After ‘American Idol,’ Avila looks to acting

Kirk Baird

Friday, March 11, 2005 | 8:32 a.m.

The "American Idol" dream is over for Amanda Avila.

The 23-year-old Las Vegas resident was eliminated from competition Wednesday night, along with three other "Idol" contestants, based on the number of votes she received nationwide.

Still, she hasn't given up on her aspirations of being a performer. Only, instead of singing, Avila is considering acting.

"I'm always going to be a performer, that's where my heart is, but I think I'm going to try other aspects of performing," she said in a phone interview Thursday from Los Angeles.

"I think I'm going to dabble in acting, now that I had the television bug bite me. We'll see how it goes."

Less than 24 hours after learning she wouldn't join fellow Las Vegas "Idol" contestant Mikalah Gordon among the final 12 singers, Avila was in good spirits.

"I'm sorry to go ... but I wasn't in shock," she said. "There's a lot of talented people there.

"I had kind of prepared myself, but I hoped to move on."

On Tuesday night's show Avila performed the Motown classic, "River Deep, Mountain High," best known as an Ike and Tina Turner hit. While two of the show's judges, Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul, said her performance was fine, the acerbic Simon Cowell was less than kind, saying Avila looks better than she sounds.

Biting, yes -- but the remark was more pleasant than his previous week's comment to Avila, when Cowell told her he wanted to be reincarnated as her microphone in his next life.

"I think that Simon is a weirdo and he says the first thing that comes to his mind, which is what makes him Simon and why America loves him," Avila said. "But at that moment, I was taken aback. (I was thinking), 'My little sister's watching. Keep it a clean show.' "

Avila said Cowell's comments are fairly indicative of the male-centric entertainment industry.

"I'm a women and I'm in the entertainment business," she said. "And I just think that there are times when men can say whatever they want and not have any repercussions."

Still, she was appreciative of his on-air apology. She also knows Cowell's comment most likely infuriated other women as well.

"I'm sure Simon got an earful, not only from his girlfriend but also women across America," she said.

Avila, who performed in the free show "The Sirens of TI" after moving to Las Vegas a year and half ago, has no immediate plans, other than to rest and relax at her mom's home in Los Angeles.

She said she has no regrets over her performance or even being on "American Idol" -- other than not enjoying the experience more -- and wishes the remaining performers well.

When asked who she thought would win the competition, Avila was diplomatic.

"I'm pulling for the local girl, I'm pulling for everybody," she said. "They all deserve to be up there, but I don't know who is going to win."