Aoki Lee Simmons, daughter of Def Jam founder Russell Simmons and model Kimora Lee Simmons, says she’s considering leaving the modeling industry as she is “annoyed” with the constant comparisons to her mother. The 22-year-old admits, “She’s always gonna be a better model than me.”
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Taking to her social media a few days ago, Aoki Lee Simmons went on Instagram Live and slammed the constant comparisons to her mother Kimora Lee Simmons, and the constant criticism she receives for not being more like Kimora.
Aoki said, “I think I’m probably wrapping up modeling soon. I’m working on just getting a job in my degree field. But, you know, while I’m still here I should do my best. I hope that doesn’t sound kind of ‘whiney.’ If I’m going to a casting that my mom always got, it just feels like one big, fat comparison all the time. Like, ‘Okay, you’re not as good as [your mom].’ I get that. My mom is always gonna be a way better model than me. But, it’s just annoying to always have that comparison sometimes.”
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Aoki continued to reveal how people would tell her how “great it is to go to a casting that your mom did.” But, she said, “No, it’s awful.” After explaining, “Because when you don’t get it, it feels even more, like…,” she sighed. She went on to add, “I think I’m going to end up switching back to working in government because that’s what my degree is in. But, while I’m here, I’m going to do my best.”
Aoki clarified, “I love modeling and I’m sure people are going to report on this how they always do. But, I love modeling. It’s hard to go somewhere and get told over and over and over, ‘No. No. No. You’re not pretty enough. You’re not pretty enough. No. You’re not pretty enough. No.’ So, like, that’s not a fun time.”
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Responding to a fan in the comments of her live telling her to look into getting a modeling coach, Aoki Lee Simmons said, “I don’t need a coach, I’m a good model. I know that sounds, like, confusing, [but] it’s not. I worked really hard at it, but it’s just a hard industry. There’s a lot of beautiful, great girls, who are great models, and don’t have a job.”
On advice she received from her mom Kimora Lee Simmons, Aoki said, “I think my mom always taught me that if you’re going to leave something, in general — I’m taking the Foreign Service test so that I can get back into International Relations, which is what my degree is in — ‘You should finish out strong and finish out with respect to the job and the industry that you chose to be involved in.’ So, I’m going to go finish strong.”
She also revealed, “I’m not walking Victoria’s Secret [show] this year. No, I was maybe going to, but I didn’t get it. But, I’m happy for everybody who did.”
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