The Complete Transformation Of Tila Tequila

From peak Myspace fame to falling off the radar for many years, reality star Tila Tequila has had one fascinating transformation. In the early 2000s, she quickly shot into the public eye thanks to some modeling work. She then took that following to Myspace, where she launched her music career with songs like "I Love U" and "Stripper Friends." By the later 2000s, Tequila had a bisexual dating show, "A Shot at Love With Tila Tequila," which was culturally significant because it brought an LGBTQ+ dating show in front of a wide audience. While there was some debate about whether Tequila could be considered a positive role model for LGBTQ+ youth due to her rebellious attitude, she was definitely getting people to talk about the topic.

By the 2010s, though, things had taken a turn for the TV star. After some public mental-health struggles, Tequila was spending less and less time in the public eye and began sharing some troubling views online, leading many to express concern for her and her mental state.

Tequila's extreme views aside, she was a style icon in the late 2000s and early 2010s. Not only did she rock the latest trends, like satin minidresses and peep-toe pumps, but she also found ways to take these looks to the max and make them her own with fun accessories, including lace gloves, big watches, and bold jewelry. Time and time again, Tequila proved that you can reinvent yourself and your style no matter what you're going through.

Influencers may be a dime a dozen now, but in 2006, translating internet fame into something bigger was a pretty new concept. That said, Tila Tequila showed the world how it's done. In 2002, she was discovered by Playboy and went on to become Cyber Girl of the Month. She then used this notoriety to begin a music career on Myspace, the biggest social media platform at the time. By 2006, she had her share of hit songs — "Playgirl Central" being one of her most memorable — and had amassed an astonishing 31.5 million overall views. She was also taking things further with magazine cover shoots, her own clothing line, and a cell phone endorsement contract.

This was also the year that we got the first real taste of Tequila's style sense. Sultry satin bodycon dresses were super trendy, and they just so happened to be a style staple for her at the time. At the 2006 Video Game Awards — Tequila had previously been featured in the 2004 game "Street Racing Syndicate" — she donned a simple, black satin dress with a plunging, open neckline, which she paired with minimal accessories. Then, at a Frankie J album release party, she rocked another satin dress with a low neckline, but this time, her drapey dress — aka the elegant trend elevating bodycon style — was hot pink and paired with some trendy accessories, including a loose, gold cardigan and a bold watch.

By 2007, Tila Tequila had officially moved past internet fame by landing her own show on MTV. Totally groundbreaking at the time, Tequila was the star of a bisexual dating show called "A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila," meaning that men and women alike were vying for her attention.

In addition to gracing television screens, looking for love, and partying hard, Tequila rocked a range of eye-catching styles on red carpets. One memorable look, in particular, was her teal, corseted mermaid-style gown that she wore for her New Year's Eve Masquerade. Not only was she exploring innovative ways to bring trendy corseted looks into her wardrobe, but she was also accessorizing with lacy black gloves and a bold, black necklace with floral details that looked both elegant and dramatic and made her short, blond bob truly pop.

In 2008, Tila Tequila and the winner of the first season of "A Shot at Love," Bobby Barnhart, had parted ways after a short-lived romance. Now, her dating show was getting a second season, and the reality star began opening up more about her experiences not only on the show but also a general icon of the time. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, she discussed being a trendsetter, saying, "I don't like doing everything the old way. I always like to start trends, and then people follow."

She also spoke about her path to fame and opened up about what it was like to work with Playboy. "Being in Texas and being very young and ambitious, you just do what you can to get yourself out there," she told Entertainment Weekly. "Playboy came to me in f—ing Texas, man, come on. So I'm gonna take that chance and just see where it goes."

Of course, Tequila was also making attention-grabbing style choices during this period, too. Along with plenty of colorful, satin bodycon looks, Tequila rocked a range of playful, short dresses. One of her most notable ones was a lemon-yellow minidress that she wore to the Spike TV Guy's Choice Awards, which she paired with strappy, black pumps and a zebra clutch.

