JeanPaul Acocella Living in the Moment

By Alexander Rodriguez

Over the years, the boys included in the Andrew Christian campaigns have changed. Reflecting the emphasis in mainstream media on inclusion and diversity, the models today include more mature, filled-out, POC, and – gasp! guys with body hair! Meet JeanPaul, Andrew Christian’s newest Trophy Boy. Coming from an extensive performance background, he celebrates the differences that set him apart in the modeling, gay, and entertainment communities. This Boca Raton native started his love with the arts early on in school and went on to attend an Arts high school. He attended college at the University of Central Florida as a hospitality Major and a Dance Minor. As any good gay performer does, he worked with Disney for close to a decade, getting the opportunity to work in Japan and France.

Conflicting the pretty boy stereotype, he is reflective of difficult issues affecting our community that include body dysmorphia, depression, and the pressures of social media. JeanPaul sat down with us for a very candid and intimate chat about his personal struggles and some of the realities of the modeling and go-go world, and his biggest hope for the LGBTQ community this year.

The arts have been a big part of your life, what was the first piece of art that sparked your interest in getting into the biz?

I guess the earliest memory of getting introduced to something artistic was starting the recorder in elementary school. I remember thinking I was so cool cause I was one of the best recorder players in the class. We even got colored belts for our play level, just like in Karate. Only a few of us “cool kids” got to tackle the black belt. I could play a fierce “Under the Sea” from The Little Mermaid. From there, that got me into band in middle school, followed by dance in high school, and ultimately started working for Disney as a performer. I think I was always meant to be a performer, in whatever form that takes!

Were you teased for being in dance in high school? How did you deal with high school bullies?

I was teased relentlessly starting in middle school. I was a huge nerd. Glasses, braces, tall and lanky, super closeted, I was prime picking for the bullies at my school. Unfortunately, that continued through high school, but it was more me not being able to come to terms with my sexuality and being teased by others about it. I was a very weak and unconfident person all through college. The bullies got away with it a lot of the time, but I think overall the entire expe - rience of dealing with that really made my skin a lot thicker once I learned how to stand up for myself.

What do you love most about dancing?

I love how dancers can move their bodies unlike anyone else in the world. The things dancers can do and the shapes and lines they create are just gorgeous to me. You have the complex and rigid training that comes with ballet, all the way to the free moving and storytelling grittiness of hiphop. Dancing can captivate people and make them feel emotions just by moving their bodies. Also, dancing is just FUN.

When did you first start to realize you weren’t like the other boys…what is your coming out story?

Wait, you think I’m gay? Ok, you got me. My coming out story is pretty sad, to be honest. I’m sure a lot of people can relate to that. I suffer from chronic depression. This affected me all of my adolescence, and I basically went into a spiraling depression all through high school and college. I used to cut myself on my arms and wear long-sleeved shirts to school hoping someone would notice and ask me if something was wrong. But I never let them be seen. I was hurting very badly and even thought about hurting myself a couple of times. I would pray to God to fix me and make me “normal”, but he never would. Eventually, my mom realized that something was very wrong with me. I was getting ready to leave for college and I couldn’t care less- which got her concerned. She took me out to eat one night and basically asked me what was going on and why I was so depressed. Eventually, she coaxed it out of me that I was questioning my sexuality. From there it started to get easier. The first time saying it out loud to a loved one is always so freeing. I’m so blessed to have parents that accepted me immediately and didn’t ever want me to feel like I had to hide that part of myself from them.

What brought you to LA, what were the hardest things to adjust to about living here?

To pursue a career as an entertainer/performer/actor/model, like everyone else! California has always been a dream of mine, and I spent most of my young adult life making excuses not to move here. I would get another show at Disney, or I would tell myself I’m trying to save money. There was always an excuse not to move. Eventually, I had to own up to the fact I had been lying to myself and putting off this goal for no reason other than fear. If you want something bad enough, you will make it happen. There’s never going to be a perfect time to make a huge move, you just gotta do it.

