Tyson Beckford
Encyclopedia
Tyson Craig Beckford is an American
male model and actor
, best known as a Ralph Lauren
model. He was also the host of both seasons of the Bravo program Make Me a Supermodel
.
nian descent and a Chinese Jamaican
mother. He grew up in Rochester, New York
and attended Bay Trail Middle School in nearby Penfield, New York
. He then graduated from Pittsford Mendon High School
in the affluent suburb of Pittsford
as a participant in the Urban-Suburban Program, a busing program designed to give educational opportunities to urban youth in the city's surrounding suburban school districts. Beckford was a member of his high school football and track teams. He is also the cousin of Los Angeles Lakers
' forward Ron Artest
.
In 1992, he was recruited to hip hop magazine The Source
by a talent scout, Jeff Jones, who has been credited with 'discovering' Beckford in New York
City. In 1993, Beckford was recruited by Ralph Lauren as the front model for the company's Polo line of male sportswear.
music channel VH1
& one of the "50 Most Beautiful People in the World" by People
magazine. He is represented by Nous Model Management
in Los Angeles, California, and Independent Models in London
, England. He was ranked at #38 on VH1's 40 Hottest Hotties of the '90s.
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.
Beckford is currently co-hosting the modeling contest Make Me a Supermodel on the television channel Bravo with fellow supermodel Niki Taylor
. The show has chosen Nicole Trunfio
to join Beckford as a mentor to the model contestants for the show's upcoming second season. New judges include designer Catherine Malandrino
, model Jenny Shimizu
, photographer Perou
and model scout Marlon.
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
.
On June 7, 2005, Beckford was injured following a car accident in Secaucus, New Jersey
. Shortly before 5:00am, he lost control of his 2004 Dodge Ram SRT-10 and struck a utility pole. The vehicle caught fire immediately after the collision, but Beckford was able to pull himself out before the red pick-up became fully engulfed in flames. He was taken to the Jersey City Medical Center
and hospitalized for head trauma and cuts. During an interview on The Oprah Winfrey Show
, Tyson claimed the accident had a profound effect on his spirituality.
Beckford has been a resident of the New Jersey
communities of Edgewater
and West New York
.
Beckford has a 13-year-old son,Jordan Beckford (Born in 98) , from a previous relationship with celebrity stylist April Roomet, who appears on the E! television program, "Candy Girls".
Television
Music Videos:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
male model and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, best known as a Ralph Lauren
Ralph Lauren
Ralph Lauren is an American fashion designer and business executive; best known for his Polo Ralph Lauren clothing brand.-Early life:...
model. He was also the host of both seasons of the Bravo program Make Me a Supermodel
Make Me a Supermodel (U.S. TV series)
Make Me a Supermodel was an American reality television modeling competition series based on the British reality series of the same name. Following an audition preview on January 2, 2008, the series premiered January 10 on the cable television network Bravo...
.
Biography
Beckford was born on December 19, 1970 to a Jamaican father of PanamaPanama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
nian descent and a Chinese Jamaican
Chinese Jamaican
Chinese Jamaicans are the descendants of migrants from China to Jamaica. Early migrants came in the 19th century; there was another wave of migration in the 1980s and 1990s...
mother. He grew up in Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
and attended Bay Trail Middle School in nearby Penfield, New York
Penfield, New York
Penfield is a town in Monroe County, New York, United States. The population was 36,242 at the 2010 census.The town was incorporated in 1810 by the proprietor, Daniel Penfield, who purchased the town lands in 1795 and moved to the area in 1809. Penfield is a suburb of Rochester, New York...
. He then graduated from Pittsford Mendon High School
Pittsford Mendon High School
Pittsford Mendon High School is a public high school in suburban Rochester, Monroe County, upstate New York. It is one of two high schools in the Pittsford Central School District, the other being Pittsford Sutherland High School...
in the affluent suburb of Pittsford
Pittsford (town), New York
Pittsford is a town in Monroe County, New York, United States and is an affluent suburb of Rochester. The population was 29,405 at the 2010 census....
as a participant in the Urban-Suburban Program, a busing program designed to give educational opportunities to urban youth in the city's surrounding suburban school districts. Beckford was a member of his high school football and track teams. He is also the cousin of Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
' forward Ron Artest
Ron Artest
Metta World Peace is an American professional basketball player and rapper who is currently with the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA. World Peace gained a reputation as one of the league's premier defenders as he won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2004...
