Joy Bryant (born October 19, 1976) is an American actress and former fashion model.

Early life

Bryant was born in the Bronx, New York. While living in the Bronx, she graduated from CJHS 145x and was a member of the Fieldston Enrichment Program, an elite high school preparatory program. Bryant is a graduate of Westminster School a boarding school in Connecticut. She received a full academic scholarship to Yale University, but did not graduate. While enrolled at Yale, Bryant was discovered by a modeling scout from Next Models Management and subsequently pursued a career as a fashion model in Paris.

Career

Early on, Bryant played a small role in Ill Al Skratch’s video “I’ll Take Her”. Bryant’s beauty earned her contracts with several brands, including Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger and RocaWear. She has also appeared in advertising for Gap and Victoria’s Secret. She is currently signed to Next Model Management in New York City.

Her acting debut came in 2001 in Robert Townsend’s Carmen: A Hip Hopera. After a small role in the action comedy Showtime, she made her big breakthrough in Denzel Washington’s directorial debut, Antwone Fisher. In 2005 she appeared in several high-profile films, including The Skeleton Key, London and Get Rich or Die Tryin’.

Personal life

In October 2007 OK! reported that Bryant was engaged to Dave Pope. They married in 2008.

1) Joy was featured in the ‘Hollywood Issue’ of Vanity Fair in February, 2006. The magazine features celebrities such as Angelina Jolie, Taye Diggs, Terrance Howard, and Sienna Miller, some opting to pose in the nude, Joy being one of them.

2) On June 28th, 2008, she married stuntman David Pope on the beach of Amagansett, New York.

3) Joy was #14 on People magazine’s list of ’50 Most Beautiful People’ in 2000.

4) Joy wants to help start a scholarship program for children in the inner-cities that need assistance going to good schools.

5) Joy enjoys playing basketball, shopping, reading, and writing in her free time.

6) Joy is anxiously awaiting her first starring role in a movie, she doesn’t care if it is a romantic comedy, a drama, or an action adventure, as long as she headlines.

7) Joy has dated Usher Raymond and rapper 50 Cent.

8 ) Joy co-starred in Emilio Estevez’s directorial debut, Bobby, an ensemble about the events that took place on the night surrounding the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy in 2006.

9) Joy took a small role in the Warner Bros. feature comedy Showtime, with Robert DeNiro and Eddie Murphy.

10) Joy made her television debut in the MTV original telefilm Carmen: A Hip Hopera, opposite Mekhi Phifer and Beyonce Knowles in 2001.

11) Joy went to Paris after leaving Yale University, and entered an exclusive contract with Tommy Hilfiger and appearing as a cover girl for the Victoria’s Secret lingerie catalogue, as well as in numerous prestigious print advertisements.

12) Joy earned an academic scholarship to Yale University through a program that reaches out to minority talent to enrich their academic opportunities, called ‘A Better Chance’. It was while attending her classes at Yale that she was discovered by a talent scout from Next Models Management.

13) She played Asia in Usher’s Rhythm city Volume one: Caught up.

14) Joy co-starred with Denzel Washington and Derek Luke in the movie Antwone Fisher.

15) Her mother had her at the age of 15.

16) Joy is 5 feet, 9 inches tall.

1) Joy: I had such a great time on set with Jessica on Honey, working with the kids, dancing, and hanging out. It really didn’t seem like work.

2) Joy: Thanks to Yale, I didn’t wake up butt naked in the chateau in handcuffs, thinking ‘Why am I here?’-with a headache.

3) Joy: I was so fortunate as to be in the right place at the right time, that’s all life is, ya know…timing.