. Actually I was on one episode and I was terrible. Stop you were Yeah, I was like a background dancer for my friend who was on. But I you know, contrary to the Carl's contract, I do remember that. Apparently the Dancing with the Stars contracts not that bad, So you know, totally, I mean that I knew. I definitely knew why with my agents at YouTube were pushing me through it like

it wasn't a no brainer. But but yeah, I mean everything, everything in my career I think has been such a learning experience and like I'm grateful for any opportunity or any of those jobs too. I've learned from so many of those things. So but yeah, I mean I took it for what it was, got to learn the salsa and move on. Have you had the I've made it moment or are you one of those people that will never give yourself the credit that you probably really deserve.

I am the person who will never give myself the credit even when I and I'm trying to learn to kind of live in the moment and be happy with what I have. But I still feel like right now I'm nowhere close to that. Especially with acting. I feel like every role has been pretty mediocre, So I feel like I feel like I'm not really there yet. Um, but I'm definitely trying to learn to be a little nicer to myself and congratulate myself self for the smaller things.

But yeah, I'm pretty hard on myself, and I think at the end of the day that kind of put me to where I am and kind of keeps me motivated. What's something that you haven't done in your career that you want to do. I would love to just like have a reoccurring I mean, I've done a lot of films, but I would love to have just like a reoccurring TV role. I grew up watching like I still to this day. I love watching like Two and a half

Men and things like that. I just love those little stupid like comedy thirty minutes shows like A Will and Grace or all that. Like I just I find that to be so fun. Those are all multicam sitcoms, so I know I know so and and you know i've I've I've read for some and I think that's something I find so fun and challenging at the same time. What's one piece of advice you'd give to somebody that you live by the help continue to be successful in

your career. I would say what I always kind of told myself was just because one person says no, doesn't mean everyone else's. You know, my whole life is kind of these nose and nose and nose. And then I got that one. It's it's just about getting that one yes or that one person to see your vision, whether it's a product or it's you or anything. I think it's about just kind of not letting yourself get too hard on other people's opinion on you because at the

end of the day, it doesn't really matter. So true, Um, I want to be respectful of your time, so I don't want to take up too much much more of it. But I wanted to end the show with with some rapid fire questions. Are you ready for that? Love it? Let's do it all right? Here we go rapid Fire Questions with Charlotte McKenny. Number one, what's one thing that's always in your fridge? Water? That's one thing that's on your bucket list? Um, invisibility or the ability to fly invisibility?

Why Oh I would be so invisible and just do like shady things I could steal. I could go and listening on conversations. Oh, I could do so many things. You need to go read a book or like me, I listened. I listened to books. Um, there's an amazing book called The Visible Man, and it's all about this guy who makes an invisibility cloak effectively, and his whole thing is that he likes to go and just watch people.

It's it's amazing. What animals you wish you could talk to? Dogs, Physical trait you notice about someone you are attracted to. Last person you texted my mom, waffles, your pancakes neither? What's your breakfast go to? I don't. I just don't like waffles and pancakes. I just never got into it. I think I'm I don't know, I'd rather get like a smoothie bowl or something. I don't know. I'm just not a pancake person. I love my sweets. Though, do

you believe in soulmates? Yes? Who is your childhood hero? My mom? Who's your celebrity crush? Paul? That is every woman's celebrity crush. It's amazing. Whether you were born in nineteen nine or whether you're born in two thousand and twelve, it's still Paul Rods. Do you have a nickname? And if you do, what is it and do you go by it? Yeah? Sharny. My parents, my sister, everyone I grew up with called me Sharnie. Favorite pizza topping? Um? Oh uh, normal cheese. Who's your first kiss? Oh god,

I don't even know what's a name. So that poor guy is listening to this and being like, man, I'm going to tell you to save my life. Oh my god, because you know how you know how Pumpty is about that story in his life, Like, do you know how many times he's told that and you don't even remember him? Yeah? Sorry, can't celebrity. You've been mistaken for Taylor Swift actually when I was younger. Really, yeah, you're much shorter than her. Who would you call to get you out of jail?

My dad? Who's the most famous first person in your cell phone? Oh? I'm not answering that, all right. When you win your oscar, who are you gonna think first? Everyone who told me no to keep me going? I love that. Really, that's on that. Charlotte, thank you so much for being on the Welles cast. Really cool story it was. It was such a pleasure. I'm so glad I got to meet you. You're so handsome and kind and easy to talk to, so thanks for making that so fun, and I look forward to talk to you

again soon. Yeah, one day we'll all actually be able to leave our houses and I'm sure i'll see you what some weird Hollywood party? And yeah, and I'm hoping to build up a podcast sometime soon too, so you'll you'll be one of my guests. I'd love to love it, alright, hon have a good one, all right, don't forget everybody. Go to a shop Bola dot com to find those fitness successories. Go to h The Good Chocolate dot com to get yourself the detox bar. Where do people follow

you on social media? Just my name, Charlotte McKinney, nothing crazy, all right, Thanks so much, enjoyed the day. All the best to you. Buy well. She was lovely. I think that might be our first drop out of high school story for her man, she was able to make a dollar at a dime, and she's got modeling, she's got commercial work. She's in the fitness space, she's in the food space, she's an actress. You've done a lot. Pretty cool. Alright, guys,

that is it for me. Don't forget to follow Wells Cast podcast on Instagram to keep up with all the new guests we have on make sure you give the old five star rate and review business that helps the algorithm makes the show more popular. And don't forget to thank everyone who told me no to keep me going. Alright, guys, be good. If you can't be good, podcast on I Heart Radio, Apple Podcasts, or anywhere you get your podcasts. It's the Internet. It's the Internet.