Kevin Miles (American actor)
Kevin Miles | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Miles in 2023 | |
| Born | Kevin Miles Julian Mimms July 1990 |
| Alma mater | Webster University |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Known for | State Farm commercials |
Kevin Miles (born Kevin Miles Julian Mimms, July 1990[1]) is an American actor best known for his role as Jake, the mascot of the State Farm insurance company.
Early life and education
[edit]Miles grew up in South Side, Chicago, and he began acting in elementary school. His first acting role was as Lord Capulet in a school theater production of Romeo and Juliet.[2] He graduated the Chicago Academy for the Arts in 2008[3] before going on to study at Conservatory of Theater Arts at Webster University. He graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts.[2]
Career
[edit]After graduating from university, Miles moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in acting. For the first few months he lived there, he slept in his car as he could not afford an apartment.[4] For his first two years in Los Angeles, he had no agent. He appeared in commercials for various companies before appearing on television shows such as Criminal Minds, S.W.A.T, and iCarly. In 2020, he went on to apply for the role of Jake in a State Farm advertisement but forgot to wear the red shirt and khaki pants required in the wardrobe briefing. Despite this, his audition tested well, and he was chosen for the role.[1]
In July 2020, Miles traveled to Austin, Texas to film State Farm advertisements for several months, and soon thereafter he grew in popularity. He made his first appearance in a Super Bowl commercial in 2021, starring alongside Drake and Patrick Mahomes. His popularity lead him to collaborate with several other celebrities including Ludacris, Jimmy Fallon, Chris Paul, and Jimmy Butler. In October 2023, Maximum Effort arranged for him to appear alongside Donna Kelce at a football game.[1][5] He co-starred with Arnold Schwarzenegger in a 2024 Super Bowl commercial, and Schwarzenegger physically trained Miles for the role. According to Schwarzenegger, Miles went from 10% body fat to 8% body fat as a result of the training.[6] He also appeared at the 2024 WNBA draft to congratulate basketball player Caitlin Clark, who is also a spokesperson for State Farm.[7]
Miles stated that he hopes his role as Jake will allow him to further his career in the film industry, and that he seeks to follow the examples of actors such as Sidney Poitier and Denzel Washington.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Stone, Avery (2024-02-09). "How Actor Kevin Miles Became "Jake From State Farm"". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2025-01-22.
- ^ a b c Conway, Jeff. "'Jake From State Farm' Actor Kevin Miles: From Sleeping In His Car To Starring In Super Bowl Commercials". Forbes. Retrieved 2025-01-22.
- ^ "Jake from State Farm is South Side Kevin Miles: A year into the role, he can't answer your questions about insurance, but he sure can sell it". Chicago Tribune. 2021-03-20. Retrieved 2025-01-22.
- ^ Seth, Tamanna (2023-10-02). "Who is Kevin Miles? All about the rising star now popularly known as "Jake from State Farm"". www.sportskeeda.com. Retrieved 2025-01-22.
- ^ "Who Is Jake from State Farm? All About Kevin Miles". People.com. Retrieved 2025-01-22.
- ^ "Arnold Schwarzenegger on Teaming with Jake from State Farm for Super Bowl Ad: 'I Had to Get Him in Shape' (Exclusive)". People.com. Archived from the original on 2025-01-02. Retrieved 2025-01-22.
- ^ "Jake from State Farm and Caitlin Clark, explained: Why is Kevin Miles at the 2024 WNBA Draft? | Sporting News". www.sportingnews.com. 2024-04-15. Retrieved 2025-01-22.