Jeremy Meeks | |
---|---|
Born | [1] Tacoma, Washington, U.S. | February 7, 1984
Occupation | Model |
Years active | 2016–present |
Spouse | Melissa Meeks (m. 2008;div. 2018) |
Partner | Chloe Green (2017–2019) |
Children | 2 |
Modeling information | |
Height | 183 cm (6 ft 0 in) |
Hair color | Black |
Eye color | Gray |
Agency | White Cross Management (Los Angeles) |
Jeremy Ray Meeks (born February 7, 1984) [1] is an American fashion model, actor, and convicted felon. A former member of the Crips street gang, Meeks was arrested in 2014 during a gang sweep called Operation Ceasefire in Stockton, California. [2] Afterward, police posted his mugshot on Facebook, which went viral due to his attractive appearance. He was convicted on federal charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm and grand theft. [3] Meeks' mugshot was noticed by modeling agencies and, upon his release from Mendota Federal Correctional Institution in March 2016, [4] he began a modeling career. [5] [6]
Meeks was born in Tacoma, Washington, on February 7, 1984, [1] and is the son of Katherine Angier and Raymond Meeks. [7]
In 2002, Meeks was charged with robbery and corporal injury to a child, assaulting a 16-year-old boy. He was sentenced to serve two years in a California prison, during which he admitted to claiming to be a member of the North Side Gangster Crips. [8]
On June 18, 2014, [8] Stockton Police Department arrested Meeks and three other men in a multi-agency law enforcement mission dubbed Operation Ceasefire. Meeks was listed as a "convicted felon, arrested for felony weapon charges". [9] He denied the charges. [10] The same day, Meeks' and the other men's mugshots were posted on the Stockton Police Department's Facebook page. [9]
Within 24 hours from when the photos were posted to the department's page, Meeks' photo had acquired more than 15,000 "likes" and 3,700 comments, [11] mostly from women enamored of his looks. [12] His multiracial mix of black and white features was widely considered attractive. [13] The next day, on June 19, news and entertainment site BuzzFeed recognized Meeks' mugshot as a "meme". [14]
On Friday, June 20, Twitter fans created the hashtag "#feloncrushfriday" in honor of Meeks' mugshot. [15] Stockton Police Department spokesman Joe Silva acknowledged that the mugshot had received more attention than any other mugshot since they launched the Facebook page in 2012. [16] As of April 2021, the post has received 95,000 "likes", 24,000 comments, and 11,000 shares. [9]
A July 2014 court hearing was set, while Meeks awaited his trial at the San Joaquin County Jail, with his bail set at $1,050,000. [17] Meeks' mother, Katherine Angier, set up a GoFundMe page in an attempt to raise money for his bail. [12] His sister, Leanna Rominger, used the proceeds from the campaign to hire a defense lawyer for him. [18]
On July 3, 2014, a Northern California Grand Jury indicted Meeks on a charge of possession of a semiautomatic .45 caliber pistol that was transported across state borders in the commission of Grand Theft. [19] The state dropped its charges against Meeks and his case was handed over to federal prosecutors. [20]
On February 5, 2015, Meeks was convicted by a federal judge [21] of one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison. The judge further ordered Meeks to participate in the 500-Hour Bureau of Prisons Substance Abuse Treatment Program. [22] He was incarcerated at Mendota Federal Correctional Institution. [4] Meeks served 13 months of the sentence, and was released from prison March 8, 2016, after which he was ordered to reside in a transitional housing facility for a few weeks. [23]
On March 4, 2015, photographer and talent agent Jim Jordan's company White Cross Management confirmed having signed a management contract with Meeks. [24] Jordan began working with Meeks upon the latter's release from the transitional housing facility which he was ordered to stay in after his March 2016 release from prison. [25] Meeks' first modeling headshot was published in June 2016. [26] White Cross Management continues to manage Meeks, [27] and featured Meeks on the cover of their online magazines James Magazine USA Vol. VII [28] and White Cross Magazine Vol. 01. [29]
