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Calvin Klein’s campaigns have long been emblematic of inclusive culture, and the 2024 This Is Love campaign is no exception. Featuring the multifaceted Jeremy Pope, known for his impactful roles in TV and music, this campaign celebrates Pride with sophistication and authenticity. Photographed by Gordon von Steiner, it captures Pope and Cara Delevingne in moments of exuberant expression, set to Crystal Waters’s “100% Pure Love.” In this exclusive interview, Jeremy Pope reflects on his participation in this iconic campaign, sharing insights on Pride, representation, and the enduring legacy of Calvin Klein’s commitment to diversity.
ICON What drew you to participate in Calvin Klein’s 2024 “This Is Love” campaign, and how does it resonate with your personal experiences and identity?
JEREMY POPE Every year, for myself and other queer people, we look forward to the Calvin Klein Pride campaign as a campaign that highlights queer individuals that are fully in their confidence and self-expression. The journey of arriving at who you are can be a long one, so this is a marker for me as a black and queer individual – a marker that I no longer feel ashamed to represent all things queer. It’s a gift to be asked to be a part of it.
The campaign video features you lip-syncing to Crystal Waters’s “100% Pure Love.” How did you prepare for this role, and what does the song mean to you personally?
This is a song I grew up listening and hearing. It’s such an iconic song. In this campaign we are celebrating love and all the facets of it – so this feels like the perfect anthem to describe what love can feel like and how it makes you want to dance or shout.
What was it like on set?
On set, it was beautiful. I was able to work with Gordon (Von Steiner), the photographer, Stuart, on video and Dara (Allen) was styling, as well – these are all people who I think have used their voices, as artists, to further enlighten people in their power and truth as creatives. So, to be working with them and the whole Calvin Klein team was very beautiful. There was a lot of freedom of expression. I definitely felt well taken care of creatively and spiritually.
Calvin Klein’s 2024 Pride collection includes vibrant and bold designs. Which pieces from the collection are your favourites, and how do they embody the spirit of Pride?
I loved the Intense Power underwear for its vibrancy and The Statement Tee as it further affirms that Calvin Klein is a company that stands on supporting the community and being an ally.
I also really loved the Cargo Blocking Pant, it was so comfortable yet made me feel confident. It reminded me of a boxer’s uniform. Wearing those pants in that moment felt like an homage to my younger self as it has always been such a fight for me, both good but hard, to find my confidence and power. I’ve had moments of uncertainty of what it would look like to be open and expressive while aligning with who I am in the inside and wearing this item really helped me see and feel that growth I’ve achieved.
But really, all the products felt so good on my body. From the way the cotton felt on my body to the fit and the way it was almost as if tailored to my body – especially wearing underwear, that’s the closest you can be to just wearing your skin, it’s very vulnerable. I just felt really confident and sexy in all the pieces.
As someone who has been openly queer since 2013, what challenges have you faced in the entertainment industry, and how have you navigated them to achieve success?
I think as with anything, when being a part of any marginalised group, there are moments of challenges and uncertainty. We’re always fighting for visibility. We say representation, but it’s really about being visible and knowing that we’re there and that we matter. That we’re allowed to take space. That can sometimes be challenging when these systems or industries weren’t built for equal opportunity.
I’ve been supported by so many like-minded creatives who were there to pass the torch and let me burn as bright as I can. I have to believe deep down that some of these things that feel like small wins will serve a bigger narrative of being seen or heard and help push the needle further with the time that I have on earth as a creative and artist. I try to remind myself, even as hard as it is and feels sometimes – that me being in this space may not speak to hundreds of thousands, but at the very least maybe it can affirm one.
You just release two records, U LOST + WHAT I GOTTA DO. How would you describe your sound?
I’ve spent many years working on my sound as an artist. Most people may know me as an actor, but music is one of my first loves. I wanted to put out two of the records at the same time, just to show people a full story body picture of where my sound is at right now. I would say it is a mixture of experimental R&B, pop, hiphop and soul. For me, it was about showing people the shape shifting nature of two different genres existing at the same time.
You debuted your photojournalism project, “FLEX (bitch)” at the most recent SCOPE Art Show in Miami during Art Basel. It has been described as an expression of your ” journey to manhood, masculinity, and self love”. Tell us your inspiration behind this project.
I grew up with a father who is a professional body builder and pastor. Two environments that warrant a very extreme idea of masculinity. I spent many years trying to unpack and redefine what it looks like to be strong and powerful. FLEX, the definition of that, is to bend. I wanted to really experiment in a photojournalism project to bend all the things I think, or I thought was true. I wanted to see if from a different perspective. I was able to really fully occupy my masculine side as well as my more feminine side while learning how to show up in them fully while honouring and loving them both at the same time.
You have a background in both acting and music. How do you balance both of these creative passions, and do you find that one influences or enhances the other?
I think for me the balance is making space for all the things you love to do. To me, that is the gift of being a creative. You hopefully love the things you’re creating and who you’re creating it with, so it’s important to remind yourself who you are as an artist. You don’t have to live in the box that people see you for. Oddly enough, coming from a Black queer experience, sometimes it’s easier to do because the box is a bit small, so you do anything different and you’re already outside of that. For me it’s about the freedom of expression and the freedom of learning about myself through different mediums or trying characters. Mostly, making time for both – it makes me happy. I’ve learned so much through the practice of creating. I try to make sure I have a balance of doing all the things I love.