.
In 1992, he was recruited to hip hop magazine The Source
The Source (magazine)
The Source is a United States-based, monthly full-color magazine covering hip-hop music, politics, and culture, founded in 1988. It is the world's second longest running rap periodical, behind United Kingdom-based publication Hip Hop Connection. The Source was founded as a newsletter in 1988...
by a talent scout, Jeff Jones, who has been credited with 'discovering' Beckford in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
City. In 1993, Beckford was recruited by Ralph Lauren as the front model for the company's Polo line of male sportswear.
Career
Beckford was named "Man of the Year" in 1995 by the cable televisionCable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
music channel VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
& one of the "50 Most Beautiful People in the World" by People
People (magazine)
In 1998, the magazine introduced a version targeted at teens called Teen People. However, on July 27, 2006, the company announced it would shut down publication of Teen People immediately. The last issue to be released was scheduled for September 2006. Subscribers to this magazine received...
magazine. He is represented by Nous Model Management
Nous Model Management
Nous Model Management is a modeling agency in Los Angeles founded by Kenya Knight in February 1998 and specializing in both new male and female high fashion print and runway models as well as representing many notable established models in the industry for their West Coast activities, the most...
in Los Angeles, California, and Independent Models in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England. He was ranked at #38 on VH1's 40 Hottest Hotties of the '90s.
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.
Beckford is currently co-hosting the modeling contest Make Me a Supermodel on the television channel Bravo with fellow supermodel Niki Taylor
Niki Taylor
Nicole Renee "Niki" Taylor is an American model.-Early life:Taylor was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Ken and Barbara Taylor, a highway patrol lieutenant and a photographer, respectively. She was raised in Pembroke Pines, Florida, and attended Cooper City High School...
. The show has chosen Nicole Trunfio
Nicole Trunfio
Nicole Trunfio is an Australian model from Merredin, a small country town in Western Australia.-Personal life:Trunfio is the youngest girl in a family of four children. She attended St. Mary's Primary School in Merredin...
to join Beckford as a mentor to the model contestants for the show's upcoming second season. New judges include designer Catherine Malandrino
Catherine Malandrino
Catherine Malandrino is a fashion designer. She was born in Grenoble, France and now works in New York City as well as in Paris.-Profile:...
, model Jenny Shimizu
Jenny Shimizu
Jenny Lynn Shimizu is an American model and actress. She was born in San Jose, California.- Career :While working as a mechanic she was approached to model for the Calvin Klein CK1 fragrance ads and model Calvin Klein fashions...
, photographer Perou
Perou
thumb|perou by frances|rightRalph John Perou , known professionally as Perou, is a British fashion, portrait and music photographer who has also appeared as a judge on Make Me a Supermodel UK and on season 2 of Bravo TV's American Make Me a Supermodel...
and model scout Marlon.
Beckford judged and mentored the contestants of the first few episodes of the Australian version of Make Me a Supermodel
Make Me a Supermodel (Australian TV series)
Make Me a Supermodel is an Australian reality television series that is based from the successful British TV series of the same title except that men are also allowed to apply. It debuted on the Seven Network on 6 August 2008...
, with model and former Miss Universe
Miss Universe
Miss Universe is an annual international beauty contest that is run by the Miss Universe Organization. The pageant is the most publicized beauty contest in the world with 600 million viewers....
, Jennifer Hawkins
Jennifer Hawkins
Jennifer Hawkins is an Australian beauty queen, model and television presenter best known as Miss Universe 2004 and the face of Australian department store Myer.-Early life:...
.
