:Tyson Beckford
{{short description|Jamaican-Panamanian American model and actor (born 1970)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox model
| name = Tyson Beckford
| image = Tyson Beckford (cropped).jpg
| caption = Beckford at FashionWeekLive in San Francisco, 2007
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1970|12|19}}
| birth_place = Bronx, New York, U.S.
| children = 1
| height = {{convert|1.83|m|order=flip}}
| eye_color = Brown
| hair_color = Black
}}
Tyson Beckford (born December 19, 1970) is a Jamaican-American model and actor best known as a Ralph Lauren Polo model. He was also the host of both seasons of the Bravo program Make Me a Supermodel. Beckford has been described as one of the most successful black male supermodels of all time, achieving fame and huge contracts similar to the female models who had huge success in the 1990s.
Early life
Beckford was born in Bronx, New York, on December 19, 1970, to a Jamaican mother, Hillary Dixon Hall, and a Panamanian father of Jamaican and Chinese-Jamaican descent, Lloyd Beckford.
Soon after he was born, his mother took the family back to Jamaica, where they lived for seven years before returning to Rochester, New York, where he attended and graduated from Pittsford Mendon High School. During his school years, Tyson was often teased about his looks.{{cite web|url=http://www.arogundade.com/tyson-beckford-model-his-chinese-asian-ethnicity-nationality-his-mother-parents-family-biography-bio.html|title=BEST Tyson Beckford Model Bio: Chinese Ethnicity, Parents, Mother, Father Lloyd, Nationality, Age, Height|website=Arogundade}}
Career
In 1992, Erik Lauren Counsel of the hip hop magazine The Source approached Beckford "in Washington Square Park" about being "in a style piece" in the magazine New York City.{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Av7AuFjYsHo&t=917s |title=Tyson Beckford on Being Face of Polo, Dating Kim K, Kanye & Chris Brown Beef (Full Interview) |website=YouTube.com |access-date=February 14, 2022}} In an August 2021 VLADTV interview, Beckford clarified that nobody named Jeff Jones "discovered him" and said that "the person who gets the credit is Erik."{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Av7AuFjYsHo&t=968s |title=Tyson Beckford on Being Face of Polo, Dating Kim K, Kanye & Chris Brown Beef (Full Interview) |website=YouTube.com |access-date=February 14, 2022}}{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Hvn5YLI1Fc|title=Tyson Beckford on Getting Discovered as a Model on the Street by Source Magazine|publisher=YouTube.com |date=August 2021}}
Confusion about his discovery might have happened after a 2005 People magazine interview, when Beckford stated that his career began as he was "minding his own business" in Manhattan's Washington Square Park, when scouts from the hip hop magazine The Source asked him to pose. "I'm thinkin', 'Yeah, this is some porno magazine,'" he recalled, "but everything was legit."{{cite web|url=https://people.com/celebrity/model-tyson-beckford-escapes-burning-truck/|title= ModelTyson Beckford Escapes Burning Truck|first=Stephen|last=Silverman|access-date=June 7, 2005|publisher=People Magazine}}
In 1993, Beckford was recruited by Ralph Lauren as the front model for the company's Polo line of male sportswear.[http://www.modernmanfitness.com/tyson-beckfords-workout-regimen-for-the-runway/ "Tyson Beckford's Workout Regimen for the Runway"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150528145622/http://www.modernmanfitness.com/tyson-beckfords-workout-regimen-for-the-runway/|date=May 28, 2015}} Retrieved May 28, 2015 File:Tyson Beckford by Arnaldo Anaya Lucca.jpg by Arnaldo Anaya-Lucca]]
Beckford was named "Man of the Year" in 1995 by cable television music channel VH1 and one of the "50 Most Beautiful People in the World" by People magazine. He is represented by Soul Artist Management in New York City and D'management Group in Milan.{{cite web|url=http://models.com/models/Tyson-Beckford|publisher=Models.com|title=Tyson Beckford – Profile|access-date=December 18, 2012}} He was ranked at number 38 on VH1's 40 Hottest Hotties of the '90s.[http://notedguys.com/tyson-beckford/ Notedguys.com] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091006072811/http://notedguys.com/tyson-beckford/|date=October 6, 2009}}
