“I can’t give up dancing because it’s been such a huge part of my life,” he says. Jardell recently moved to Los Angeles where he is balancing a career in modeling as well as dancing. We think it’s funny and entertaining and the truth is it did happen.”Įven though the show is still on the air - it recently moved to Fridays at 9/8c on The CW - both models are exploring life beyond the competition, which finished shooting over the summer. “ has a really cool boyfriend at the moment that I get along with really well,” Smith says, “and we’re all able to joke about it.” And that also includes embracing fans’ Willthew label, which includes fan art suggesting that audiences want even more from the two. While their relationship is still unfolding onscreen -the competition most recently put the two together for a seductive fragrance commercial with Jardell preying on Smith - the two models have formed a friendship that exists beyond the house.
“It’s interesting to see how to people can connect so well after you push aside the fact that you’re not going to judge them for one thing or another,” Smith explains. While straight, Smith says he prefers no labels “because you are who you are and no word can define that.” And the two have found that the show has given them a platform to discuss the relationship between gay and straight men, something audiences have seen developed on scripted series, such as MTV’s Faking It. “We understand each other really well,” Smith adds. “We didn’t think much of because we had that close relationship, close friendship.” “We’re probably the closest guys in the house in the very beginning,” Jardell says of Smith. (Jardell is currently the show’s only openly gay male contestant.) Yet, fans quickly embraced them, dubbing them Willthew on social media.Īs it turns out, the embrace was the result of a dare but it should come as no surprise to anyone that it happened.
In the fourth episode of the reality competition, it was revealed that the two shared an off-screen kiss prompting the housemates to question Smith’s sexuality. Out of all the developments - the return of Miss J, beard weave, Tyra’s cross braid - on Cycle 21 of America’s Next Top Model, it’s the relationship between two male contestants, Matthew Smith and Will Jardell, that’s created the most chatter both on and off screen.