Personal life
On January 4, 2007, Beckford Married Berniece Julien in a private beachfront wedding.. (Berniece Julien is a UK born entrepreneur).On June 7, 2005, Beckford was injured following a car accident in Secaucus, New Jersey
Secaucus, New Jersey
Secaucus is a town in Hudson County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 16,264. Located within the New Jersey Meadowlands, it is the most suburban of the county's municipalities, though large parts of the town are dedicated to light manufacturing, retail, and...
. Shortly before 5:00am, he lost control of his 2004 Dodge Ram SRT-10 and struck a utility pole. The vehicle caught fire immediately after the collision, but Beckford was able to pull himself out before the red pick-up became fully engulfed in flames. He was taken to the Jersey City Medical Center
Jersey City Medical Center
The Jersey City Medical Center is a hospital in Jersey City, New Jersey. The hospital has had different facilities in the city.-History:The hospital began as the "Charity Hospital" but the Board of Aldermen of Jersey City bought land at Baldwin Avenue and Montgomery Street in 1882 for a new hospital...
and hospitalized for head trauma and cuts. During an interview on The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
, Tyson claimed the accident had a profound effect on his spirituality.
Beckford has been a resident of the New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
communities of Edgewater
Edgewater, New Jersey
Edgewater is a borough located along the Hudson River in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 census, the borough had a population of 11,513...
and West New York
West New York, New Jersey
West New York is a town in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States, situated upon the New Jersey Palisades. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 49,708.-Geography:...
.
Beckford has a 13-year-old son,Jordan Beckford (Born in 98) , from a previous relationship with celebrity stylist April Roomet, who appears on the E! television program, "Candy Girls".
Filmography
- Boricua's Bond (2000)
- ZoolanderZoolanderZoolander is a 2001 American satirical comedy film directed by and starring Ben Stiller. The film contains elements from a pair of short films directed by Russell Bates and written by Drake Sather and Stiller for the VH1 Fashion Awards television specials in 1996 and 1997. The short films and the...
(2001) - ShottasShottasShottas is a 2002 Jamaican crime film about two young men who participate in organized crime in Kingston, Jamaica and Miami, Florida. It stars Kymani Marley, Spragga Benz, Paul Campbell and Louie Rankin and was written and directed by Cess Silvera...
(2002) - Trois 2: Pandora's BoxTrois 2: Pandora's BoxTrois 2: Pandora's Box is a 2002 thriller directed by Rob Hardy, as a sequel to Trois. This movie stars Monica Calhoun, Michael Jai White, Kristoff St. John, Joseph Lawrence, Chrystale Wilson and Tyson Beckford. The film was then followed by Trois 3: The Escort.When first released, the film was...
(2002) - GullyGullyA gully is a landform created by running water, eroding sharply into soil, typically on a hillside. Gullies resemble large ditches or small valleys, but are metres to tens of metres in depth and width...
(2002) - Biker BoyzBiker BoyzBiker Boyz is a 2003 film about a group of underground motorcycle drag racers. It stars Laurence Fishburne, Djimon Hounsou, Derek Luke, Meagan Good, and Larenz Tate and is written and directed by Reggie Rock Bythewood...
(2003) - Searching for Bobby D (2004)
- GasGas (film)Gas is a 2004 comedy/drama film, directed by Henry Chan. The film stars Flex Alexander and Khalil Kain .-Plot:...
(2004) - Into the Blue (2005)
- Dream StreetDream StreetDream Street was an American pop boy band that was formed in mid 1999 by Louis Baldonieri and Brian Lukow. Dream Street later disbanded in 2002 after a legal dispute between the parents and the group's managers...
(late 2006 early 2007) - Kings of the Evening (2008)
- Hotel CaliforniaHotel California (film)Hotel California is a 2008 film that follows three professional criminals in Los Angeles.-Plot:The film follows Troy as he returns to Los Angeles from Miami to meet with his former partners: Al and Pete , whom Troy betrayed years before...
