The Talented & Charismatic Jamaal Lewis

To say Jamaal Lewis is a stud is nothing but malarkey. He’s much, much, MUCH more. Jamaal is a huge commodity right now in the entertainment world – and it’s not surprising with requests from such stars as Beyoncé, Muni Long and Saweetie (among a multitude of other celebrities) to appear in their music videos and films. He’s also got a part in the upcoming Barbie movie starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, which is scheduled to release in July 2023. He says he was ecstatic when Will Farrell came up to him on the set and actually knew his name. But, why wouldn't he know? Jamaal also has a part in 80 for Brady starring Tom Brady, Sally Field, Jane Fonda and some other heavy hitters. He plays an ex-NFL player who catches a pass from Lily Tomlin. Now, I’d say that’s super cool.

What can’t this guy do? Well, if you ask him, Jamaal denies ever having a taste for film or fashion as a youngster, but after an unexpected football injury, Jamaal set his eyes on acting and modeling after a nudge from an ex-girlfriend. And, not surprisingly, he killed his first audition and landed a national television commercial. The rest is history.

At 38, he’s already accomplished more than some people do in their lifetime – and he’s grateful for everything that’s come his way. But, his career highlights don’t come without a lot of hard work, dedication and goal setting. Jamaal is just a mountain kid from Colorado he says, but his diligent work ethic (and undeniable good looks) have made the perfect combination for what movie producers, music stars, and top model scouts are looking for these days.

Originally, Jamaal met Epic Fit's publisher and the photographer of this issue, Sarah Lyons Glabman, through mutual friends. A lot of time has passed since then and life has changed dramatically for both, but today they’re still connected through the limelight. If you ever run into Jamaal or Sarah, make sure to mention the “blue drinks” – an inside joke that immediately set the stage for this incredible cover shoot.

As you can imagine, Jamaal’s a natural behind the camera. You can also get a glimpse of his personality in video on his popular social media channels. He’s certainly no stranger at motivating others with his workouts and clean eating.

Sarah was the first professional photographer he had ever worked with back in the day. Interesting fact: Sarah’s desert oasis photos from over 12 years ago are still used in his portfolio. This goes to show how timeless Sarah’s photos are and how much staying power Jamaal has in the business. It’s all about the connection in front and behind the camera.

Jamaal is also an entrepreneur. In 2008, he started his own clothing line, Stay Blessed, when a friend reminded him just how “blessed” he was. Stay blessed! So, out of interest in the clothing industry and a high demand for comfortable clothes with a positive message, Jamaal set out on a new path. Not long after his launch, he was elated to find out that Jamie Foxx was wearing his designs. Ever since, Jamaal’s been promoting his trademarked brand because it’s the perfect thing to keep him going after his dreams. He created and designed it himself and says it’s what snapped him out of a funk back in the early 2000’s. Too much partying and women could have done him in, but with God’s encouragement he turned a dark corner and started to see the light. “Everyone has their own journey that they have to experience in their own way.”

Jamaal’s family is also very tight. They live in Colorado Springs, Colorado (where Jamaal grew up) and they’ve been his die-hard support system over the years. His dad is in the air force and particularly had a huge impact on his life growing up. Perhaps that’s where Jamaal’s discipline comes from. He still remembers being picked on as a kid and has dealt with bullies in some form or another all his life. However, his parents taught him to stay strong mentally and physically to get through the rough times – and it helped.

For years Jamaal was just a kid who played the tuba (he wanted to play the saxophone but the band teacher said he was too big!) and after school he’d go straight home to eat and sleep. No exercise. In fact, he had no interest in football until middle school. After gaining some notoriety in high school for his skills on the field, Jamaal got picked up by Arizona State University to play D1. While in Arizona Jamaal remembers he was a typical football jock. He came from being bullied as a kid to being in the limelight and was cocky. “I basically went from a band geek to D1 athlete overnight.” But, today Jamaal’s back on track and prefers to stay humble.

Jamaal says it was his family’s love and faith growing up that helped him realize the benefits of being positive. To this day, he keeps his family close to his heart because they always believed he would inspire others. With that being said, I hope you enjoy the rest of my interview with Jamaal Lewis. What a pleasure it was to get to know him for this sensational issue of Epic Fit Magazine and hear his personal stories about life, love and living to stay blessed.

Thank you, Jamaal, for being a part of our “epic” trio issue!

Kerrie Lee Brown Editor-in-Chief EPIC Fit Magazine

KB: How did you get into the entertainment business?