Getting to Know Actor and Model Giovanni Jones

With striking good looks, undeniable talent, and an extensive list of film and television credits, actor and model Giovanni Jones is making quite an impact in the entertainment world.

His first public appearances were at pageants when he was 2 years old, resulting in him racking up a multitude of awards including being crowned “Mr. Hawaiian Tropic.” As Jones got older, he transitioned from modeling to acting, and it wasn’t long before he had a long list of successful appearances.

Taking a break during his teenage years to find himself and deal with some personal issues, Jones is now back in Los Angeles, and he is not afraid to put himself out there. Recent appearances include roles in the acclaimed indie drama The Pastors Kid, and the popular true crime TV series Murdered by Morning. He also made an appearance in a compelling episode of the docuseries Web of Lies, where he shared a traumatic story from his high school days.

OFM caught up with the young celebrity to learn more about his life and career.

Your career as a model and actor started when you were a child. Can you tell us how it all began?

Honestly, it kind of all happened through a woman at a nail salon (laughs). My mom was getting her nails done one day, and she took me to the salon with her, so I was just sitting there smiling and looking cute. This woman was like, ‘Oh, your son is so pretty! I love his eyelashes!’ My mom then kind of got the idea of, “Hmm, my son is pretty cute. Why not put him in some pageants?” So, my career pretty much kicked off from there.

What are some of your favorite styles to model?

I really like contemporary and styles that are very trendy and casual. Like, I love everything that Zara has. They have great ideas, and that’s where I get most of my inspiration from. As well as a few pages on Instagram.

As an actor, your most recent project is a film entitled Pastor’s Kid. Can you tell us more about that and who you play?

Pastor’s Kid is a low budget SAG film, which will be released on Amazon Prime later this year. I play Gio, and it’s like I’m playing myself, but I’m not. I liked it because it was more of an improv script. Like, they gave us the scenario, and we went along with it. So, it was fun to use our improv skills, but Gio is a very, very fun character. He loves people, and you’re going to see my partying and having a good time. Hell, I’m the life of the party!

What do you hope audiences take away from Pastor’s Kid?

Every movie has a story, but Pastor’s Kid was kind of a real story. The moral of it is, don’t do drugs.

You have made several appearances on major shows including iCarly, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, and 13 Reasons Why. Are you currently working on anything right now?

Right now, I am working with Dhar Mann Studios, so I have a few upcoming projects with them.

Who is someone you would love to work with someday?

Sofia Vergara. I absolutely love her, and she is so funny. I feel like working with her, time would go by so fast. We’d be done with the film in three days. I love her energy.

You were also in an episode of ID Channel’s Web of Lies. What made you want to tell this story?

It’s something that I never really talked about before. I didn’t come out until 2018, and I believe we filmed Web of Lies in 2020. So, I came out, and I was like, I feel a little bit more comfortable. Then one day while in L.A.—and I just moved here, so life was good—I got a phone call from London. They were like, “Hi Giovanni, we saw you in this news article that came out around four years ago. We would love to do a documentary on the series.” I was like, “Wow, OK. I’ll tell my story.” It’s cool that it actually got people’s attention in London. So, it was a big deal to me that they could share my story like that.

For those who have not yet checked out the episode, can you give us a little rundown as to what the story was about?

The story is about my high school teacher. He was a homosexual, and he would pose as a woman online to target the students in his class through Facebook, Instagram, as well as dating apps. He targeted over a thousand kids in our county, so it was a very big deal.

I assume he’s in prison, right?

You know what’s crazy? While we were filming the documentary, he was arrested again for the same thing. That was kind of a surprise. Like, he can just stay in jail. He’s a sex offender. He needs to be put away.

Does it feel like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders now that you were able to talk about this?

Yes, it feels like a weight was lifted off my shoulders because the production also provided therapy sessions, which was great. I was able to release all these feelings that I hadn’t let out yet. It feels like I was able to start a clean slate.

Moving to a lighter subject, what are some of your interests outside of work?

I really love cars. They are my number one passion. If I could have a garage full of cars like I do in my Grand Theft Auto online game, that would be amazing. I just love everything about them. It started with my dad because he is a car collector and has over 40 vehicles. I’m not even kidding. Growing up, it really kind of touched me because we would restore these cars together. We would get parts and drive miles and miles. Cars have a soft spot in my heart.

What are some future goals you would like to achieve with your career?

Besides getting more acting and modeling gigs, I would love to grow my platform on TikTok. It’s something that I newly ventured into last year. I have developed a small fanbase so far, so I would like to see that continue to grow and try to make more content. I would also love to have my own reality show someday.

Before we wrap up, are there any other upcoming projects or anything else you’d like to mention or plug?

Nothing I can say right now but stay tuned because a lot is coming!

Stay up-to-date and connect with Jones by following him on Instagram and TikTok @ giovanniejones, or visit his official website, giovannijones.com.

Photos courtesy of Edgar Alexander Photography and Denise Demarest Photography