Tyson Beckford

Tyson Craig Beckford (born December 19, 1970) is an American model and actor, best known as a Ralph Lauren model.

Beckford was born on December 19, 1970 to a Black-Jamaican father of Panamanian descent and an Afro-Asian mother. He grew up in Rochester, New York and attended Bay Trail Middle School in nearby Penfield, NY. 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.

In 1991, he was recruited to hip hop magazine The Source by a talent scout, Jeff Jones, who had come across him by chance in a New York park. In 1993, Beckford was recruited by Ralph Lauren as the front model for the company's Polo line of male sportswear. His multi-ethnic ancestry is responsible for the "exotic" look which is thought to have made him a staple in the fashion world.

Beckford was named "Man of the Year" in 1995 by the cable television music channel VH1, as well as one of the "50 Most Beautiful People in the World" by People magazine. He is signed to Nous Model Management in L.A., and Independent Models in London. He was #38 on VH1's 40 Hottest Hotties of the '90s.

In 2003, he appeared on the ABC celeb reality show I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!. In September 2008, he lent his support to the National RESPECT! Campaign against domestic violence, recording a voice message for the Giverespect.org Web site talking about the importance of respecting one another.

He is currently co-hosting the reality series 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 wannabes for the show's upcoming second season. New faces on the judges panel also include designer Catherine Malandrino, model Jenny Shimizu, photographer Perou and model scout Marlon. Perou is a renowned celebrity photographer who has shot numerous international fashion magazine covers. His subject have included David Beckham, The Spice Girls, Blondie, Jay-Z and U2. He's also directed music videos for Marilyn Manson and KT Tunstall. As an international model scout, Marlon has managed the careers of numerous models, including Marisa Miller and Anouck Lepere. He's also worked as a photographer, shooting the likes of The Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton.

He also judged and mentored the first few episodes of the Australian version of Make Me a Supermodel with model and former Miss Universe Jennifer Hawkins.

In June 2005, Beckford was injured in a car accident near his home. His vehicle caught fire, and Beckford was able to pull himself out before it became fully engulfed in flames. The accident had a profound effect on his spirituality, which he later revealed on The Oprah Winfrey Show. According to a TMZ on TV interview, he is not married and the rumor—which had been posted in his Wikipedia entry—was hurting his dating prospects.

Beckford has been a resident of the New Jersey communities of Edgewater and West New York.