Taylor Swift just dropped the music video for her song Lavender Haze and the fans can’t stop talking about it. If you are a Swiftie, (a term used by Taylor’s fans to describe themselves), we know you have watched the video of the song multiple times since the time of its release.
For those of you who are unversed, let us share with you, the music video of the track Lavender Haze which saw the light of day on January 27, 2023, is filled with a multitude of Easter eggs that fans are breaking down.
In the music video of the song, trans model Laith Ashley plays the love interest of Taylor Swift. If you have seen the video, then you must be pondering about the man who Taylor cozied up to.
At one point in the video, the handsome hunk also appeared onscreen dressed as a weatherman. Keep scrolling further to catch more insights about the story of Laith Ashley’s life.
Here’s all you need to know about Laith Ashley (including his age, early life, profession, and more)
The full name of Laith Ashley is Laith Ashley De La Cruz. He is a model, actor, singer, and activist. He was born in Harlem, New York. He is of Dominican descent. At the moment, he is 36 years old.
During his childhood, Ashley used to play many individual and team sports. By the age of 9, he got into sports like boxing, baseball and particularly basketball. He continued to play sports into high school and was even named the top athlete amongst both boys and girls by the school’s athletic director.
Back in the day, Laith went to a business school and studied psychology at Fairfield University in Connecticut. During a 2019 interview with Vogue, he shared, “I am 33 years old and I studied Psychology at Fairfield University in Connecticut.”
Apart from being a model and entertainer, Laith also worked at Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, where he worked with LGBT homeless youth as a social worker.
In an interview, Ashley said, “When I was a kid, I’d always wanted to be a performer, singer, dancer — but as a guy. But then, I didn’t think it was possible. I did what my parents said: went to college, got a 9-to-5 job… and people would always tell me, ‘You should model!'”
Laith Ashley is a model by profession
Laith has the perfect looks of a model. He has an athletic physique and charming personality that can make people swoon over him. Over the last couple of years, he has worked hard in the modeling world to make a name for himself.
In the past, you may have seen Ashley on a 2019 cover of Attitude Magazine, which he shared with Olympian Gus Kenworthy. His career kicked off many years ago when he was featured in an ad campaign for Barneys in 2014.
As per a report by Them, after one year, Laith got support from Lavern Cox. Since then, he has been a part of many campaigns and landed on the cover of renowned magazines like British GQ, Vogue France, Out Magazine, Elle UK, Attitude UK, Gay Times, FTM Magazine, Cassius, 26 Magazine, and Avante magazine.
Last year in June, the successful model partnered with YouTube and The Trevor Project for a campaign to support LGBT youth. The caption of the video read, “Happy Pride Y’all!! To me, pride is a celebration of community, of self expression, of love, and being your authentic self without judgement.”
It further read, “It’s about remembering those that came before, and continuing to make space for those who come after! This is why I am partnering with @YouTube to show support for the @TrevorProject and LGBTQ+ youth. Join me in the #YouTubePrideChallenge and show how you’ll be making a grand reentrance this Pride!”
What’s the secret behind Laith’s stunning looks?
In a 2019 interview with Vogue magazine, the New York City native revealed the secret behind his beauty. At that point, he said, “I drink a lot of water and moisturize, moisturize and moisturize.”
When did Laith Ashley realize that he was transgender?
Laith was brought up in a church-oriented family. His dad being Roman Catholic and his mother Pentecostal Christian which influenced some of the attitudes held by the family during his coming out.
Ashley first came out as homosexual when he was 17 years old, however, he never described himself as a lesbian. In a media interaction, he said, “Being assigned female at birth, I thought I was a lesbian, even though I hated the word.”
During an earlier interview with Vogue magazine, Laith revealed that he realized that he was transgender at the age of 19. He came out as a transgender man in the year 2013. According to the fashion outlet, Laith was signed to Slay, a modeling agency dedicated to representing transgender models.
While having a chat with British GQ in 2019, Laith discussed his childhood, coming out, and more. At that time, he summed up his childhood in 1 word: ordinary. He said, “My life as a young kids wasn’t out of the ordinary. I don’t mind referring to myself – even then – it took some time to get there… as a little girl because that’s what people saw me as, that’s who I was then.”
The model narrated the story of when he came out to his parents. He went on to say, “I told my mom and my dad and they were not happy. For my dad, it was more [to] defend the image of this perfect family that he wanted to preserve. And then for my mom it was what would happen to me in the afterlife. She was so concerned with me going to heaven.”
What was the hardest part of Laith’s journey?
While having a conversation with Vogue, Laith spilled the beans on his identity. He also stated that he learned what it meant to be transgender at the age of 19 but “knew there was something different” about him from a young age. At that time, he spoke about the role religion played in his journey.
Laith told the magazine, “The hardest part of my journey was coming to terms with who I am and my own personal religious beliefs. Growing up Christian, I was taught that homosexuality and anything within that subset was sinful so I internalized who I was. However I have now found peace in both.”
Then, Ashley also mentioned that he was interested in exploring additional creative avenues in the future. He went on to say, “I would like to still be modelling and perhaps branch out into the film or music industry or anywhere I can express my creative talent.”
Does Laith Ashley have a profile on Instagram?
The answer to the above question is a big yes. Like most models in the entertainment industry, Laith Ashley also has a profile on the social media platform Instagram. He refers to himself as an artist on Instagram. At the time of writing, he has more than 300k followers and 356 posts on his Instagram feed.
Laith’s Instagram feed will give you a mini-tour of his life. It features stunning pictures of him from professional photoshoots, a series of videos of him working out in the gym, and a few photos of him with his friends and family members.
When we shed some light on Laith’s latest Instagram post, it’s a clip from the music video of the song Lavender Haze. In the caption of the post, he thanked Taylor for giving him the opportunity to play a small role in the music video of the song.
The trans model started by writing, “Thank you @taylorswift for allowing me to play a small part in your story. You are brilliant and this is an experience I will never forget. It was truly magical.”
Ashley also recognized the Lavender Haze singer as an ally. He went on to say, “Your storytelling abilities through your music and visuals continues to leave me in awe, inspired, and hopeful. Thank you for being an ally and for continuously using your platform for good. Representation matters. AND LOVE WILL ALWAYS WIN!”
Soon after, the fans flooded the comments section of his Instagram post with loads of sweet messages. One social media user wrote, “This is AMAZING!!!! Im so happy for you!!!!” Another user went on to say, “Yeah Faith”
Followed by a user who penned, “This is so f’n Amazing!!! I’m tearing.” Another fan chimed in, “Love this so much. & so proud of you ♥️.” A user commented, “Let’s gooooo proud of you bro!!!!”
Taylor also took to her Instagram page to thank Laith for his work in the music video. She wrote, “The Lavender Haze video is out now. There is lots of lavender. There is lots of haze. There is my incredible costar @laith_ashley who I absolutely adored working with.”
Did you like the music video of Taylor Swift’s song Lavender Haze? Kindly let us know your thoughts in the comments section below. Don’t forget to stay tuned with us for the latest updates from the world of showbiz.
