Our friend Kenneth–the one and only Kenneth in the (212)–was the first to go wild over the latest 2(x)ist Cotton Essential ads. We had to find that guy. And we did! Here is part one of Charmants’ exclusive interview with actor and model Christopher Leabu.

We heard that you were discovered in a nightclub by a fashion designer, is that true?
It sounds like a great story about getting discovered on the dance floor–because of my awesome dances moves–but it is unfortunately not true. I guess you could say I was discovered by Bruce Weber. My mom’s friend was taking pictures of me when I was 16, in my backyard just messing around, and she then sent them to Bruce. Two days later, Bruce called me up and asked for me to come down to Miami and shoot. It’s pretty wild how fast things can change in your life.

Was becoming a model part of your plan before your were spotted?
Modeling was never really part of my plan before I got spotted. Acting was always my original plan and I figured if I could do the modeling as a stepping stone into the industry, then it would be worth it. The time I was discovered I was still in high school, so I typically had high school worries–i.e. grades, sports, etc… When Bruce called up I really didn’t believe that people actually get to travel to tropical places and do photo shoots. It was defiantly fun and exciting!

How much of a wrestling celebrity were you at the time?
Wrestling was a big part of my life in general. I started wrestling when I was just in second grade. The high school I attended had a big wrestling tradition. In 4 years, we won 4 Division One state championships and even one national championship. Wrestling is a very underestimated sport and probably one of the best out there that people can partake in. When it comes down to it, it’s just you versus your opponent–no one else to blame but yourself.

What does Bruce Weber mean to you?
Bruce Weber means the beginning for me. He introduced me to the modeling world and I have never looked back. Considering he is highly regarded as one of the best photographers in the world, he is equally as good of a person.

Here’s a cool story. One of my first shoots ever was for Abercrombie & Fitch with Bruce. I was still in high school at the time and it happened during the wrestling season. I had to shoot for a week in some exotic location–tough job, huh?

Anyway, I needed to take off a week from wrestling for the job. Needless to say, when I went and told my coach I needed to leave for the week because I had a great opportunity, it did not go over well. I had to have my parents come in, meet with my coach and explain everything. My coach was understanding, but it was the end of the season. We had regional qualifiers, districts and states on the horizon. So in the end, I decided that it wasn’t smart for me to leave for a week and let my teammates down.

I called Bruce up, explained to him that I couldn’t leave for the week and thanked him for the opportunity. He was really cool about things and understood the situation. He and I thought of alternative ideas on how I could still shoot without missing any wrestling practices.

So he flew me down just for one day. It was very hectic, but I was pleased to shoot just for one day instead of none. To this day, my coach still doesn’t know about that. It’s our little secret. (laughs)

Can you name a photographer you admire?
I admire all photographers because I know the work they put in. Bruce Weber is obviously someone I admire, his work speaks for itself. But there is one photographer I admire on a different level. Randall Mesdon. Randall is an amazing photographer and also a friend. We hang out all the time in New York and always have a blast. I view him as an older brother.

Next Sunday, we will ask Christopher Leabu about his acting career, his next modeling plans and if his good looks were ever more a curse than blessing. Come on, you know it’s possible.