From Pharmacy to Runway: Is Forrest Risking It All for Modeling Fame?

Forrest Atwood-McKenzie walked into Before the 90 Days as the underdog of Season 8. Now, according to reports, the Oregon native wants to trade the pharmacy counter for a runway. A visible gym glow-up, his first food review, and open talk of a modeling career — this is everything we know about Forrest’s big career gamble, and the long-distance love that may be fueling it.

From Pharmacy Tech to Front of the Camera

When viewers first met Forrest, his life looked anything but glamorous. He had worked as a pharmacy technician — a steady, respectable job that kept a roof over his head. But steady, according to reports, is no longer enough.

In recent social media activity, Forrest has talked about trading the pharmacy counter for the modeling and influencer world. The ambition raised eyebrows — modeling careers are notoriously unstable — but Forrest seems to know exactly what he wants, and he is putting in visible work to look the part.

The Gym Glow-Up Everyone Noticed

You don’t need a before-and-after collage to see it: fans say Forrest looks far healthier now than he did during his season, and comments across fan pages credit him with real weight loss and gym work.

Supporters are quick to say it plainly: whatever the end goal, getting healthier is a win nobody can argue with.

The Food Review That Started It All

If modeling is the destination, content creation appears to be the road. Forrest recently posted a food review for Chick-fil-A — and fans immediately read it as a trial balloon, the first of what could become a regular influencer series.

Food reviews are a classic entry point for aspiring creators — low barrier, high relatability. One review doesn’t make a career, but it does make a statement: Forrest is done waiting for permission.

Fans Are Split: Team “Follow Your Dream” vs. Team “Keep the Stable Job”

One camp is cheering him on: chase the dream, take the risk, life is short. The other is wincing, calling it reckless to walk away from a permanent job for a shot at modeling.

Some critics have been harsher, with one claiming “Sheena dodged a bullet” and dragging Forrest’s mom Molly into the debate — a reminder that, according to reports, his mother was wary of Sheena from the start.

The truth, as always, sits somewhere in the middle. Forrest hasn’t confirmed he is leaving pharmacy work behind entirely — what we know is that he is publicly flirting with a very different future.

Sheena, Molly and the Long-Distance Love Behind the Gamble

Lost in the career debate is the relationship that made Forrest a fan favorite in the first place. He and Sheena — whom he met in the Philippines — have reportedly kept a long-distance romance alive for about seven years, leaning on video calls and even home security cameras to stay close.

Sheena’s family welcomed Forrest with open arms, while his mom Molly remained cautious about the match. Still, the family shows up: in July, Forrest and Molly joined a video call to sing happy birthday to Sheena, helping her blow out candles and cut her cake across the ocean.

That kind of loyalty cuts both ways. A man who spends seven years fighting distance for love is not afraid of a long shot. If the modeling dream pays off, it could even be the career move that finally brings Sheena to America.

What do you think: should Forrest go all-in on modeling, or play it safe? Drop your take in the comments.