Tyson Beckford is an American fashion 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.
Early life Beckford was born in Rochester, New York on
December 19, 1970 to a mother of Chinese and Afro-Jamaican descent and a father of Afro-Panamanian
descent.
Soon after he was born his mother took the family back to Jamaica, where they lived for
seven years before returning to New York, finally settling in Harlem.
During his school years, Tyson was often teased about his looks.
Career 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.
Beckford was named "Man of the Year" in 1995 by the cable television music channel VH1
& 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.
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 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.
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.
In 2012, he participated in Fox's dating game show The Choice.
Personal life 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 son, Jordan Beckford, from a previous relationship with celebrity stylist
April Roomet, who appears on the E! Television program Candy Girls.
Beckford is an Ambassador for the non-profit Kick4Life, an organization that uses the power
of soccer to engage vulnerable youth in holistic care and support in Lesotho, southern Africa.
Filmography Boricua's Bond
Zoolander Shottas
Trois 2: Pandora's Box Gully
Biker Boyz Searching for Bobby D
Gas Into the Blue
Dream Street Kings of the Evening
Hotel California Addicted
Television Superbikes as himself
America's Next Top Model, Cycle 17 as a Guest Judge
Project Runway as a Guest Judge Queer Eye for the Straight Guy as himself
My Wife and Kids Make Me a Supermodel as himself
I'm a Celebrity...
Get Me Out of Here! as himself Candy Girls as himself
Germany's Next Top Model as a Guest Judge Running Russell Simmons as himself
"Britain & Ireland's Next Top Model" as a Judge
Music Videos Toni Braxton's "Breathe Again"
Toni Braxton's "Unbreak My Heart" Raekwon's "Ice Cream"
50 Cent's "21 Questions" Trisha Covington's "Slow Down"
Britney Spears' "Toxic" Ludacris's "Act A Fool"
Adina Howard's "My Up and Down" Cam'ron's "Horse and Carriage"
SWV's "Anything" Rhian Benson's "Say How I Feel"
Pet Shop Boys' "Go West" Sun aka Geisha's "China Wine"
The Notorious B.I.G.'s "One More Chance" Ryan Leslie's "How It Was Supposed To Be"
DJ Khaled's "Go Hard" Mia X's "Whatcha Gonna Do"
Luke's "Raise the Roof" References
External links Official website
Tyson Beckford at the Internet Movie Database Tyson Beckford at AllMovie
"Tyson Beckford".
Models.com.