(2008)
Television
- Superbikes as himself
- America's Next Top ModelAmerica's Next Top ModelAmerica's Next Top Model is a reality television show in which a number of women compete for the title of America's Next Top Model and a chance to start their career in the modeling industry....
as a Guest Judge - Project RunwayProject RunwayProject Runway is an American reality television series on Lifetime Television, previously on the Bravo network, which focuses on fashion design and is hosted by model Heidi Klum. The contestants compete with each other to create the best clothes and are restricted in time, materials and theme...
as a Guest Judge - Queer Eye for the Straight Guy as himself
- My Wife and KidsMy Wife and KidsMy Wife and Kids is an American television family sitcom that ran on ABC from March 28, 2001 until May 17, 2005. Produced by Touchstone Television , it starred Damon Wayans and Tisha Campbell-Martin, and centers on the character of Michael Kyle, a loving husband and modern-day patriarch who rules...
- Make Me a SupermodelMake Me a Supermodel (U.S. TV series)Make Me a Supermodel was an American reality television modeling competition series based on the British reality series of the same name. Following an audition preview on January 2, 2008, the series premiered January 10 on the cable television network Bravo...
as himself - I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! as himself
- Candy GirlsCandy Girls (TV series)Candy Girls is an American reality television series that premiered on E!, on March 8, 2009. The series centers around Bella Agency, a talent agency that primarily provides female models for music videos, magazine shoots, and upscale parties.*Cast*...
as himself - Germany's Next Top ModelGermany's Next Top ModelGermany's Next Topmodel is a German reality television show, based on a concept that was introduced by Tyra Banks with America's Next Top Model. The competition is hosted by Heidi Klum, who also serves as the lead judge and executive producer of the show.-Show format:Each yearly search of Germany's...
as a Guest Judge - Running Russell SimmonsRunning Russell SimmonsRunning Russell Simmons is a television series from Oxygen that premiered on November 2, 2010. The reality show follows Russell Simmons and his staff.- Cast :*Russell Simmons*Simone Reyes*Christina Paljusaj*Adair Curtis...
as himself
Music Videos:
- Toni BraxtonToni BraxtonToni Michelle Braxton is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Braxton has won six Grammy Awards, seven American Music Awards, and five Billboard Music Awards and has sold over 60 million records worldwide...
's "Breathe AgainBreathe Again"Breathe Again" is a song by American R&B singer Toni Braxton from her self-titled debut album, Toni Braxton . Written by Babyface and produced by L. A. Reid, Babyface, and Daryl Simmons, the ballad was released as the album's second single, garnering heavy airplay during late 1993 and early 1994,...
" - Toni BraxtonToni BraxtonToni Michelle Braxton is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Braxton has won six Grammy Awards, seven American Music Awards, and five Billboard Music Awards and has sold over 60 million records worldwide...
's "Unbreak My Heart" - RaekwonRaekwonCorey Woods , better known by the stage name Raekwon, is an American rapper and a member of the Wu-Tang Clan. He released his solo debut, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... in 1995, and has since recorded four solo albums, as well as work with Wu-Tang and an extensive amount of guest contributions with...
's "Ice Cream" - 50 Cent50 CentCurtis James Jackson III , better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, investor, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame with the release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin and The Massacre . Get Rich or Die Tryin has been certified eight times platinum by...
's "21 Questions21 Questions"21 Questions" is a song performed by American rapper 50 Cent and Nate Dogg. The song was written by 50 Cent, K. Risto, J. Cameron, and V. Cameron for 50 Cent's commercial debut album Get Rich or Die Tryin . Released in 2003 as the album's second single, it became his second number one song in the...
" - Trisha CovingtonTrisha CovingtonTrisha Covington is an African-American R&B singer who scored a top 40 R&B hit in 1994 in the U.S. "Why You Wanna Play Me Out?" Covington was signed to Columbia Records from 1994-1998. Her follow up single, "Slow Down," was released in 1995, and reached No. 79 in the US...
's "Slow Down" - Britney SpearsBritney SpearsBritney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
' "ToxicToxic (song)"Toxic" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears, co-written and produced by Bloodshy & Avant, from her fourth album, In the Zone. It was released on January 12, 2004, by Jive Records as the second single from the album. After trying to choose between " Boom Boom" and "Outrageous" to...
