When Kate Upton first graced us with her charming presence and beauty, it seemed like she was going to take over the world. In what felt like seconds, the young bombshell had managed to go from an internet sensation to the fresh face of a new supermodel era. Her luscious blonde hair graced the covers of top fashion magazines like Vogue and Elle. She became a Sports Illustrated sensation, appearing on the cover a whopping three times. In just a few years, she accomplished what usually takes models decades to do (if they ever make it that far).

Once America got a look at her, her quick rise to the top felt somewhat obvious. Her angelic face combined with her physique hit the American sweetheart spot in its bullseye. Both men and women fell under her spell, and unsurprisingly the modelling world followed. It seemed like she was going to shoot across the sky and remain a star for a long time.

While her resume and fan base are impressive, America’s dream girl is beginning to put a bad taste in the mouths of the industry that pays her bills, and then some. It doesn’t go unnoticed that she did not get the 2018 Sports Illustrated cover. Recently, industry vets have been criticizing her and some are even claiming that she is difficult to work with. In addition, folks in the industry are starting to learn things about her that they weren’t paying attention to before. There are some things about Upton that can distract us from her faults.

It seems like the modelling world is over the former "it girl." So, what is causing the once fiery love for Upton to burn out? Here’s a list of 15 reasons why the modelling world wants nothing to do with Kate Upton.

She Got Her Contract In One Day

For most models, it takes years of tireless work to get signed by a major agency. The stories are woven by a common thread of rejection, acquiring a thick skin, and putting in a ton of work. Even supermodels like Cindy Crawford and Gisele Buchanan went through the grit. According to Harper’s Bazaar, Gisele got rejected by 42 agencies! But not Kate… she went through just one casting call in Miami and got signed to Elite Model Management. Eventually, she moved to IMG models and joined the ranks with supermodels such as Kate Moss, Heidi Klum, and even Gisele herself.

With most careers in entertainment, it’s considered respectable to earn your chops. Somehow Kate managed to skip several steps, which is definitely upsetting to models who acquired their well-deserved spots with plenty of hard work.

In this competitive industry, it’s not in Kate’s best interest to be seen as someone who got a free pass. This can create a negative working environment for her when she works with other models.

The Dougie and The Cat Daddy Made Her a Household Name

While many respected models see their career skyrocket after landing important runway shows, commercials, or fashion campaigns, Kate’s initial super-launch to fame is attributed to videos of her doing silly dances to rap songs. A one-minute video of her doing The Dougie at a Lakers game went viral and was seen by people around the world.

Soon after, another dancing video made its rounds. This time, Kate was dressed in a red bikini as she danced to The Rej3tz’s song “Cat Daddy.” Terry Richardson filmed the posted the video for millions upon millions of people to watch. Kate can be seen in the video basking in the attention of those around her while she flawlessly executes some of the most scandalous dance moves caught on camera. According to MTV News, Kate was never interested in the video reaching as many people as it did. She claims that Richardson uploaded the video without consulting with her first. To Kate’s credit, Terry Richardson is a pretty slimy character in the modelling world. Regardless, dancing to rap music for fun is not the most fitting career launch-story for a world-renown supermodel.

She Is Not Afraid To Badmouth The Industry

It’s obvious that Kate Upton is successful because of social media. Where would she be without it? Despite its aid in her career, she thinks that social media is totally irrelevant and unnecessary. In an article with The Edit, she goes on to explain that once she signed her contracts, her social media presence was too planned out and “lost [its] art.” She essentially blamed PR. This, understandably, ticked off her publicist who pointed out that social media is how Kate Upton became famous in the first place, according to The New York Post. It’s outrageous for Upton to take a stand against careful social media planning. That is a large piece of the business nowadays and the people “planning” her posts are simply doing their job for her.

She Makes Off-Color Jokes 

The modelling industry prides itself on poise and grace. This is why models usually have to have a great personality to make it to the top. They are coached on how to act in interviews and what to say on social media. Perhaps Kate never got that lesson.

When Upton’s husband, Justin Verlander, lost the Cy Young award in 2016, Kate was furious. Of course, many other people thought that Justin deserved the award. However, Kate handled her anger in a very bold manner.

Instead of expressing discontent with grace, she took to Twitter and tweeted something tasteless. She ripped into the entire MLB organization by using foul language. As an "it-model,” the tweet is embarrassing for the modelling industry. Classy, Kate…

She's Insensitive to Issues in America

The MLB tweet wasn’t the only time that Kate Upton misbehaved on Twitter. She outraged and offended millions when she publicly decided that kneeling during the National Anthem was “unacceptable.” She was outraged when some Miami Dolphin players participated in peaceful protest (kneeling during the National Anthem) on September 11^th, 2016. While everyone is entitled to their own opinions, Kate’s lack of understanding comes from a very privileged place. The point of kneeling during the National Anthem is to protest racism in the USA.

