Bridget Fahey, Screen Test Awards Winner, Model Category
A great model is a silent actor able to shift shape, absorb story, and become someone else entirely in front of a lens. The best ones don’t just wear clothes; they transform inside them. That’s exactly what Bridget Fahey brought to the Screen Test Awards. At just 18 years old, the Pennsylvania-based high school student entered the model category with presence, instinct, and an undeniable point of view. Her look is striking: tall, pale, and angular in the most compelling way. She is fearless, and leans into her features, never shrinking from them. Whether she’s cloaked in YSL on our set, or draped in light alone, Bridget gives herself fully to the moment.
Raised in a household where creativity was always encouraged, Bridget’s curiosity was first channeled through clothes. Her mother recalls her as “the babysitter’s favorite baby,” always playing dress-up, always reinventing. It wasn’t until recently that she began to understand fashion as something deeper—a language, an outlet, a career. That discovery brought her to us. And now, with the same wide-eyed energy she had as a little girl—but with sharper tools and clearer vision, Bridget steps forward as a fresh face preparing for the next runway season.
Interview by Alec Castillo
Alec: When you submitted yourself for the Screen Test Awards, you didn’t just show how you move—you showed who you are. How did you prepare to express that on camera?
Bridget: When speaking to a camera, I find it important to remind myself of the audience who will be watching: that I am not just talking to a camera, but to them. That can help personalize my delivery, make it more natural and relaxed, like a conversation.
AC: What does modeling mean to you beyond the image? What’s the message or mood you aim to communicate?
BF: At this stage in my career, I have yet to build a platform where I can spread a message. I am an artist and a model and a person, and maybe my artistry will be a part of my message one day… but for now, I am just excited to graduate high school.
AC: How did the branding seminar or 1-on-1 session help you better understand your visual identity?
BF: From the work I have already done, and solidified by my interactions with the Screen Test Awards, I know that my visual identity is who I am. They are one and the same. I am what I am marketing, I am my own brand and business, and my visual identity will develop over time as I grow and change.
AC: When you’re on set, what helps you drop into character—or feel most like yourself?
BF: Music. The music often played on set can help focus the mood or intent of what we are shooting. It can give ideas of what poses or attitudes fit the atmosphere to create the best outcome and ensure that I can portray the intended mood even through a still shot.
AC: What’s one moment in front of the camera that made you feel powerful?
BF: All of them. I love being on camera and on set where everyone is working in tandem and never taking a pause. The people on set are who empower me the most, with their support or direction or simply trusting their area of expertise.
AC: Whose work in fashion or modeling has shaped how you approach the industry?
BF: I think everyone, even those not well versed in fashion, can remember the iconic moment between Shalom Harlow and Amber Valletta on the runway for Todd Oldham’s Spring 1995 show. That moment was memorable for so many reasons, but my takeaway was Shalom’s quick wit. When the camera is on or an audience is watching live, a production is never infallible. When it comes to modeling, I believe the ability to think on your feet is invaluable.
AC: What do you think is the most underrated skill a model needs to have today?
BF: Communication. Without a doubt, charisma and good social skills are often overlooked when thinking of what makes a model, but these skills tend to be key in building a successful foundation and network of trusted relationships for the future.
AC: Now that you’ve won, how has your vision of your modeling career expanded?
BF: In truth, I don’t have an end-all-be-all plan or vision for my future. So far, I have been taking this journey one step at a time and following my ambitions. I’m simply grateful that what I have done thus far has reinforced that I’m on the path I am meant to follow.
AC: How would you describe your look, your energy, or your presence in three words?
BF: It would be impossible to describe my presence, visual or not, in only a few words. I can be beautiful, but I can also be handsome. I can be calm and intuitive, but I can also be energized and eager. I can be independent and strong, but I can also lean on the leadership of those around me. This duality of traits allows me to adapt my energy and be my most confident self in any scenario.
AC: If you could walk for or shoot with any brand or designer, who would it be and why?
BF: I am not naive enough to name one brand or designer that I favor when I still have so much to learn and experience. I have been exposed to so many new things but cannot attach to just one, not when there is still so much talent and knowledge for me to be introduced to.