The Untold Truth Of Kate Upton

Model, actress and...champion equestrian? There's little Kate Upton can't do. The 24-year-old model shot to fame just a few short years ago and since then has proven she's more than a pretty face. Way more. From acting to participating in endless partnerships with big names, Upton hasn't been afraid to think big and show she's here to stay. Let's take a look behind that smile to those untold truths you don't know about world-famous model Kate Upton.

Before Upton took the world by storm in her modeling career, she was competing in a different field. As a kid, she competed as an equestrian in various horse shows. And as to be expected, she was awesome at it. According to Vanity Fair, as a kid she took the title of the American Paint Horse Association's Under Reserve All-Around Champion, and won the Western Riding category at the same competition.

Horseback riding did also have a big impact on Upton's future career. According to the Evening Standard, it was at a horse show that 12-year-old Upton was first scouted for modeling. And Upton hasn't forgotten where it all began. She continues to vacation near Lake Michigan, where she has recently been spotted horseback riding. Seriously, is there anything she can't do?

While we're charmed by Upton's overall positive and fun-loving attitude and look, not everyone felt the same throughout the years. In 2010, when 17-year-old Upton was meeting with new modeling agencies, she received some unusual feedback from one. She later told Vanity Fair, "I'm not going to name names, but one agency told me, 'You're too American, and everybody knows American women are lazy.' I was so offended! I've never been so offended! I was like, 'You know that you're in America, right?' And it wasn't 'American models'—it was American women are lazy, period! I feel like a lot of women would disagree with that."

And while Upton ended up being just fine and signing with International Management Group, she still had to handle some negative comments. Sophia Neophitou, who worked on casting Victoria Secret's runway shows, made a comment to the New York Times in 2012 that she "would never use" Upton in a show. She went even further, describing Upton as, "a footballer's wife, with the too-blond hair and that kind of face that anyone with enough money can go out and buy." Wow. And Upton was just as surprised to hear such remarks, telling E! News, "I had never met her, so it really came out of nowhere." But Upton stuck with her career even with the negativity and had many others cheering for her, blocking out those who didn't.

Upton has used her fame and success for good. In 2013 she teamed up with Movember. This organization asks men to grow a moustache for the month of November, and as a result, the charity raises money for prostate and testicular cancer. Upton's title with the organization was "Mo Sista" and she partnered with Gillette to help get the word out. She spoke with CBS News about the charity work and women's roles in the movement, saying, "We're not growing moustaches, thank goodness, but you can help set up appointments or bring awareness or talk about. And for guys, they grow 'staches and go to the doctor." Keep up the good work, Upton!

When the world saw Kate Upton starring in the 2014 film The Other Woman, many thought that was her first time acting ever, but the truth is, Upton had a planned for just that. She later spoke with Cosmopolitan and mentioned she took acting lessons for two years before she took on the part in the movie. She continued to describe her path to acting, saying "I think that it's cool to learn a completely new industry. I didn't ever think I would have this amazing opportunity to pursue acting, but when I was younger I definitely had it in my mind that I wanted to try it."

So how was the experience of her first big movie? Upton only has positive things to say. She told E! News, "I was on set with Cameron Diaz and Leslie Mann and they were the most inspirational and amazing women I had the honor to work with...They were really helpful in my experience with the movie, and I really appreciated all of their advice and all of their encouragement throughout the movie set." Okay, can we be in a movie with them next?

She continued on to say she wanted to continue her acting career, but she's still figuring out next steps. "For me, it's been such an amazing year and such a great experience...I've worked with some of the most iconic people and I've been very grateful for the whole experience, but I still feel like it's just the beginning, and I have a lot of ways to grow and I just want to continue in this direction."

She didn't wait too long — Upton added a few more movie credits to her resume in 2016 that have yet to hit the bg screen.

Normally, when we think of models, one of the first things that comes to mind is the runway show. However, Upton isn't interested in following expectations. She told GQ that fashion shows are about the designer and don't feel "collaborative." She continued, saying, "There's also a weird energy backstage — it's a little too aggressive. I prefer a relaxed, happy environment. I love everybody to be happy on set because I think if everybody's having fun you get the best photos...So I usually go out of my way to have good energy whenever I'm shooting. You can't do that in a fashion show because it's not a collaboration: it's really not about you."

But just because it isn't Upton's path doesn't mean she doesn't support her fellow models who walk in shows. She told New York Magazine, "For some girls, the dream is to walk in a show, so I feel really happy for whoever is reaching their ultimate goal."

With Upton's beautiful looks, it's hard to imagine her being body-conscious, but this is a topic the starlet is very open about. In 2015, she told Hello!, "I think all women are similar; we all struggle with the same things when it comes to body image and wanting to be beautiful...I'm the same when I'm on the beach with my friends or when there are paparazzi around."

So how is she in an industry that focuses on her looks? She said, "Being on a fashion shoot is like an acting job. I feel like I'm a different character, and that character doesn't get pangs of anxiety."

And in her day-to-day life, Upton has a great attitude as to why she wants to be healthy, which leads to looking great. She spoke on this topic with the Evening Standard, saying, "this is the body I was given, I appreciate it and I try to take care of it every day as best I can, but I always enjoy my life. So I'm not going to let my insecurities stop me from enjoying life." We can all take notes from Upton.