Channing Matthew Tatum (born April 26, 1980) is an American actor and film producer. He began his career as a fashion model and now appears in film roles. He has appeared in a number of films, including She's the Man (2006), Step Up (2006), Fighting (2009), Public Enemies (2009), G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009), and Dear John (2010).
Tatum was first cast as a dancer in Ricky Martin's "She Bangs" music video, after an audition in Orlando, Florida; he was paid $400 for the job. His first experience was in the fashion industry as a model, working for such noted clients such as Armani and Abercrombie & Fitch. He soon moved into television
commercials, landing national spots for Mountain Dew and Pepsi in 2002.[citation needed] He subsequently signed with a modelling agency in Miami, Page 305 (Page Parkes Modeling Agency), and appeared in Vogue magazine. He soon appeared in campaigns for Abercrombie & Fitch, Nautica, Dolce & Gabbana, American Eagle Outfitters, and Emporio Armani. He was picked as one of Tear Sheet magazine's "50 Most Beautiful Faces" of October 2001. Tatum also signed with Beatrice Model agency in Milan, Italy and Ford Models in New York City.
Tatum has said that his modeling career has helped him with his life, specifying that "It's made my life, and my family's life, a lot easier, because I never knew what I wanted to do and now they don't really have to worry about me anymore. I've been able to explore life, and through exploring it I've found that I love art, I love writing, I love acting, I love all the things that make sense to me. And I've been given the chance to go out and see the world, and to see all the things out there. Not everyone gets that chance