On February 13, 2017, Meeks made his runway debut for the Philipp Plein Fall/Winter 2017/2018 Women's And Men's Fashion Show collection at the New York Public Library during New York Fashion Week. [30] In April, Meeks was scheduled for an appearance and series of photo shoots in the United Kingdom, but was barred from entering the country upon landing in Heathrow Airport. Meeks was interrogated by officials and then sent back to the United States. [31] Meeks made his European runway debut in May 2017 at Philipp Plein’s resort 2018 presentation at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival. [32] He then walked for Plein’s spring/summer 2018 sport collection on June 18 during Milan Fashion Week. [33]
In August 2017, Meeks appeared in a campaign for Israeli sunglasses fashion house Carolina Lemke, partially owned by Israeli model Bar Refaeli. [34] The campaign tagged Meeks' background as different from Refaeli's, who appeared in the campaign alongside Meeks, stating, "There has never been a mix like this". [35] In December, Meeks appeared on the cover of the men's fashion magazine MMScene. [36]
Meeks appeared in Tommy Hilfiger's Spring 2018 fashion show in Milan on February 25 of the same year. The show was a collaboration with model Gigi Hadid and ran during Milan Fashion Week. [37] He appeared on the cover of the Summer 2018 issues of the fashion and lifestyle magazines FV [38] and L' Officiel Hommes. [39]
In September 2019, Frankfurt-based fashion company Fashion Concept GmbH announced a $15 million partnership with Meeks to build a fashion line in his name. [40] The fashion line launched in July 2020. [41] In 2022, Fashion Concept GmbH filed for bankruptcy after alleged fraudulent practices were discovered. [42] [ better source needed ]
In November 2019, Meeks became brand ambassador for fragrance line Gisada Switzerland's fragrance duo "Gisada Ambassador." [43]
In January 2018, [44] Meeks flew to Moscow to appear in the music video "Wi-Fi" by Russian pop singer Olga Buzova. [45]
Meeks made his feature film debut in 2020 with the BET+ streaming feature Trigger. [46] In 2021, Meeks appeared in the independent feature film Secret Society; the film was directed by Jamal Hill, and is based on the book of the same name by Miasha Coleman. [47]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2020 | Trigger | Trey Mass | TV Movie |
True to the Game 2 | Saleem | ||
2021 | Dutch | Craze | |
Secret Society | Khalil | ||
Dear Best Friend | Jamie | TV Movie | |
True to the Game 3 | Saleem | ||
2022 | The Wrong High School Sweetheart | Camp Sweetheart | TV Movie |
Circumstances 3 | Big L | ||
Unfair Exchange | Chad Perry | ||
Secret Society 2: Never Enough | Khalil | ||
2023 | Dance For Me | Seth Calloway | TV Movie |
Secret Society 3: 'Til Death | Khalil | ||
2024 | Dutch II: Angel's Revenge | Craze | |
TBA | Beach Chain | Dwayde | |
Doggmen | Sparks | ||
Rise of the Tarrogan | Dime |
Meeks will release an autobiographical book titled Model Citizen: The Autobiography of Jeremy Meeks in September 2024. [48] [ better source needed ]
Meeks has a child with Melissa Meeks, to whom he was married from 2008 to 2018. [49]
In June 2017, it was reported that Meeks was in a relationship with Chloe Green, the daughter of British businessman Philip Green. Meeks had gone on a trip to Turkey, where the first images of him and Green came out on a yacht. [50] On May 29, 2018, Green gave birth to the couple's son. [51] In August 2019, it was reported the couple had amicably split and were selling their joint London home. [52]
A model is a person with a role either to display commercial products or to serve as an artist's model or to pose for photography.
Hybristophilia is a paraphilia involving sexual interest in and attraction to those who commit crimes. The term is derived from the Greek word hubrizein (ὑβρίζειν), meaning "to commit an outrage against someone", and philo, meaning "having a strong affinity/preference for".
Devon Edwenna Aoki is an American model and retired actress. Aoki's film roles include 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003), Sin City (2005), DOA: Dead or Alive (2006) and Mutant Chronicles (2008).
