Jon Kortajarena facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jon Kortajarena
Kortajarena at the 34th Goya Awards in January 2020
Born	Jon Kortajarena Redruello (1985-05-19) 19 May 1985 (age 40) Bilbao, Spain
Modelling information
Height	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Hair colour	Brown
Eye colour	Hazel
Agency	The Lions (New York) Success Models (Paris) Why Not Model Management (Milan) Select Model Management (London) View Management (Barcelona) YC Models (Brussels) Scoop Models (Copenhagen)

Jon Kortajarena Redruello (born May 19, 1985) is a Spanish model and actor. He is famous for working with major fashion brands like Tom Ford, Versace, Giorgio Armani, H&M, and Guess.

In 2009, the magazine Forbes named him one of the world's top 10 most successful male models. Besides modeling, he has also built a career as an actor in movies and television shows.

Career in Fashion and Film

How His Career Started

Jon Kortajarena was born in Bilbao, a city in the Basque Country region of Spain. His journey into modeling began by chance. In September 2003, he was on vacation in Barcelona. He went with a friend to a fashion show.

While he was there, a modeling scout (a person who finds new models) noticed him. The scout thought he had a great look for fashion and encouraged him to try modeling. His first job was walking in a show for designer Roberto Verino at Madrid Fashion Week.

After this, he moved to Paris to focus on his new career. In 2004, at age 18, he became the face of a campaign for Just Cavalli. This job made him famous very quickly. Soon, he was walking in major fashion shows in Milan and Paris for top designers like Emporio Armani and John Galliano.

A few months later, the famous photographer Steven Meisel took his picture for a Versace advertisement. He has walked the runway for many other famous brands, including Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, and Valentino.

Becoming a Top Model

Kortajarena (right) with Matthew Goode, Tom Ford, Julianne Moore, Colin Firth and Nicholas Hoult at the 66th Venice Film Festival.

In 2007, Kortajarena began working with the brand Guess. He also started a long partnership with designer Tom Ford. Photographer Terry Richardson shot his first campaign for Tom Ford. Kortajarena became the main male model for the brand for several years.

In 2008, a magazine called L'Officiel Hommes dedicated an entire 200-page issue to him. This was a huge honor, as it was the first time a male model had been featured so much. This made him a major star in the modeling world.

By 2009, his success was clear. Forbes magazine ranked him 8th on its list of "The World's 10 Most Successful Male Models." That same year, he won "Model of the Year" from German GQ magazine and "Best Spanish Model" from Spain's Marie Claire magazine.

Acting and Recent Work

Kortajarena continued to model for major brands like H&M, Pepe Jeans, and Lacoste. In 2011, he was chosen for a new Lacoste advertising campaign with the slogan "Unconventional Chic."

He also began an acting career. In 2009, he appeared in the movie A Single Man, which was directed by Tom Ford. This was his first major film role. Since then, he has acted in several other movies and TV shows.

He played a recurring character in the American TV series Quantico in 2017. He also had main roles in the Spanish series La verdad and the Netflix show High Seas. In 2020, he appeared in an episode of the Amazon Prime Video series Tales from the Loop.

Personal Life

Kortajarena can speak three languages: Basque, Spanish, and English. He attended different types of schools as a child because he traveled often for work. His mother is a hairdresser and sometimes styles his hair.

He has said that if he weren't a model, he would be a full-time actor. He is also interested in interior design and photography. In his free time, he enjoys watching movies, reading, and spending time outdoors with friends. Some of his favorite books are Perfume and Siddhartha.

From 2014 to 2016, Kortajarena was in a relationship with Welsh actor Luke Evans.

Filmography

Film

Television

Music Videos

See also

In Spanish: Jon Kortajarena para niños