The blonde beauty from those controversial Ultra Tune ads returns to MAXIM…
Hey Tyana, congrats on your third MAXIM Australia cover. How do you feel?
Thank you so much! It’s very, very surreal. You’d think after the first couple of times the novelty would wear off but it really doesn’t. With this shoot we were going for a more classy poolside look – nothing too overdone but a very natural glam. I absolutely love Rocky’s (photographer) work.
What have you been doing with yourself since we last saw you in MAXIM early last year?
A lot of travelling – I’ve been in-and-out of New York for work which has been a nice change of scenery. I’m usually just a beach bum – you’ll catch me laying around on the sand 90 percent of my time.
Being an Ultra Tune Rubber Girl, you star in the latest Ultra Tune TV commercial — filmed on the Gold Coast with Pamela Anderson – describe your role in it.
It’s quite simple really – we recreate the whole Baywatch thing. Pam, myself and the other Rubber Girls run down the beach and save Warwick Capper who is drowning. The owner of Ultra Tune, Sean Buckley, really wanted to go against everything people complained about in the last ads, so we did a 180 degrees this time and it’s now the women saving the men.
What was it like working with an icon like Pamela Anderson?
She was a sweetheart but we didn’t really spend a lot of time together. She was very professional on-set and she was so lovely at the Ultra Tune press dinner we had the day before we started filming – she was happy to take photos with everyone and stuff.
Besides getting to work with Pamela, what else did you enjoy about the ad?
To be honest – the end! It was the longest ad we have filmed – it took three full days on-set and there was a lot of back and fourth in-and-out of the water.
Any funny on-set stories you can share with us about filming it?
Yeah, the one day they tried to put us all on the surfboards to film the scene of us paddling out. Of course, we all had our hair and make-up done but unfortunately the waves were like four foot and with none of us being professional lifeguards it was quite a site to see. We were all just trying to stay afloat! Sadly, I didn’t, and ended up being dunked.
Previous Ultra Tune commercials have featured men such as Charlie Sheen and Mike Tyson as the hero – how great is it to have a woman as the leading star this time?
It was great having a female role model like Pamela in the ads and it was a nice feeling to be doing the saving this time. However, I never felt discriminated against or sexualised in the other ads – I guess when you’re looking at it from my side of the camera you can see they are all done in jest and good fun.
Describe the difference in working with Pamela compared to the aforementioned stars?
Pamela was very similar to Mike Tyson in the sense they kept to them self – once their shots were done they would leave set. Charlie Sheen, however, always stuck around having a good ol’ chat with everyone and making us laugh – it was almost like working with a friend you’d known your whole life.
Past Ultra Tune ads have been labelled “sexist” and “out of touch”, supposedly portraying women in an out-dated manner. Has political correctness gone too far?
Absolutely. Political correctness is absolutely out of control. I’m scared to say more without someone coming at me.
What do you love most about being an Ultra tune ambassador?
All the opportunities that have arisen from my role. It’s also nice to be able to work for such an affordable and reliable car company.
What’s the best way for a man to win his way to your heart?
A surprise holiday. Call me up and tell me to be at the airport and that the flight leaves in three hours. That is my ultimate goal!
What’s your New Year’s resolution?
I have a few financial ones I’ll keep close to my chest but my resolution is always to be happy and appreciate everything that comes my way.
Have you kept to it so far?
Yeah, so far I haven’t lost my cool.
Got any big plans for 2020??
I can’t even tell you what I’m eating for breakfast tomorrow! ■
STATUS UPDATE
FULL NAME: Tyana Maree Hansen
BORN: April 1, 1995
HOMETOWN: Brisbane, Qld
LIVES: Gold Coast, Qld
FIVE WORD SELF-DESCRIPTION: “Spontaneous, crazy, funny, happy and smart.”
HIDDEN TALENT: “Being able to shoot consecutive tequila shots.”
PHOBIAS: “I’m deathly afraid of fish. It’s so weird – I love swimming in the ocean but once I see a fish my day is ruined and I have to get out of immediately.”
FAVOURITE DRINK: “I have a few – vodka water (not soda), anything sour or Baileys on ice.”
BEST HANGOVER CURE: “Garlic bread.”
BEDTIME ATTIRE: “Nothing… which is surprising considering how much Peter Alexander I buy.”
LIFE MOTTO: “You can have anything you want, as long as you want it bad enough.”
INSTAGRAM: @tyanamaree
PHOTOGRAPHED BY ROCKY BATCHELOR
INTERVIEW BY SANTI PINTADO
HAIR & MAKE-UP SIMMY CARR
For the full article grab the March 2020 issue of MAXIM Australia from newsagents and convenience locations. Subscribe here.
