Bronx native Joy Bryant, an actress and former model, is set to hit the catwalk again – this time as co-host for this year’s Rip the Runway.
Bryant, although lovely, stood out for her smarts when she was in high school. After completing her school’s elite preparatory program, she went on to study at Yale University. While attending Yale, she was discovered by a scout from the New York-based Next Models Management and decided to leave the Ivy League for a career in modeling.
Bryant has modeled in Paris, and has attracted contracts with RocaWear and Tommy Hilfiger.
Her first acting role came in 2001, when she landed a part in Carmen: A Hip Hopera. She broke out onto the national scene with her role in Antwone Fisher in 2002, alongside fellow Rip the Runway co-host Derek Luke, who played the title character. 2005 was another great year for Bryant, as she appeared in films including The Skeleton Key, London, and Get Rich or Die Tryin’.
For the 2006 film Bobby, Bryant, along with the cast, was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild award for Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture.
Last summer, Bryant married Dave Pope, a movie stuntman.