In 2003, he appeared on the ABC network's celebrity reality game show I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!. In September 2008, he supported the National RESPECT! Campaign against domestic violence, recording a voice message for the Giverespect.org Web site, speaking about the importance of respect for others.{{cite web |url=http://giverespect.org/#/voicemail/ |title=Send a celebrity voice message |publisher=GiveRespect.org |date=September 2008}}
Beckford co-hosted the modeling contest Make Me a Supermodel on the television channel Bravo with fellow supermodel Niki Taylor. The show chose Nicole Trunfio to join Beckford as a mentor to the model contestants for the show's second season. Other judges included designer Catherine Malandrino, model Jenny Shimizu, photographer Perou, and model scout Marlon.{{cite web|url=http://www.zap2it.com/tv/news/zap-makemeasupermodel2newjudges,0,2968054.story|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090113231354/http://www.zap2it.com/tv/news/zap-makemeasupermodel2newjudges,0,2968054.story|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 13, 2009|title='Make Me a Supermodel' Returns With Tyson, New Judges|first=Hanh|last=Nguyen|access-date=January 7, 2009|publisher=Zap2it}}
Beckford judged and mentored the contestants of the first few episodes of the Australian version of Make Me a Supermodel with model and former Miss Universe Jennifer Hawkins.{{citation needed|date=December 2012}} In 2012, he participated in Fox's dating game show The Choice.{{cite magazine|last=Hibberd|first=James|title=Fox's 'The Choice' cast revealed! Joe Jonas, Dean Cain, The Situation, many more -- EXCLUSIVE|url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/05/08/fox-choice-celebrities/|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=April 11, 2013|date=May 8, 2012}}
He was one of the judges on the British version of America's Next Top Model.
Personal life
On June 6, 2005, Beckford was injured during a vehicle accident in Secaucus, New Jersey, in which his 2004 Dodge Ram SRT-10 struck a utility pole and caught fire. He was taken to the Jersey City Medical Center and hospitalized for head trauma and cuts.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/08/nyregion/metro-briefing-new-jersey-secaucus-model-hurt-in-truck-crash.html |title=Metro Briefing New Jersey: Secaucus: Model Hurt in Truck Crash|first=NY|last=Times|access-date=June 8, 2005 |work=The New York Times|date=June 8, 2005 }} During an interview on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Tyson claimed the accident had a profound effect on his spirituality.{{cite web|title=Beckford Sobs As He Recalls Car Blaze|url=http://www.contactmusic.com/news-article/beckford-sobs-as-he-recalls-car-blaze|work=Contact Music|access-date=December 15, 2013|date=October 21, 2005}}{{cite web|url=https://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/how-does-it-feel/all |title=How Does it Feel?|first=Oprah|last=Winfrey|access-date=June 8, 2005|publisher=Oprah.com}}
Beckford has been a resident of the New Jersey communities of Edgewater{{cite web |url=http://www.blender.com/guide/articles.aspx?id=1603 |title=Miss Thing |work=Blender |access-date=July 3, 2007 |quote=Edgewater, New Jersey — home to Tyson Beckford}} and West New York.{{cite web| url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2005-06-07-tyson-beckford_x.htm |title=Tyson Beckford injured in New Jersey truck accident |work=USA Today}}
Beckford has a son (born 1998) from a relationship with stylist April Roomet, who appears on the E! Television program Candy Girls.{{cite web|url=http://www.eonline.com/on/shows/candygirls/castbios/index.jsp|publisher=EOnline|title=Candy Girls|access-date=February 16, 2013}}{{cite web|date=March 20, 2009|title=TV Stylist Reveals Beckford Is Her Son's Father|url=http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/tv%20stylist%20reveals%20beckford%20is%20her%20sons%20father_1098262|access-date=June 8, 2009|website=contactmusic.com}} Beckford is an ambassador for the nonprofit Kick 4 Life, an organization that uses the power of soccer to engage vulnerable youth in holistic care and support in Lesotho.{{cite web|last=Duffy|first=Nick|date=August 2, 2018|title=Tyson Beckford hits back after Kim Kardashian implies he's gay|url=https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/08/02/tyson-beckford-gay-kim-kardashian/|access-date=May 9, 2021|website=PinkNews}}
