Evin Beaulieu has always liked being in front of the camera.

Now he’s getting paid for it.

An up-and-coming model, Beaulieu’s photos now appear on Hasbro’s Nerf products. Buying a Mega Thunderbow Blaster? That’s Beaulieu taking aim on the box. The N-Strike Elite Demolisher 2-in-1 Blaster? That’s him on the package, shouldering the gun. More boxes will feature his photo this fall when Hasbro releases its newest toy gun line.  

Beaulieu hopes one day to be able to model or act full time. And it all started with his own local TV show when he was a kid.

Name:

Age: 22

Singe/relationship/married: I am currently dating a beautiful nurse named Amy.

Town: Lewiston

Job: Though modeling and acting is what I’m really pushing for, it has not yet become my full-time job. Right now I work as a maintenance man at a nursing home.

How did you get into modeling? Well, I’ve always loved to be in front of a camera, ever since I was around 12 and had my own local television show called “The Animal Kid.” Being so young with a television show, however, gave me the false confidence that I could just “get back to it” whenever I wanted to, and I began pursuing other teenager-type things (football, karate, education), and I drifted away from the camera. When I turned 18 I realized that what I really wanted was to get back in front of it one way or another, and so I began asking around for any photographer who would allow me to have a practice shoot with them. When I finally found one, I immediately posted the pictures to an online modeling site. There I was discovered by a photographer out of Rhode Island — with direct connections to a modeling agency — who was willing to waive his normal fees just to give me an opportunity to let my talents shine. After much hard work and a few other photo shoots, I was signed with Click Models of Boston.

Cool! Are you a millionaire supermodel now? Ha ha, I wish! I think the most common misconception about modeling is that we are all wealthy and famous, and though that is true for a decent number of us, the majority just simply doesn’t work hard enough or have the talent. Though it is true that I am paid well for the shoots I do, the cold truth is that many models have to have second jobs (like me) until they are truly discovered; the hard work doesn’t end when you get signed! Luckily for me, it only took me about a year for Hasbro to discover me (which may seem like a long time to get noticed, but there are many other models who NEVER get noticed by ANY companies at all!).

What’s the best part about modeling? That’s a tough question to answer for me because I love pretty much the whole process: working out and preparing your body, wardrobe selection and makeup (to change your attitude in front of the camera), getting the pictures taken and emoting. But if I had to pick one thing, it would be seeing the final product and realizing what you accomplished. For example, seeing my picture for the first time on the cover of a Nerf gun box was an overwhelming feeling because I know all of the hard work it took for me to have that image captured and all of the other models I had to compete against for that spot. It’s the type of feeling of accomplishment that everyone should be lucky enough to be able to feel at least once in their lives.

What’s the most challenging part? Again, not an easy question to answer . . . the absolute WORST part I would have to say, however, is the travelling. I have driven up to 4-and-a-half hours one way . . . for a 3-hour shoot, only to turn around and drive back home another 4-and-a-half hours immediately afterward! That makes for a very long day. But nothing beats the feeling of seeing the work you accomplished when the photos are all done!

Can you act and model from Maine? It is very tricky, and you have to be willing to travel. Most models and actors out of Maine actually move OUT of Maine before they get their big break, because there really isn’t much opportunity here and most companies/directors would prefer to work with someone closer by. I have lost a few jobs for companies just because of the simple fact that I lived so far away. So there is a very great possibility that I will be moving out of state soon to be able to keep pursuing my dream.

Do the modeling poses feel silly when you’re doing them? Not really. If it feels silly then it probably looks silly, because you won’t look comfortable doing it. Whenever that feeling does come up, you’ve got to either step into the role and emote as best as you can so you can push that feeling away and pull off the pose, or move on. Otherwise, you’re wasting not only your time, but the time of the photographer as well. The best way to try and avoid this feeling is to practice alone at home in front of a mirror and/or to find a way to bring confidence into the shoot.

Do you get to play with the Nerf products you seem so happy about in the photos? Unfortunately I don’t own any Nerf guns anymore, but when I’m on set and I’m on break or when the director is trying to lighten the mood, there may or may not be a Nerf gun fight that breaks out among members of the staff and other models.

Would you like to have your own TV show again? I would absolutely love that, as long as it wasn’t for something corny or degrading, like an MTV reality show. Being in front of the camera as an actor would be an amazing thing for me, really a dream come true. In fact, I have a YouTube Channel called “Unheardofpro” (short for Unheardofproductions) that I use to create short skits and videos to practice my acting/producing/directing talents and teach myself how to do it. I am pushing myself and working hard to be able to open up some opportunities, so stay tuned!

Best toy ever: Nerf Ball, Koosh ball or baseball? What, no love for the football? If I had to pick, I’m sorry Hasbro but it would have to be the baseball. Growing up, I was always an athletic kid and I love sports. I would always practice throwing a football or baseball for hours (even when I wasn’t on a team) just for the love of it. Plus, baseball IS technically considered America’s pastime, so I guess you can’t go wrong there, right?