If you were to see Jake Rohr the first thing you’re hit with is a tall drink of water with long long golden locks. He’s built a career off of that hair and even had an Insta handle-pun inspired by his mane. But when you meet him and really talk to him, you discover this quiet spoken man has a heart for the broken and a love for God.
For those who don’t know, Jake Rohr is a model and an actor.
He got his start when he was 14…
J: “I had gone to modeling and acting school when I was 14 but it was a scam. [Later on] I went on a mission that God called me to by sharing my story. I said, ‘God I think this is a time to get the skeletons out of the closet and finally be free from feeling awful.’ So, I went on tour with Epic Assemblies. They were an educational program and they shared their lives but never mentioned Jesus. For me, I shared my stories about lust, my addiction to porn, and having an eating disorder. I shared all these things in the show for a whole year across the US. From there, my acting grew.”
But for Jake, it’s not just about acting.
J: “I’m more passionate modeling than I am about acting. I have this big, big passion to share the gospel in a relatable way. I think when we can be honest and transparent, even when people don’t believe in the Bible they can hear your story. I’ve always done things a little different, the path less traveled and rebelled in a righteous way, making sure the world knows that God is my God and He is in control.”
If you can’t tell by now, Jake is a Christian. He loves God and wants to bring the gospel to all those he can, especially within the entertainment industry. One of the first conversations I had with him, I asked him what he did for a living and his answer was serving people on film sets.
I was blown away by him, especially after I learned that he was actually an actor and model. Jake is humble and constantly turns toward God in everything he does.
J: “I used to be a youth pastor. It didn’t go so well [laughs]. In that time I realized what I am good at is getting people’s attention through sharing a video or photo. By being honest about my life because in the end God gets the glory….I remember I wanted to be involved in the entertainment industry and I had no idea how to start. God gave me a message that was, ‘How about you help the person who is the influence.’ So, I reached out to Chaz Smith and asked, ‘How can I help you?’ He told me to pray for him. At first I thought this sucks but this is the thing that established the career I have now.”
And from his first day out here Jake has found a community of people that has surrounded him in love and friendship like no other.
J: “It’s cool because I feel truly home. Everyone is so creative and they aren’t afraid to take risks.”
And for those wanting to go into this business? He has a few pointers for you.
J: “Have tough skin. As much as you have talent or a certain look, what helps is how you persevere and suffer in those tough times. Once you fall in love with the journey of suffering then you’ll love everything.”
As we look to 2021, Jake hopes to expand his influence.
J: “I’m currently a micro-influencer but I would love to become a personality – a Christian influencer. I think honestly, modeling and acting is a way to build a platform. There’s a big market in it but I don’t care to be the best. I want people to think about me and go ‘Jake, oh, he loves Jesus’.”
Also, shout out to Stephanie Khuri for the cover photo. You can get more of her stuff on Insta @khuri_photography. Check her out, she’s pretty cool!