Filmography
=Films=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="margin-right: 0;" |
| scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 2000
| - | |
| 2001
| Himself | |
| rowspan=2| 2002
| Lance Racine | |
| Gully
| Man / Prisoner | |
| 2003
| Donny | |
| 2004
| Gas | Karl | |
| rowspan=3| 2005
| Searching for Bobby D | Jerome | |
| Into the Blue
| Primo | |
| Wait
| Charles | Short |
| rowspan=2| 2008
| Homer Hobbs | |
| Hotel California
| Al | |
| 2014
| Addicted'' | Corey | |
| rowspan=2| 2015
| Adrian 'Rude Boy' | |
| Supermodel
| Alex | |
| 2022
| Singleholic | Manuele | |
=Television=
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes |
|---|
| 2002
| Hunter | Episode: "The Kyles Go to Hawaii: Part 1 & 2" |
| 2002-03
| Himself/Panelist | Recurring Guest |
| rowspan=2| 2003
| I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! | Himself | Cast Member: season 1 |
| Half & Half
| Sexy Guy | Episode: "The Big 'I Have a Dream' Episode" |
| 2004
| Himself | Episode: "Nov 21, 2004" |
| 2005
| Motorcyclist | Episode: "Britney Spears: Toxic" |
| rowspan=2| 2006
| Urbanation (Travel) | Himself | Episode: "New York 3" |
| Queer Eye
| Himself | Episode: "Messenger to Model Material: Jesan H" |
| 2007-11
| Himself/Guest Judge | Recurring Guest Judge |
| 2008
| Himself | Episode: "Erica" |
| 2008-09
| Himself/host | Main Host |
| 2012
| Himself | Episode: "Season Finale" |
| 2013
| The Real Housewives of Atlanta | Himself | Episode: "Secrets Revealed" |
| rowspan=3| 2014
| SWV Reunited | Himself | Episode: "SWV's Comeback" |
| FNL's Flashback Friday
| Himself | Episode: "Tyson Beckford" |
| The Face
| Himself | Episode: "Runway Dinner Party" |
| 2016
| Himself | Episode: "Natasha Rothwell" |
| 2016-17
| Himself/Celebrity Player | Episode: "That's Mighty Biggs of You" & "A RuPaul Awakening" |
| rowspan=3| 2017
| Himself | Episode: "Adam Carolla/Jenna Fischer/Tyson Beckford/Caroline Rhea/Jay Pharoah/Ana Gasteyer" |
| Hip Hop Squares
| Himself/Contestant | Recurring Guest |
| 90's House
| Himself | Episode: "The one with the Big Finale" |
| 2019
| Himself | Episode: "Épisode Deux" |
| 2020
| Himself/Guest Judge | Episode: "Once Upon a Time" |
| 2023
| Himself/Contestant |
=Music videos=
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ |
| Year
! Title ! Artist |
|---|
| 1992
| "Anything" | SWV |
| rowspan=2| 1993
| "Go West" |
| "Breathe Again" |
| 1994
| "Slow Down" |
| rowspan=4| 1995
| "Live Niguz" | Onyx |
| "Ice Cream"
| Raekwon |
| "My Up and Down" |
| "One More Chance" |
| 1996 |
| 1997
| "Anywhere You Want" |
| rowspan=4| 1998
| "Horse & Carriage" | Cam'ron |
| "What'cha Wanna Do?"
| Mia X |
| "The Way It's Going Down"
| Shaq |
| "Raise the Roof"
| Luke |
| rowspan=3| 2003
| "21 Questions" | 50 Cent |
| "Act a Fool"
| Ludacris |
| "Industry" |
| "Say How I Feel" |
| 2004
| "Toxic" |
| 2007
| "China Wine" |
| rowspan=2| 2008 |
| "Go Hard" |
| 2014
| "With Your Love" |
| 2015
| "Infinity" |
| 2022
| Lizzo |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commonscat}}
- {{official website|http://beckfordonline.com}}
- {{IMDb name|4734}}
- [http://skamartist.com/tysonbeckford Tyson Beckford] at SKAM Artist
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Beckford, Tyson}}
Category:Pittsford Mendon High School alumni
Category:American people of Panamanian descent
Category:American male film actors
Category:People from Edgewater, New Jersey
Category:People from West New York, New Jersey
Category:American male actors of Chinese descent
Category:American actors of Jamaican descent
Category:American models of Chinese descent
Category:Male actors from New Jersey
Category:Male models from New Jersey
Category:Participants in American reality television series
Category:21st-century American male actors
Category:People from the Bronx
Category:Male models from New York (state)