" - LudacrisLudacrisChristopher Brian Bridges , better known by his stage name Ludacris, is an American rapper and actor. Along with his manager, Chaka Zulu, Ludacris is the co-founder of Disturbing tha Peace, an imprint distributed by Def Jam Recordings...
's "Act A Fool" - Adina HowardAdina HowardAdina Howard is an American R&B singer who rose to prominence during the mid 1990s with her debut album, Do You Wanna Ride? and her debut single, "Freak Like Me". Howard is known for her sexual image and provocative songs...
's "My Up and Down" - Cam'ronCam'ronCameron Giles , better known by his stage name Cam'ron or "Killa Cam", is a Grammy-nominated American actor. He is the founder of the hip-hop group The Diplomats , and also of The U.N. group....
's "Horse and Carriage" - SWVSWVSisters with Voices, better known as SWV, is an American female R&B trio from New York. Formed in 1990 as a gospel group, SWV became one of the most successful R&B groups of the 1990s. They had a series of hits, including "Weak", "Right Here/Human Nature", "I'm So Into You", and "You're the One"....
's "AnythingIt's About Time (SWV album)*Initially issued without track 15, but was added to all subsequent CDs in April 1993*Copies of the album with the catalog number BMG 66074 contain "Right Here " , as the final track-Credits and personnel:* Coko...
" - Rhian BensonRhian BensonRhiannon Afua "Rhian" Benson is a Ghanaian soul and jazz singer, songwriter, and composer.-Early life:Benson was born in Accra, Ghana to a Welsh mother, who was a singer, and an Ashanti father, who was a guitarist, and she has a younger sister.She was raised in Ghana, India, where her family moved...
's "Say How I Feel" - Pet Shop BoysPet Shop BoysPet Shop Boys are an English electronic dance music duo, consisting of Neil Tennant, who provides main vocals, keyboards and occasional guitar, and Chris Lowe on keyboards....
' "Go West" - Sun aka GeishaHo Yeow SunHo Yeow Sun, better known as Sun Ho, is a Singaporean pop music singer. She studied at Anglican High School and Victoria Junior College. Ho is one of the co-founders of City Harvest Church and its community services and is married to Kong Hee Sun started her Mandarin pop singing career in 2002 and...
's "China Wine" - The Notorious B.I.G.The Notorious B.I.G.Christopher George Latore Wallace , best known as The Notorious B.I.G., was an American rapper. He was also known as Biggie Smalls , Big Poppa, and The Black Frank White .Wallace was raised in the Brooklyn borough...
's "One More Chance" - Ryan LeslieRyan LeslieAnthony Ryan Leslie, known professionally as Ryan Leslie, is a Grammy nominated American record producer, multi-instrumentalist, rapper, entrepreneur, and singer. Founder of the media company NextSelection Lifestyle Group, Leslie has produced singles for a number of artists in a variety of genres...
's "How It Was Supposed To Be" - DJ KhaledDJ KhaledKhaled bin Abdul Khaled , better known by his stage name DJ Khaled, is an American record producer, radio personality, DJ, and record label executive. He is a radio host for the Miami-based urban music radio station WEDR and the DJ for the hip hop group Terror Squad. In 2006, Khaled released his...
's "Go Hard" - Mia XMia XMia Young , better known by her stage name Mia X, was the first female emcee to sign with No Limit Records. In 1992, she released a single titled “Ask Them Niggas.” From 1995 to 1998, Mia X released three albums for No Limit: Good Girl Gone Bad, Unlady Like, and Mama Drama...
's "Whatcha Gonna Do" - Luke'sLuther CampbellLuther R. Campbell , also known as Luke Skyywalker, Uncle Luke or Luke, is a record label owner, rap performer , and actor...
"Raise the RoofRaise the Roof (Luke song)"Raise the Roof" was the lead single from Luke's sixth studio album, Changin' the Game. The song was produced and written by Luke himself and Darren "DJ Spin" Rudnick...
"