You’ve talked before about your struggle with body dysmorphia. Is that something you still deal with today?

As I mentioned previously, depression is a bitch. It’s so sneaky, it creeps up on you without you even realizing it. Your day will be fine, and then all of the sudden it feels like the world is crashing down around you. But when someone asks what’s wrong, you literally can’t think of anything that’s wrong, it just IS wrong. It was the same with body dysmorphia. I would look in the mirror and see so many flaws staring back at me. No matter how many people told me I was handsome or had nice teeth or any kind of compliment I would just take it as them being nice and not wanting to tell me what I looked like. My mind had my image so warped I was seeing someone totally different. Today, I can happily say I do not suffer from body dysmorphia. Some days I love what I look like, some days I see stuff I want to fix, but when those days happen I just tell myself that I still look great and I should always appreciate where I’m at in my fitness journey and that I’m proud of myself for how far I’ve come from that little boy getting the shit beat out of him before band class.

Do you ever think the thirst trap pics on social media overshadow your talent and skills?

Of course, they do. Thirst traps are what get likes, followers, and attention. Don’t get me wrong, I work hard on my body, so I like to show it off. But I would say that I want be known for my talent, personality, and skill as a performer more so than my social media persona. People always think I’m such an outgoing and social person, but I’m introverted naturally. I might be out there shaking my ass in a thong being a chatty Cathy, but if I’m just a bar patron, I am by a wall or sitting down somewhere, preferably by someone with a dog that I can pet.

How do you deal with body issues while being part of the gay community, and a model?

A lot of self-reflection. My depression is caused by a chemical imbalance where I’m not able to produce a lot of serotonins naturally. Once I started taking my antidepressant my world was literally flipped upside down, in a great way. I would walk down the street like I was in a cartoon, the flowers might as well have been singing to me. Ever since I gained that new sense of confidence that I was so desperately lacking, I started being a lot kinder to myself. I used to force myself to fit the mold of what other people wanted me to be, I would diet and do so much cardio so I could try to be those emaciated models that grace the covers of Vogue. I realized how unhappy I was not only with myself

Stays undetectable with CABENUVA

Results may vary.

CABENUVA is the only complete, long-acting injectable prescription used to replace daily HIV pills in certain adults and adolescents who have their doctor’s approval.

Every-other-month CABENUVA is given by a healthcare provider as 2 injections, initially 1 month apart for 2 months. It works continuously to help you stay undetectable* for 2 months.

Attend all appointments.

This is only a brief summary of important information about CABENUVA and does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your condition and treatment. (kab’ en ue vah)

CABENUVA is a complete prescription regimen used to treat HIV-1 infection in adults and adolescents ≥12 years who weigh at least 77 lbs (35 kg) and are replacing their current HIV-1 treatment when their healthcare provider determines that they meet certain requirements.

HIV-1 is the virus that causes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).

CABENUVA contains 2 different medicines:

• cabotegravir

• rilpivirine

It is not known if CABENUVA is safe and effective in children younger than 12 years of age or weighing less than 77 lbs (35 kg).

• have ever had an allergic reaction to cabotegravir or rilpivirine.

• are taking the following medicines:

° carbamazepine

° oxcarbazepine

° phenobarbital

° phenytoin

° rifabutin

° rifampin

° rifapentine

° dexamethasone (more than a single-dose treatment)

° St John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum)

*Undetectable means the amount of HIV in the blood is below the level that can be measured by a lab test. Results may vary. Jayson has been compensated by ViiV Healthcare.

Tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including if you:

• have ever had a skin rash or an allergic reaction to medicines that contain cabotegravir or rilpivirine.

• have ever had liver problems, including hepatitis B or C infection.

• have ever had mental health problems.

• are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if CABENUVA will harm your unborn baby. CABENUVA can remain in your body for up to 12 months or longer after the last injection.