As a white, wealthy public figure, she simply doesn’t have the credentials to make such a bold claim against the peaceful protestors. Not only is she hypocritical in disregarding an extremely American freedom (freedom of speech), but she also appears to be insensitive. Again, everyone is entitled to their own opinions.

However, Kate did not acknowledge that this was simply her opinion when she used the word “unacceptable.” She actually invalidated the protestor’s opinion, which is quite unfair.

It’s another instance in which Upton draws bad attention to the modelling industry (which is currently making efforts to solve some of its own race-issues). As someone with so much influence, she should be more careful and respectful when she makes huge claims on social media.

She Doesn't Care That What People Think Of Her Intelligence

The modelling industry is one of constant controversy and serotypes. One unfortunate quality that people often attribute to models is that they aren’t an intelligent bunch. This is because a modelling career is one that can be attained without any formal education. Many models hate this assumption and try to remind people that it takes skill, grace, and artistic ability to pose properly in front of a camera. Sadly, instead of proving society wrong, Kate Upton perpetuates the stereotype by bouncing around in the smallest, most ill-fitting bikinis around. It also doesn’t help that she is crass on social media, or that she’s constantly agreeing to play a "dumb blonde" in movies. Of course, this correlation between bubbly blondes and stupidity has no merit.

Kate Upton has a responsibility to prove the haters wrong and generate respect for her career and the modelling industry.

If she is making any attempt at all, it’s not obvious and not working. She needs to try harder to establish herself

She Criticized Her Own Agents

Everyone in the modelling industry knows that it takes a village to create a star. Kate, however, was convinced that she reached the top all on her own. In a 2014 interview with British Vogue, Upton commented on her struggles in the industry as a curvier woman, “It’s weird that in the press they’ll be like, ‘Your biggest fight was with the industry and the designers,’ and I’m like, ‘No, my biggest fight was with my agents, trying to get them to sign me into the castings.’"

What Kate is trying to say here is that her agents did not try hard enough because of her size, when in fact, the truth is quite the opposite. According to the SVP of IMG, Ivan Bart, it was a challenge to get Kate in front of a client despite how hard he tried.

He said that everyone thought he was crazy for trying to take her on due to the fact that she was so outside of the norm. But Ivan truly believed in Kate (for good reason) and consistently tried to convince clients to see her, knowing that she’d be able to charm them in person.

It’s a shame to think that she has trouble recognizing that her agency took a leap of faith by signing her. She should be thankful to have had the help and support from her agent.

She Criticizes Other Celebs' Appearance

A very large portion of Kate Upton’s brand is body acceptance. It’s definitely not a secret that her size has been controversial, and she has actually made some great headway for other curvier female models. You wouldn’t expect someone who seeks to inspire inner-pride to shame another woman for any part of her body, but Kate Upton beat the odds. In an extremely catty Snapchat back in 2016, Kate Upton is making a clownish, goofy face. That would be endearing, but the caption insinuated that she looked like a Kardashian because it appeared as though she had a specific enhancement done to her face. This quote, which was snapped for millions to see, does several unpleasant things.

First of all, it makes fun of Kim’s current appearance. Upton’s face is so obviously contorted into a joke that it can’t possibly be a compliment. Secondly, it shames Kim for potentially making a choice about her own body. Additionally, it attempts to validate an assumption that Kim has repeatedly denied. And finally, it shames people around the world who try to enhance their appearance. Kim and Kate have had a couple of public tiffs, but this crosses a line on every level by being full-on body-shaming.

She Tries To Be An Actress

According to the New York Post, Kate Upton left her modelling agents in the dust when she decided she wanted to become an actress. It’s pretty common for people in the entertainment industry to crossover to different fields, but Kate’s performances have been deemed sub-par by critics, according to Rotten Tomatoes. After a small cameo in the 2011 film, Tower Heist, Upton offended Catholics everywhere with her performance as a scantily clad (and that’s a huge understatement) nun. It was just the beginning of her many laughable performances as a ditsy seductress. She followed with a performance in The Other Woman opposite Cameron Diaz.

The movie featured Kate Upton running on a beach in a bikini several times. Hmm… we wonder if she had any previous experiences to draw from (we’ve never seen that before). She also starred in a Super Bowl commercial for Game of War in 2015. Okay, so she is technically an actress, but we’ll bet you can guess that she played a blonde bombshell yet again. The commercial features Upton first hopping out of a hot tub and then leading men into battle on a very bouncy horse.

She Thinks She Is The Queen of Sports Illustrated

The model was very cute and likeable in her first appearance in Sports Illustrated as Rookie of the Year in 2011. She subsequently landed the swimsuit cover in 2012 and then again 2013. It’s pretty impressive and definitely rare for a model with her experience. Kate, apparently, thought that it made her the queen of Sports Illustrated. For the 2017 swimsuit edition, Kate Upton joined Christi Brinkley and Serena Williams in the spread. Sports Illustrated was set to produce three separate collector’s covers.  It was predicted that Brinkley and Williams would land the other two covers, but Kate would not have it.

