Mr. Jay Manuel (born August 14, 1972) is a Canadian make-up artist, fashion photographer and model. He was the director of photoshoots for the first 18 seasons of America's Next Top Model. Manuel was also the host and lead judge of Cycle 2 of Canada's Next Top Model, a spin-off to the original.
Personal Life[]
Manuel was born in Springfield, Illinois, to a mother of Italian and Czech descent and a South African father of Malaysian and Dutch descent[1]. He moved to Canada when he was two and was raised in Toronto[2] where he attended the Dr. Norman Bethune Collegiate Institute and York University.
He and friend Miss J. Alexander, also an America's Next Top Model personality, often appeared on E!'s Fashion Wrap with Debbie Matenopoulos. Manuel also hosted his own show Style Her Famous on the Style Network. In September, 2006[3], he introduced his own make-up line, Manuel Override, on QVC. He was the personal make-up artist of former supermodel Tyra Banks.
America's Next Top Model[]
From the very beginning of Cycle 1, Manuel was a staple of the show. He was the director of photoshoots and not only decided the art direction for the shoot but also worked closely with each contestant on-site to help them take their best pictures. He was known for his no-nonsense demeanor while working but usually had a good sense of humor. He often presented new exercises and challenges throughout the competition as well. While not a judge, he had some influence in the process as he left notes for Tyra about each model after every photoshoot.
Manuel's nickname "Mr. Jay" came from Cycle 1 contestant Robin Manning, who often confused the names of Jay Manuel and J. Alexander. On several occasions, she referred to Alexander as "Miss J" by accident because of his flamboyant clothing (Alexander often dresses drag and usually wears a skirt and high heels during runway walking training) and personality. Accordingly, Manuel is referred to as "Mr. Jay," and ANTM contestants often call them "the Jays" or "the two Jays" when they appear together.
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| Judges |
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| Hosts: Rita Ora • Tyra Banks
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