Colin Mortensen

In 1999, aspiring sportscaster and UC Berkeley student Colin Mortensen hit pay dirt when he was cast in the Hawaii-set season of MTV's "The Real World." Initially a "Real World" reject, Mortensen was tapped to host the series' casting TV special as a consolation prize. So impressed with the lighthearted personality of this handsome, dark-haired, boy-next-door type, the producers reconsidered and named Colin (whose last name wouldn't be revealed until the series was over, in keeping with "The Real World" regulations) one of the seven strangers. Neither the party boy, the troublemaker nor the tortured soul, Colin assumed the role of the goofy, average guy, a necessary but thankless part, and with all of the high drama that unfolded in this particular season, one that would have caused him to fade into the background. Soon, however, he got involved in an ambiguous and tumultuous relationship with cast mate Amaya and ended up with problems and resulting screen time that made him a viewer's favorite. While the experience of having his life chronicled for months was no doubt taxing (the romance with Amaya proved unable to withstand the strain of surveillance), it offered Mortensen a unique opportunity for publicity.