According to Page Six, she insisted that she must be on all three covers of Sports Illustrated wanted her to do the photoshoot at all.

It’s a pretty shameless and selfish move to make against a world-famous athlete and a fellow well-respected model. Of course, she got what she wanted. Inside sources say that she acted like a diva on set and “thinks she’s better than everyone because she’s an actress.” Don’t worry, we’re laughing too.

That Infamous Carls Jr. Commercial

There’s almost nothing more over-the-top than Kate’s Carl’s Jr. Hardee's commercial. She doesn’t come across as a model in the slightest. Instead, she comes across as something much worse. In the campy commercial, she behaves in a way that is so over-the-top, it is cringe-worthy. The burger, which is initially in a bag between her legs, is treated like an object by Kate, who is also treated as an object. After patting herself quite a bit, the commercial ends with Upton upside-down in a convertible with her fingers in her stockings, and her expression sensual. Perhaps the writers of the commercial are to blame here, but Kate’s performance is so obvious. It’s as if she knows, acknowledges, and enjoys the objectification that is so clearly bestowed upon her. She doesn’t appear to own her sensuality as much as she seems to allow others to own it. While the commercial is steamy, it’s a tasteless role for a model with large goals to take part in. Also, she doesn’t even eat red meat!

She Doesn't Get Along With Other Models

According to an Us Weekly article, Kate Upton is pretty rude to other models on and off set. She is said to have acted very rude and anti-social during a Sports Illustrated shoot. She additionally did not engage with other models at a party in a Las Vegas nightclub. A source told Us Weekly that she simply “wasn’t friendly.” It’s a mean way to act towards people in your same field, going through the same things. While unfriendly behavior seems minor, it has the ability to translate in a major way. It’s reported in the New York Post that Upton refuses to be photographed with other models, especially newer models. She doesn’t care to support them at all. The article notes that “even Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell embrace new models and shoot with them.” Upton seems to believe that she is above all of this, but the opposite is true. The industry expects models to respect one another, which Kate Upton can’t seem to do. In addition, her lack of regard for up-and-comers shows how self-obsessed Upton can be. It’s an unpleasant way to represent the industry to the newbies.

She Forgot Where She Came From 

In addition to her cover demands, Kate Upton had some more requirements for the 2017 SI Swimsuit shoot. Page Six reported that she also came to Sports Illustrated with a list of photographers and makeup artists that she’d be willing to work with. Anyone who was not on the list was not to be considered. She took full control of a shoot that she was hired to model for. It’s pretty unheard of for a model to behave this way, especially someone who was not quite a model-veteran at the time.

Where is the humble girl-next-door what Sports Illustrated helped create in the first place? It’s pretty unsettling that Kate Upton would be so demanding and complicated to the people who helped her career so much. Those moments made it clear that Upton was somewhere in the clouds and not coming back down to earth anytime soon. For such an attractive woman, her attitude and disregard for her supporters are pretty ugly.

She Changes Her Story A Lot

Kate Upton has flip-flopped on many of her opinions about modelling over the years. Her opinions seem to only be congruent with what she is able to accomplish at any given time. For example, in the very early stages of her career, Upton made it clear that she wanted to go as far as she could in the modelling world. This included work beyond swimsuit modelling. Fashionista published an article in 2012 quoting Kate talking about how much she enjoys fashion. She even went so far as to say that people are blind to her love for fashion because she’s usually depicted as a swimsuit model.

It’s obvious that the runway is a big part of fashion modelling. Around the time that Victoria’s Secret dissed Upton by saying that she’d never walk a Victoria’s Secret show because "she's like a footballer's wife, with the too-blonde hair and that kind of face that anyone with enough money can go out and buy," Upton made the claim that fashion shows were “never part of [her] goals.” She seemed pretty excited to finally land a show in 2017 when she walked for Michael Kors, so why did she ever knock fashion shows? We can’t help but wonder if her obscene competitiveness and desire to come out on top stops her from saying how she actually feels.

She's Not As Versatile As Other Models 

Kate Upton loves to be in a bikini, and the world loves to see her in once. With that said, she doesn’t exactly perform at her highest potential when she isn’t playing an objectified role.

When it comes to being a skilled model, versatility is extremely important. Models like Kate Moss and Karlie Koss are chameleons. In some ads, it’s hard to even recognize them. Kate does not seem to have this skill.

It’s a dream for clients to hire models that can completely change for the sake of a shoot, show, or campaign. It’s where people get a chance to see how much talent it actually takes to perform as a model. Kate Upton will always be Kate, with a few small exceptions. When it comes to the industry, that’s not a good look. There’s still time for her to surprise us, and perhaps she will. But for now, we can expect to see Kate seducing the world in the tiniest bikinis imaginable. She is, of course, laughing all the way to the bank.

References: harpersbazaar.com, MTV.com, HuffingtonPost.com, NYPost.com, Vogue.co.uk, USMagazine.com, Fashionista.com, Jezebel.com, BusinessInsider.com