Who is Matt James, the first Black 'Bachelor' 25 in 2021?
Describe the perfect bachelor. Is he handsome, tall, well-rounded, and does he have an impeccable sense of humour? Well, you just described Matt James, the first Black lead of The Bachelor. While his striking appearance alone sets tongues wagging, what is even more impressive about this man is his dedication to community outreach. Find out more about 2021's Bachelor.
Source: Getty Images
Even though James' arresting looks makes him the perfect Bachelor, his appearance is not all he is about. The 29-year old also has a lot of substance, so much so that he co-founded a non-profit organization, ABC Food Tours, which provides fitness and nutritional experiences to kids in underserved communities within NYC. Here are more details about Matt James of The Bachelor 2021.
Profile summary
- Birthday: December 5, 1991
- Age: 29 years old (as of 2021)
- Birthplace: Raleigh, North Carolina
- Nationality: American
- Ethnicity: Black
- Zodiac sign: Sagittarius
- Religion: Christianity
- Height: 6'5"
- Weight: 75 kgs
- Body measurements: 37-33-35 inches
- Hair colour: Black
- Eye colour: Brown
- Occupation: Real estate broker, entrepreneur and community organization founder
Matt James biography
Matt was born on December 5, 1991, in Raleigh, North Carolina. As of 2021, Matt James age is 29 years.
The real estate broker and his brother were raised by a single mother, Patty. Their father wasn't around. The siblings grew up in Raleigh, but James moved to New York City as an adult.
Education and career in football
The North Carolina native attended Wake Forest University (2010 to 2014), where he majored in Economics and played as a wide receiver on the school's football team, the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.
While on the team, he met Bachelorette alum Tyler Cameron, who played quarterback in 2012 and 2013. James was called to play for the NFL's Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints but was eventually cut from both teams.
He then moved to New York City. In an interview, he said:
"I didn't think I was going to make a career out of football, but I thought my stint in the NFL would be longer than a few months,"
What ethnicity is Matt James?
James is biracial - his mother is White his father is Black. He, however, identifies as a Black man.
In an interview with Variety, Matt revealed:
I identify as Black because I am. If you didn't know me personally, you wouldn't know that my mom is white. I don't have a tag on my shirt or a sign on my head that's saying like, "My mom is white." If you see me, you're like, "Oh, that's a Black dude" [or] "yeah, that tall Black guy in my class." It's [not] like, "That biracial guy." I don't present as that. That doesn't mean that's not who I am, but I'm viewed and my experience has been as a Black man, and that's what I am, regardless of my mom being white.
What does Matt James do for a living?
After his graduation from Wake Forest University as an Economics major, James landed a job as an associate broker at CBRE, a real-estate service and investment firm in Manhattan. He still works at the firm on a full-time basis.
Source: Getty Images
ABC Food Tours & ABC Food Farm
Away from Matt James job, the celebrity is also a community organization founder.
James' love of food and passion for giving back led to his co-creation of a non-profit organization designed to find creative ways to engage kids from underserved communities in New York City, encouraging physical and mental wellness, while also giving them opportunities for new experiences throughout the city.
A year after moving to New York from Raleigh, James alongside Tyler Cameron started ABC Food Tours. ABC Food Tours gives paying tours to tourists, and free tours to underserved elementary school students.
The organization's website reads:
Late one night when Matt James was leaving his favorite Lower East Side eatery, he encountered a group of young kid’s clustered on the corner of 6th Street and Avenue C. After being teased in passing about how ashy his ankles were, he paused and engaged the party. He learned that they attended a local elementary school and lived in the neighborhood.
After sharing a few more laughs with the boys, he reached out to their school and met with the principal. Mrs. Ramos explained to him that over 50% of the students at her school were homeless. That along with numerous other hardships gave Matt an idea, ABC Food Tours.
The Bachelor
Source: Getty Images
Initially, James was cast as a contestant on Clare Crawley's Bachelorette season. ABC claims that they instantly knew James would be the perfect fit for their leading man. So, they poached him from Crawley's lineup and declared him the new Bachelor before Crawley's season began filming.
In a statement, Karey Burke, president of ABC Entertainment, said:
"When filming [Crawley's season] couldn't move forward as planned [because of the coronavirus pandemic], we were given the benefit of time to get to know Matt and all agreed he would make a perfect Bachelor.
Filming of James' The Bachelor started in September and ended in late November 2020. ABC filmed James' season at the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in Pennsylvania.
The Bachelor news and spoilers
In a new blog post, Reality Steve revealed that despite choosing Rachael as his final girl, Matt apparently didn't propose to her at the end of his season, but they are still together.
Source: Getty Images
Has there been a Black Bachelor or Bachelorette?
James is the first Black Bachelor in the show's history. In 40 seasons, the franchise has had only one Black lead: Rachel Lindsay, who starred as The Bachelorette.
Love life
Before signing up to be the next Bachelor, Matt was in a relationship with Madison Nelson. However, the two called it quits and did not reveal the reason for the same.
Matt James height and weight
The television personality is 6 feet 5 inches tall, and he weighs approximately 75 kilograms. Although his football days are behind him, James still does his best to stay fit. According to his Instagram, he can run a mile in just over six minutes. He plays golf as well.
Matt James Instagram and Twitter
Matt is active on social media. He boasts of 828K followers on his Instagram account, @mattjames919, and 54K followers on his Twitter account, @mattjames919.
Matt James is not only about the looks. He is also a professional, working as an associate broker at CBRE, and a community organization developer.
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