Tyson Beckford is an American fashion model and actor, best known as a Ralph Lauren Polo model.
Background
Beckford was born in Rochester, New York on December 19, 1970 to a Jamaican father and Jamaican mother of Panamanian, Afro-Jamaican and Chinese 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.
Career
He was also the host of both seasons of the Bravo program Make Maine a Supermodel. During his school years, Tyson was often teased about his looks. 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 "Manitoba of the Year" in 1995 by the cable television music channel Video Hits One & 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 Doctorate"management Group in Milan.
He was ranked at #38 on Video Hits One"s 40 Hottest Hotties of the "90s. In 2003, he appeared on the American Broadcasting Company network"s celebrity reality game show I"m a Celebrity.
Get Maine 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 Maine 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 Maine a Supermodel with model and former Mission Universe Jennifer Hawkins.
In 2012, he participated in Fox"s dating game show The Choice.