• Sonny Long •
• Originally published May 19, 2008 at 1:02 p.m., updated May 19, 2008 at 1:02 p.m.

Krishnar Lewis has come a long way from chasing hogs around the Cuero Livestock Show arena.

His name, and he’s now known by his first name only, is synonymous with being a triple threat in the entertainment industry – as a supermodel, television host and singer.

But he hasn’t forgotten his roots.

Late last month Lewis returned to Cuero to headline a King’s Day celebration at Trinity Church, the second consecutive year he’s contributed not only his talent but also money to the church and its programs.

“Quality of life is only as good as you are able to share it with people,” Lewis said. “I have a heart for the country, but a mind for the city, so to speak. I’m really a cowboy in Gucci shoes.”

EARLY DAYS

Lewis’ cousin, Vollie Griffin remembered the young Kris.

“He was always the one with the wild dress, mixing and matching colors, and the wild hairstyles. He stood out in a crowd. His family thought he was silly sometimes, but he loved drama and speech, things like that. Cuero wasn’t ready for him,” Griffin said.

Lewis also recalled his days in Cuero.

“My life revolved a lot around church,” said Lewis, whose father, Joe Lewis, was assistant pastor at Holy Ghost Temple at the time. His mother, Shirley Lewis, was also a big influence at home and in church. Lewis was also active in some school activities.

“I was in 4-H and held office in FFA. I raised and showed pigs mostly, but also lambs and chickens.”

Lewis was the first black assistant drum major in the Cuero High School band, a fact confirmed by then-band director Larry Wolf who remembered him as a “good kid.”

“Up to that point, I really had a normal childhood. I worked at Whataburger,” Lewis said.

But Lewis didn’t stay in school, leaving Cuero after the 10th grade. His parents’ divorce, impending parenthood of his own, then his father’s death when he was 18, all played factors in Lewis’ future decisions.

“I went to Houston, and I was there for some time. I was sort of scattered and going back and forth. I went into the Job Corps program in San Marcos. I got my GED,” Lewis explained.

THE BIG APPLE

One thing that remained constant for Lewis was music, a love he developed in church.

“Music is like breathing. It’s a necessity and a pleasure,” he said.

Griffin remembered taking him to San Antonio for six weeks as he worked on his first demo tape.

After a concert in San Antonio netted him $400, Lewis got on a bus to New York. It was 1998.

“I really never looked back,” he said. “It’s all about faith. I felt like if I actually got up the nerve to try to accomplish what God put me on the Earth to do, He’d be faithful to me and things would work out. I did a lot of praying. Sometimes I look back and go, ‘What was I thinking?’”

It didn’t go well at first for Lewis. He was told he was “horrible and needed lessons” after his first Broadway audition.

“That happened 100 times, probably more,” he said.

During the next few years he continued to work hard on his craft. Then Lewis got a lucky break.

“I was literally walking down the street and an agent on his cell phone says, ‘Hey you, kid! Come over here’,” Lewis said. That led to his first modeling job, a $100 gig welcoming people coming into Bloomingdales to the new Donna Karan collection.

Lewis was 25 at the time, considered old in the modeling industry, but five years later he reached the pinnacle of his profession. In 2006 at the age of 30 he reached supermodel status – one of the highest paid African-American male models in high-end fashion.

TRIPLE THREAT

Lewis has transformed his modeling success to work on television as a red-carpet host for Oscar telecasts with E! Network, FOX and VH1. He is also a producer and director of his own shows on MTV and Comcast On-Demand TV.

“FOX was the first that gave me a job on the red carpet. I’ll never forget it. I interviewed Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. The next day Paramount Pictures called. MTV called. Then we were hammering out which deal we wanted to go with. It was wonderful,” Lewis said.

His success has not gone unnoticed in the industry.

“In my 22 years as a casting agent and talent development executive, I am confident in saying Krishnar’s multi-faceted career is one that is truly authentic and refreshing. He possesses a phenomenal work ethic,” said Rebecca Weinstein, head of talent at Comcast Distribution that owns E! Network and Style Network.

His debut solo recording is set to be released in August. Two CDs are currently available featuring Lewis’, “Introduction of Krishnar” and the “Rock Your Fashion Soundtrack.”

Among his current projects is the Lewis Agency, a four-year-old entertainment corporation. Lewis plans to work more behind the scenes, producing and directing.

He has also founded the Krishnar Kares Foundation that helps cultivate talent in rural areas.

He wants children in small towns to know that achieving their dreams is possible.

“It’s definitely as possible as it is to breathe and live. Preparation and work ethic is definitely the key,” he said. “I want to try to be a positive alternative. I want to be able to pass that along.”

Sonny Long is a reporter for the Victoria Advocate. He can be reached at 361-580-6585, by e-mail at slong@vicad.com, or comment on this story at VictoriaAdvocate.com.

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