Throughout 2008, Tila Tequila discussed her sexuality and the significance of her dating show. While Tequila may have felt she was a role model for those who were exploring their sexuality, she was also facing some criticism. Speaking to King Magazine, Tequila responded to those who accused her of faking her sexuality, saying, "If you're faking bisexuality, then you'd be one of those Girls Gone Wild girls. I'm not one of those fake ones. I have real emotions for people, whether they're male or female." To help make her point, she compared her bisexuality to her Vietnamese heritage: "So, whoever said that shows me that they're really ignorant, and it makes me cringe. It's like saying, "Hey, you're not really Vietnamese, you're just trying to be." How do you answer that?"

Just as in the earlier half of the year, Tequila was still making plenty of notable fashion moves. Polished animal prints were trending and full of chic vibes at the time, and Tequila knew just how to rock a leopard-print dress in a way that was completely elegant. Paired with some black platform pumps and a black purse, she truly knew how to elevate a simple style.

Despite "A Shot at Love" having a second season, Tila Tequila found love another way: through mutual friends. In 2009, Tequila became engaged to Johnson & Johnson heiress Casey Johnson. Even though she was excited about the relationship, it was also a serious decision for her. Opening up to Autostraddle, she said, "Well, I think marriage is a struggle for anybody. The first week after announcing our engagement, we had a lot of talks. Within a week, I felt like it was five months. We had talks about everything." Of course, Tequila knew that serious work is involved in a lasting relationship. "You have the first couple weeks of butterflies, where you're like, 'I love you! We're gonna be together forever!' And the next week is like, 'OK, these are the rules. If you want this to work out, this is what we have to do,'" she added.

In the interview, she also discussed the fact that she may have been looking for love in the wrong places, as well as coming to the realization she was a lesbian. "Well, that was the moment where it kind of scared me. I started realizing it for a long time, but I was in denial, of course," she explained, adding, "I picked guys that I thought girls like me were supposed to date. I thought that girls like me would date football players, even though I'm not attracted to them."

Throughout 2009, Tequila continued to rock plenty of satin minidresses, dresses covered in sequins, and looks with plunging necklines. She also went for many of the trends of the day, like messy buns and plaid pencil dresses with halter necklines and laced-up corset details.

Not long after coming out and sharing the news of her engagement with the world, Tila Tequila experienced a tragedy. At just 30, her fiancé, Casey Jones, passed away due to health complications. Heartbroken, Tequila opened up about the situation and how she was dealing with it to People. "It really hit me when I found all the cards she had written me," she told the outlet. "My therapist put me on suicide watch. I've been getting help, but I'm fine now. I know Casey wants me to be alive, and she hates seeing me like this. She always hated it when she would see me cry."

Tequila also took a moment to recall happier times, sharing the story of their engagement. "One night, she came over, and she was so nervous. I was like, what's wrong with you, calm down!" Tequila recalled to People. "She was so nervous and so cute, and finally, she pulled out this fat ring that I had never seen before."

After the passing of her partner, it seemed that Tequila was looking for a transformation, and one way she did that was by doing something totally new with her hair. At the Maxim Hot 100 party, she wore newly bleach-blond strands pinned to the side. She also wore blue contact lenses and accessorized her minidress with feathery details, white gloves, and a bold, gold necklace, showing Tequila's entrance into a new and more theatrical style era.

If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline​ at​ 1-800-273-TALK (8255)​.

Despite the difficulties that Tila Tequila had recently faced, she was moving forward with her life and taking on new challenges. One of those challenges was acting. Speaking to Radar Online, she discussed branching out in her roles, saying, "I got this role for *! My Dad Says alongside William Shatner and everybody, and I'm really excited about it because usually it's just me cameoing as myself, but this time I got to go on there as an actress playing another person."

Acting wasn't the only thing on her mind that year, though. In another interview with Radar Online, she discussed her sobriety and what it meant to her. "I have my doctor and my therapist, and throughout all of last year, I went constantly," the reality star explained. "I got sober. I'm really happy these days. I never ever want to go back to that dark place where I was last year."

As always, Tequila's transformations were apparent in her outfits during this period. By 2011, she had ditched the blond locks and was back to black. Many of her style choices took on a new tone that year as well, with simple black or white dresses making frequent appearances. Proving that she was an expert on dressy and casual ways to style a little black dress alike, she often accessorized her frocks simply, grabbing pearls or layered chain necklaces.

