The Daily Toreador - Student Newspaper of Texas Tech

Issue date: 8/27/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Courtesy Photo

A Texas Tech graduate recently made headlines in the world of reality TV.

Will Bigham, star of the reality TV show "On the Lot," was announced the winner of the show Tuesday evening.

As the winner, Bigham received a $1 million development deal with DreamWorks Pictures and also got to meet DreamWorks co-founder Stephen Spielberg.

"It was a lot of hard work, but it was truly amazing," Bigham said of the process.

Bigham graduated from Tech in 1998 with a degree in theater arts. His wife, Catherine Bigham, is also a Tech grad. She graduated in 1998 with a degree in theater arts.

"Will proposed to me on stage during the Texas Tech production of 'Guys and Dolls,'" she said.

During the filming of the show, Will Bigham was sequestered from the outside world.

"We got to talk to him on the phone for 15 minutes once a week," Catherine Bigham said. "Then we would see him after the taping each week for 20 to 30 minutes."

Catherine Bigham said all calls and visits were monitored by the producers of the show. Will Bigham was not permitted to talk about anything relating to the show or the films he was making.

"He couldn't even say if it was good, if he liked it, or anything," Catherine Bigham said. "But I was always pleasantly surprised. They were always good."

Catherine Bigham said the separation especially was hard for their three-year-old daughter, Khara.

"She would have the most terrible tantrums and crying spells," Catherine Bigham said of the couple's daughter, "and then on a whim one day during her crying spell, I started talking about Will, and she just stopped."

During his time at Tech, Will Bigham did not have an interest in film production.

After he and his wife graduated, they moved to Virginia and worked as actors for five years. After that he began applying to film schools and was accepted to Florida State University.

Will Bigham said he is thankful to those who voted for him.

"Making the movies is only half the battle," he said. "You know I heard stories of people hitting redial for hours and without them, I never would have won."

Catherine Bigham said she was pleased with the outcome of the show.

"I'm just so thankful. I knew he could do this," she said. "He's just such a solid person and such an amazing filmmaker. I'm relieved too because now he has a steady job that he loves."

Will Bigham is scheduled to start work with DreamWorks Pictures Wednesday.

"Our goal is to start production in one year," he said. "We gotta make sure we get the right product."

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