by Peter Renault
Few faces on AAG are as easily recognizable as that of fitness sensation Colin Wayne. In the few short years he has been modeling professionally, Colin has blown up big time to become one of the top names in the business. It’s no wonder when you look at him. Tall, good-looking with a traffic-stopping physique, he’s definitely easy on the eyes. But his success goes beyond mere physical attractiveness or sex appeal. A former National Guardsman, who was deployed to Iraq, Colin Wayne commands attention because he stands for something. He is a role model for many people, offering diet and fitness advice while advocating an overall healthy lifestyle.
Colin is the first to admit that his brush with celebrity is quite unusual and a welcome surprise. While stationed as a contractor in Afghanistan he was nearly killed when a rocket exploded just feet from him. Luckily he was not critically wounded, although he suffered from shrapnel injuries, severe tinnitus in one ear and nerve damage to his back.
Colin Wayne, who is 26 and 6’2” tall, is not the type of guy to take things lying down. He’s a go-getter who transforms tragedy into triumph and doesn’t have time to look back with regret or what-ifs. While recuperating from his injuries, he pursued modeling and quickly became a much in-demand figure. His meteoric rise startled some in the industry. But that’s the nature of social media. It can make or break you overnight. The key is keeping it in check. Colin Wayne sees himself as an entrepreneur who never sells himself short even as he works overtime to satisfy his fans.
Born and raised in Huntsville, Alabama, Colin Wayne is a country boy who can definitely turn on the Southern charm. He gives off an air of down-home friendliness and lack of pretension even as his fan base keeps growing. Following in the footsteps of one of his idols, the late Greg Plitt, Colin has become the go-to model for magazine covers. He’s already done three for 2016 and the year has barely begun. You’ve probably seen his face and physique on popular fitness magazines such as IronMan, Men’s Fitness and Muscle & Fitness. He also is a popular book cover model, having posed for dozens of romance novels, luring thousands of exuberant fans to his authors’ works.
Meanwhile photographers from coast to coast and around the globe have been clamoring to work with him. Colin has posed before some of the top physique photographers, notably Alabama-based Furious Fotog, who was the first to shoot him, as well as Jason Ellis, Rick Day, Michael Stokes, Luis Rafael, David Vance, and Michael Anthony Downs who featured Colin in a series of stunning captures as a model for All American Guys.
Colin attributes his popularity to hard work and discipline, and there’s no question he’s put in the hours and earned the sweat at the gym. But it takes more than just dedication to attract over two million fans on Facebook and nearly half a million on Instagram. What Colin Wayne has is something hard to find: a boy-next-door All-American charisma that sounds like it must be pretty ordinary but is in fact a very rare commodity. Most models when they reach a high level of notoriety fizzle out and wither on the vine. They get cocky and too big for their britches, imploding back into obscurity. Or their ambitions become so large that they alienate their followers and the media players that keep tabs on them.
Despite such possible pitfalls, Colin Wayne has maintained an even keel, staying true to his vision, and overcoming personal struggles along the way. A business venture he started in the nutrition field did not pan out to be the gold mine he had hoped. He took a major hit on that, but also took it in stride, looking ahead to the next challenge. There have been rocky patches in his romantic life, some played out on social media. Die-hard fans may find it reassuring that he’s as human as the next guy and not immune from mistakes. Perhaps it’s just the nature of the beast: celebrity breeds controversy. The solution for Colin has been to strike a balance between the demands of fame and those of family.
In many ways, Colin Wayne reflects the American spirit, a can-do attitude that is as old as the country’s roots. In a business fraught with monster egos, overexposure and shrill publicity hype, Colin seems always to maintain his cool and to keep it fresh and fun. He’s a winner who is definitely here for more than just his fifteen minutes of fame.
Check out more photos of Colin below and also in the Members Area of AAG.
Colin’s Facebook fan page: FB.com/colinwayneofficial