If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

In 2012, Tila Tequila faced difficult times once again. After an overdose, she suffered a brain aneurysm, which landed her in the hospital. Speaking to Us Weekly, she recalled the life-threatening incident, saying, "I can remember feeling like the bones were popping out the side of my head [because] the pain was so bad. I took some medications and tried to go for a nap, but when I woke up, I was vomiting. I really thought I was going to die."

While there was some conflicting information about whether Tequila's overdose was accidental or not, it was clear that some mental health resources were able to give her some help and may have made a difference for the star. While speaking to Us Weekly, she also opened up about her outlook for the future, saying, "Honestly, I feel like I have been reborn. I should have died and feel blessed to have another chance at life, and I intend to grasp it. I got excellent treatment, and I did a total detox of all substances and medications. This was really tough, but I managed to do it."

In 2013 and 2014, Tila Tequila made headlines for a wide range of reasons. During this time, she revealed she was expecting a baby, and she was snapped happily shopping for her new bundle of joy in an adorable lacy, white dress. When she welcomed her daughter, she opened up to Us Weekly, saying, "I am so in love with her. She's so perfect and beautiful." She also discussed her excitement about motherhood, adding, "I just want my baby to be proud of me and to know how much I love him or her. To love someone else unconditionally is one of the best feelings in the entire world, and I hope I will have plenty more pregnancies to come."

During this period, Tequila made headlines for other, less pleasant reasons as well. In 2013, she made a blog post seemingly defending Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, leading some fans to speculate about her mental health. In the post, she wrote, "I am not going to sit here and say that I hate Jewish people because that is not the case, nor is this about Jews. It is about Hitler and his side of the story that was never told since he was not the victor" (via The Hollywood Reporter). She went on to add, "However, those of you with a closed mind can think I am being anti-Semite all you want because I already told you that I am not, nor will I repeat myself again."

From 2015 onward, Tila Tequila laid low and stayed out of the public eye, partially because she was sharing some more extremist views and receiving backlash. In fact, Tequila was kicked off of the British television series "Celebrity Big Brother" that year after she made another post supporting Adolf Hitler. This time, however, she also posted a mock-up photo of herself wearing a Nazi armband and holding a gun in front of the former concentration camp Auschwitz. In a statement provided to ET, a spokesperson for the show discussed the decision to let her go, saying, "When they were brought to our attention, she was called to the Diary Room for a discussion with producers and was subsequently removed from the house. The views Tila had expressed, and permitted to remain uncorrected, are totally unacceptable and, accordingly, her continued involvement in the programme was untenable."

In 2018, Tequila geared up to welcome her second child. She shared the news in a Facebook post, writing, "The Lord God has blessed me with baby #2!!!!! Praise the Father in Heaven, for He is merciful and graceful! I give glory to Him every day" (via E! News). She also took a moment to address those who she felt were attacking her, adding, "Meanwhile, I find it hilarious how all the haters have been calling me 'fat' and telling me that God is going to punish me for the things I have been saying and always trying to send curses my way. But God took all your wretched curses and turned them into huge blessings for me instead!!!!"

In the years since her Nazi-sympathizing posts, Tila Tequila has kept an even lower profile. That doesn't mean, though, that she's totally disappeared from the public eye. In 2022, she made a return to the platform where she'd initially gained popularity: Myspace. In a mysterious post, Tequila expressed love for her fans, writing, "[J]ust wanted to say that I love you guys. All of you. Even those that spite out hateful words towards me, I still return love back to you because Love is the highest form of energy and vibration. So, I'm going to continue to give you my Love and send Positive Energy your way. *Hugs*"

That hasn't been her only online appearance in recent years, though. In 2024, she could also be seen in a YouTube video where she expressed a range of views involving religion and politics. In the video, she wore bold, glittery jewelry, including huge earrings, a collar necklace, and a headdress. She paired this with a bold, graphic, and metallic eyeliner look. Throughout the video, she also went on to discuss her financial situation, as well as those she felt were working against her. The sometimes confusing and troubling video led followers to speculate about her mental health and express hope that she gets any help she may need.

Now, for another trip down memory lane, check out the best Y2K outfits Paris Hilton rocked in the 2000s.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.