Please see additional Important Facts About CABENUVA on the following page.

Tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including if you: (cont'd)

• are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed if you take CABENUVA.

° You should not breastfeed if you have HIV-1 because of the risk of passing HIV-1 to your baby. It is not known if CABENUVA can pass to your baby in your breast milk.

° Talk with your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby during treatment with CABENUVA.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Some medicines interact with CABENUVA. Keep a list of your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine. You can ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for a list of medicines that interact with CABENUVA. Do not start taking a new medicine without telling your healthcare provider. Your healthcare provider can tell you if it is safe to take CABENUVA with other medicines.

CABENUVA may cause serious side effects, including:

• Allergic reactions. Call your healthcare provider right away if you develop a rash with CABENUVA. Stop receiving CABENUVA and get medical help right away if you develop a rash with any of the following signs or symptoms:

° fever

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CABENUVA may cause serious side effects, including: (cont’d)

• Liver problems. People with a history of hepatitis B or C virus or people who have certain liver function test changes may have an increased risk of developing new or worsening changes in certain liver tests during CABENUVA treatment. Liver problems have also happened in people without history of liver problems or other risk factors. Your healthcare provider may do blood tests to check your liver function. Call your healthcare provider right away if you develop any of the following signs or symptoms of liver problems:

° your skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow (jaundice)

° dark or “tea-colored” urine

° light-colored stools (bowel movements)

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° feeling sad or hopeless

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° blisters or sores in mouth

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° redness or swelling of the eyes

° swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue

• Post-injection reactions have happened within minutes in some people after receiving their rilpivirine injection. Most symptoms resolved within minutes after the injection. Symptoms may include:

° trouble breathing

° narrowing of airways

° stomach cramps

° sweating

° numbness of your mouth

° pain (e.g., back and chest)

° feeling anxious

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° rash

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° have thoughts of hurting yourself (suicide) or have tried to hurt yourself

The most common side effects of CABENUVA include:

• pain, tenderness, hardened mass or lump, swelling, redness, itching, bruising, and warmth at the injection site

• fever

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These are not all the possible side effects of CABENUVA. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

• Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist.

• Go to CABENUVA.com or call 1-877-844-8872, where you can also get FDA-approved labeling.

March 2022 CBN:4PIL but the fact that I let all these people tell me how wrong I was for how I looked at ANY stage of my modeling career. “You’re too fat, you’re too skinny, you’re too tall, now too short, wide hips, big butt….” it goes on and on. One day I finally figured out that there is no one way to be beautiful. If you are able to look in that mirror and like what you see, then that’s where your care of anyone else’s opinion of you should stop. Also, even with my newfound discovery of self-love, that doesn’t mean the outside comments stop once you learn this. People will still come up to me when I’m go-go dancing to tell me something negative about myself (believe it or not, drunk people feel the need to share ALL their opinions). Now, instead of letting it get to me, I look right at them, smile, say thank you for sharing, and continue dancing as if nothing happened.

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I had been doing a decent amount of modeling for some other underwear brands, and one day, out of the blue, Andrew shot me a message on Instagram asking if I wanted to come in for a shoot for the brand. I was obviously excited because Andrew Christian is such a well-known and powerful brand in the underwear world. I agreed and the shoot was at this beautiful house in Silverlake. I had such a good time meeting two of the other Andrew Christian boys, the photographer, the crew, and of course Andrew himself. I immediately felt comfortable, and the shoot turned out great. I was asked to come out to Palm Springs to record a video with Andrew doing a couple of holiday cocktails for the Andrew Christian blog. I have been a bartender for the last four years, so I was also super comfortable jumping in there and helping out with the video and making those cocktails. After that, I attended the GED Magazine MEGA PRIDE pool party with the AC boys. I booked two more photoshoots after that, and was then asked to officially become a Trophy Boy!