Nylon is an American multimedia brand and publishing company, which produces a lifestyle magazine that focuses on pop culture and fashion. Its coverage includes art, beauty, music, design, celebrities, technology and travel. Originally a print publication, it switched to an all-digital format in 2017. Its name references New York and London, and it is currently owned by the Bustle Digital Group. The magazine will return to print in 2024.
An "it girl" is an attractive young woman who is perceived to have both sex appeal and a personality that is especially engaging.
Malan Breton is a Taiwanese-born fashion designer. He is known for his work as a film, and music video director, as a columnist, costume designer, popular musician, television, film producer, Goodwill Ambassador to Taiwan, Ambassador to UK Parliament / Parliamentary Society, and actor.
Anja Rubik is a Polish model, activist, philanthropist and entrepreneur. She is one of the most prominent models of the 20th and 21st century, continuously featuring on magazine covers, as well as runways and campaigns for the most notable fashion houses. By 2009, Rubik was dubbed a "top model" by French Vogue and continues to influence the fashion industry.
Irina Valeryevna Shaykhlislamova, known professionally as Irina Shayk, is a Russian fashion model. She received international recognition when she appeared as the first Russian model on the cover of the 2011 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. In 2022, the website Models.com placed her on their list of the New Supers.
Phoebe Philo OBE is an English fashion designer. She was the creative director of fashion brands Céline from 2008 to 2017 and Chloé from 2001 to 2006. Her eponymous line launched in 2023.
Christian Vincent Siriano is an American fashion designer and member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA). Siriano first gained attention after winning the fourth season of American design competition show Project Runway in 2007, becoming the series' youngest winner. He launched his eponymous Christian Siriano collection in 2008, which brought in revenue of over $1.2 million by 2010 and was estimated to have reached $5 million by 2012.
Karlie Elizabeth Kloss is an American model. She was a Victoria's Secret Angel from 2013 until 2015, when she resigned to study at New York University. By 2019, Kloss had appeared on 40 international Vogue covers.
Barbara Sprouse is a Hungarian model and actress. She first appeared in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in 2016. In 2019, she became a Victoria's Secret Angel, although she first walked in 2012. She is also ambassador for Longines and Armani Beauty.
Robert Rihmeek Williams, known professionally as Meek Mill, is an American rapper. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he embarked on his music career as a battle rapper, and later formed a short-lived rap group, The Bloodhoundz. He signed with T.I.'s Grand Hustle Records as a solo act in 2008, although he departed by 2011 and released no albums with the label. He then signed with Rick Ross' Maybach Music Group (MMG) that same year, and rose to mainstream recognition following his performances on the label's Self Made Vol. 1 (2011) compilation album; his song "Tupac Back" served as the album's lead single, while its follow-up, "Ima Boss" entered the Billboard Hot 100.
Joan Smalls Rodriguez is a Puerto Rican model and television personality. In 2011, she became the first Latina model to represent Estée Lauder cosmetics. In 2013, she entered Forbes magazine's "World's Highest-Paid Models" list for the first time, ranking at number eight with over $3 million in earnings, In January 2014, Smalls appeared on the "Return of the Supermodel" cover of American Elle. In 2012, Smalls was ranked the number #1 model in the world by Models.com.
Laura Yumi Lambert is a Belgian model.
Isabella Khair Hadid is an American model. Hadid has made 35 appearances on international Vogue covers. In 2022, she was named Model of the Year by the British Fashion Council. Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world on its annual list in 2023.
Sofia Alexandra Grainge is an American social media personality and model. She has been featured in campaigns by a number of major brands including Stuart Weitzman, Tommy Hilfiger, Michael Kors, and Adidas. She is the youngest daughter of singer Lionel Richie and sister of television personality Nicole Richie.
Leomie Jasmin Francis Anderson is a British fashion model, television presenter, and activist. She walked in four consecutive Victoria's Secret Fashion Shows from 2015 to 2018, and became a Victoria's Secret Angel in 2019. Anderson was included in a 2020 Forbes '30 Under 30' list for the art & culture category.
Leyna Bloom is an American actress, model, dancer, and activist. She has attracted press as a trailblazer for transgender performers in the entertainment and fashion industries.
Jim Jordan is an American fashion and commercial photographer, entrepreneur, talent scout, manager, and magazine publisher.