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Overcoming paraplegia, Mitch Longley became a model, and now he's an actor. A quick look at Mitch Longley modeling a gray chalk-stripe suit in a current Ralph Lauren magazine ad, and it's obvious why he has become, almost overnight, a high-fashion star. His sculpted profile and shoulder-length jet-black hair make him a dramatic choice to pose for the head-and-chest photograph. But were the camera to travel down his 6' frame, one would see that Longley, 26, is different from his chin-jutting competitors: he is a paraplegic who has been confined to a wheelchair since he was injured in a 1983 auto accident. Mitch was discovered when some pictures taken by a friend were shown to fashion photographer Bruce Weber. The photographer, who likes using real people instead of models, was impressed enough to invite Longley to a fashion shoot last May (1991). Weber took some test shots and was impressed not only by Mitch's profile but also by his positive attitude toward life and his energetic work on behalf of the disabled. "I thought he was great looking, and I found him so inspirational," says Weber. "He was in this terrible accident and, instead of hiding in a shadow, had the courage to face it." The courage has paid off. After seeing Weber's shots, Lauren signed up Mitch for his ads. (People Magazine, October 1991) |
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When magazine readers turn to the Ralph Lauren ad featuring a black-and-white close-up of Mitch Longley's striking profile, they tend to over look the designer's gray striped suit. Instead, they linger over Longley's perfectly sculpted face, his shoulder-length, jet-black hair, his sensuous dark eyes. (Elle Magazine, March 1992) |
Another person who considered the wheelchair not a big deal was Ralph Lauren, the famous clothing designer. In 1991, Bruce Weber photographed Longley for the designer's ad campaign. Lauren chose his photo without knowing that Longley used a wheelchair. When a group inquired about bestowing a certificate on the company for using a disabled model, they found that Lauren was in the business of selling clothes, not sending messages. According to Longley, that was the best possible outcome. "It was a strong, silent statement of equality," he says. "In the modeling industry, a major campaign is a coveted assignment." Although he doesn't consider modeling a career, Longley appeared in other projects for both Weber and Lauren. The first Lauren ad was the catalyst for Longley's television acting debut. Naturally several people claim that they discovered him, but it was Donna Swajeski, head writer for "Another World" who created the character of Byron Pierce. "I saw his picture and thought he had incredible looks," she explains. "When our casting director said that he was a paraplegic, I wanted to meet him." Swajeski considers herself part of a "new breed of writers that deal with topical issues like AIDS, homosexuality, plastic surgery - things you don't find on conventional soaps." (Mainstream Magazine, February 1993) |
. . . the accident indirectly led to Longley's first high-profile assignment, as a model for Ralph Lauren. "I modeled one day. One day in my life," he says. "But it got the biggest media ad campaign ever. There was rumor circ ulating that Ralph Lauren's model was in a wheelchair, but nobody really believed it. I didn't have a book. I didn't have an agent. I didn't go around for months and months trying to get jobs as the model in the wheelchair. It was Ralph's decision to use that image -- and I'm glad he did." The popular ad campaign -- you couldn't pick up a magazine without seeing his long, flowing mane -- led to an acting gig on Another World, where he played Byron Pierce . . . (Soap Opera Diges t, January 27, 1998) |