I think it’s such a notable fixture in the gay community. So many people know the Trophy Boys of Andrew Christian. It was an honor to get asked to be one, and it validated that I am moving in the right direction of where I want to be. It opens me up to a lot of opportunities to meet more people, become more involved in the community, and maybe even show people there’s a lot more to a trophy boy than what he looks like. If people take the time to get to know me, I think I’ll surprise a lot of people! I’m such a goofball, quiet by nature, and just always wanna enjoy myself and make others feel comfortable around me.

Do you think body positivity and body diversity have gotten better in the LGBTQ community? In the modeling community?

Absolutely! I think compared to even just 10 years ago we’ve seen so much change within both of these communities. I’m a very big advocate for body diversity in the community. Every person should love the body they are in, at whatever stage of shape it’s in. Society tells us that we need to have abs and be ripped to be beautiful. I’m happy to see times are changing and that we can promote and uplift people who don’t look like that, and they can see themselves in the models in campaigns, other than the unachievable Abercrombie and Fitch models back in the day. Along the same line, I think we have to realize that people are attracted to all different body types. I can openly admit that I’m not often attracted to super ripped guys with no body fat. I love a belly on a guy (big or small), I think it’s powerful and sexy. My friends will tease me a lot and say that I like ‘meatballs’ because a lot of the guys I go after are shorter and corn-fed. Everyone enjoys different things, we have to be more accepting and vocal about saying things like this, it opens up a conversation so people can have a better understanding of those with interests different than their own.

What are the biggest misconceptions people have about being an Andrew Christian model?

I’m sure each Trophy Boy will answer this question in their own way, but I think the biggest misconception for me is that Trophy Boys are overly sexual. I’m a very private person sexually most of the time. I’ll never be the one at a circuit party looking for someone to take to a back room, or even look for someone to take home at all. If you ever see me at a club and I’m making out with someone, something has gone terribly wrong. [Laughs] On top of being an Andrew Christian model, I also go-go dance, so I’m sure that stereotype is placed on me quite often. I get asked often if I have an OnlyFans, and I always joke because I wish I was that driven by sexual encounters that I could have the will to film and upload them for money, but I’m just way too lazy and don’t like sex enough. [Laughs] I think go-go dancing and even being an AC model make you have this sexy persona that attaches itself to you, and I love getting to be that sex pot in photos and when I dance because it’s just this alternate persona that only comes out when I’m doing one of those.

What do you want most from your career?

I’d love nothing more than to be a notable and successful model/ actor. Modeling is something I’ve always had a huge passion for. I was the closeted kid secretly watching every season of America’s Next Top Model over and over again. I’ve been fortunate to have some solid success with modeling, but I wanna take it to the next level and really do more fitness modeling. Next would be getting more acting roles and developing myself in that direction more. Landing a role in an LGBTQ+ Film or TV show would be my dream. I’m trying to live in the moment and not rush my goals. I’m taking it slow and putting in the work I need to do before I can make those goals a reality.

Just continuing to be unified and fighting as a team. I think we have such an advantage as gay people because we know what it’s like to be outcasts at some point in our life. We know what it feels like to be treated differently because of something that makes you different from the people around you. With that, we are able to be family for those who don’t have any of their own, and we can see differences and embrace them rather than toss them out like the expired vegetables in your fridge. And even so, I think we need to further practice empathy and educate ourselves on the different aspects of our community. There is no rule book on how to be queer. Queerness comes in so many different forms, so we need to stop judging others for how they choose to express their queerness. I’m glad there is so much being done on shedding light on the trans community. We need more trans people on TV shows, in the news, and in everyday life being shown so that the people who fear or spread hate on trans people can see that we are literally all the same. How someone chooses to live their life and live their truth is no one’s business except that person. I just hope we as a community continue to spread love, support, and knowledge to each other and those not in our community as well.

You can follow JeanPaul on IG: @JeanPaul.Acocella

FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2023

DISCO HOUSE

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