GOAL-ORIENTED MODEL AND TV-STAR

Years back, Don Benjamin applied for a job at the Guess Store and was rejected. 

Fame has come to Don Benjamin after the final of America’s Next Top Model in 2013. He didn’t win this show because, during one of the show’s tests, he had a panic attack while underwater photo shooting. Because of this, his pictures were not as good as the other contestants’ were, what the judges and show hosts did not like. Despite this, Don Benjamin became a very successful model after the show.

Benjamin gained modeling assignments for Guess apparel, True Religion jeans, and several other highly recognizable fashion brands. Now he’s on billboards everywhere as the star of the brand’s latest campaign. It’s a lesson in perseverance and positivity – something the LA living, Minnesota-born model can teach us a thing or two about.

The model had become the heart of the showbiz industry when he won Scare Famous season 1. Scared Famous is a famous horror reality television that has a prize of $100,000. After winning in the show, Don donated the amount to the charity Peace over violence. So he is not only a TV star and a model but also a man with a kind heart.

OPEN-HEARTED HIP-HOP ARTIST

In between signing with Wilhelmina Models and traveling the world as an influencer, Don is a musician and rapper. He joined the music scene as a recording artist, releasing a track called Across the Sky which appeared on the iTunes Overall Top Songs chart in 2012. It has also been heard on Big Brother, America’s Next Top Model, and various MTV programs.

“It’s smooth rap,” he declares. “I spit bars with an R&B feel. I didn’t want to do something typical. This isn’t your average hip-hop. It’s not about killing people or selling drugs. It’s about girls and relationships. I was always focused on finding love and everything that goes along with that. I’m telling my story honestly.”

In October 2014, he released ‘Jealous,’ a track he worked with Eric Bellinger. ‘Jealous’ tells about a dude who gives his girl all the time he can, but she’s still jealous. His next song was ‘Tonight,’ which was released in September 2015. In 2016, he put out two songs, ‘Touch My Body’ and ‘Hit the Snooze.’

In February 2018, Don released his debut EP, ‘M.P.L.S. – EP,’ independently. It has five songs, ‘Hometown,’ ‘No One,’ ‘Plane Jane,’ ‘Millions,’ and ‘Doing Something.’

Don attracts his listeners with his candid lyrics and different perspective. “The most important thing is for people to connect with the music and feel it,” he concludes. “I want them to see what’s happening in my lyrics and relate.”

MOVIE ACTOR

Benjamin made his acting debut in the episode A Mother’s Love of One Ten in 2014. In the same year, he made his cinematic debut, portraying Nathan in the thriller film Matthew 18.

In 2015, he was cast as Jason in the drama film Supermodel. Benjamin has also appeared in the drama film 3 am in Hollywood (2019), action-drama Bunny and Clyde, and horror Judgment.

AN INCURABLE ROMANTIC

Don Benjamin began dating Liane Valenzuela in 2015 and the two-run the collaborative YouTube channel Forever Us together, where they were showing their lifestyle with a huge portion of jokes.

“Our worlds never collide, but they align so we get to do a lot of work together. We get to do shoots together, we do trips together, we do music together, she’s a singer as well so it’s a beautiful thing to have this person inline with my work.” — said Don Benjamin.

He and Liane got engaged in August 2019. Don Benjamin  proposed to Liane on her birthday house-party in the Hawaiian style. He hid the proposal ring in the Loui Vuitton box to make Liane think that he was going to give her clothes for a present. When she opened the box, Don Benjamin stood on his knee, and everyone at the party guested that the proposal was going to happen. Liane dropped some tears of happiness, and after the words “Will you marry me,” jumped on Don Benjamin with emotional hugs. She accepted the proposal, Don put the ring on Liane’s finger, and her father blessed the couple. The proposal video was uploaded on their official channel of YouTube Forever Us.

But the wedding did not happen to occur. The couple got into a fight about having babies. Don wanted to have a baby, and Liane intended to take time and think about the pregnancy later. Liane later shared about their split in a video titled ‘Opening Up About Our Break Up’ in March 2020.

So it was a long-term relationship for five years. And the break up left the tangible mark on the heart of Don.

BOOK AUTHOR

In July 2020, Don Benjamin released his book My Truth about his life and relationships with Liane.

The annotation of the book says:

“Fashion model, actor, and musician, Don Benjamin gets vulnerable and gives you a look into his life story and his journey through success and personal relationships.”

Don has added potent thoughtful questions at the end of every chapter that everyone should ask themselves. These questions will help you better understand your journey and how you can release past pain and live with the intention and faith”.

We hope that soon this book will be available on Payphone X.

FANS’ LOVER

Don Benjamin has 2.1 million followers on Instagram and communicates with fans personally via Payphone X. On the platform, Don makes and sends the video-greetings to his fans with the birthday and wedding and shares some tips of the photo posing and music hitmaking.

Fans can even chat with Don Benjamin via Payphone X app. He is so openhearted that he shares his personal experience in relationships and gives support for those who are broken-hearted too.

“I try to give my followers a bit of everything. I want my fans to be able to connect with me as much as possible”, — Don Benjamin.

Go by the link to experience an exclusive connection with America’s Next Top Model star Don Benjamin.

The post Who Is Don Benjamin As Not Only The Model? appeared first on Fanzine by Payphone.