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It’s been nearly three years since the new “Jake From State Farm” was introduced, and behind the famous red shirt and Khaki pants is an actor named Kevin Miles.
The young actor has been incredibly candid about just how life-changing the role of Jake from State Farm has been for him. From sharing the acting stage with Drake to attending Bravocon 2022 as one of the “featured artists,” his life has certainly changed quickly, as well, since getting the role. Despite Kevin becoming such a familiar face to the public, there are many aspects of his life that remain a mystery. One particular curiosity many fans seem to share is about Kevin’s relationship status.
Who is Kevin Miles and does he have a special someone he shares his life with?
Who Is Jake From State Farm AKA Kevin Miles?
Kevin Miles has been acting since he was a teenager. He first realized how much he loved acting during a performance of Romeo and Juliet. “So, I got to play Lord Capulet. It was my first time on stage and I just remember feeling like I was Marlon Brando in The Godfather up there. The reaction was great and I saw endless opportunities to be an actor,” said Kevin in an interview with Forbes.
His father had noticed his son’s interests in acting far before Kevin ever did. “You’re watching all these shows on TV of these people doing all these cool things, and you want to be them. And as an actor, you can be anything,” said Kevin’s father to him when he was 9 years old.
Kevin went on to pursue his dreams of becoming an actor, graduating from Webster University’s Conservatory of Theater Arts with the intention of pursuing a career in acting. He didn’t know if he should set his sights on LA, New York, or his hometown of Chicago to begin building his acting resume.
He eventually decided on LA. “The thing that I wanted was just to come to LA. So, I got that one-way ticket. My mom came with me and helped me get this old used Mustang, and she left the next day. I didn’t have an apartment. I came with two bags and a pillow,” said Kevin to Forbes.
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How Did Kevin Miles Become Jake From State Farm?
It would take years of hard work and perseverance on Kevin’s end before he ever wore the infamous red shirt and khakis. His first major role came in 2010 when he was cast in Innocent. He went on to have a featured role in the 2018 hit tv show S.W.A.T. and appeared on Criminal Minds as well. He also starred in numerous commercials prior to getting the role with State Farm. Some of the companies Kevin did commercials for are: Coors Light, 5 Hour Energy, Henry’s Hard Sparkling Water, T-Mobile, Hyundai, McDonald’s, Pepsi, Taco Bell, and Bose Headphones.
While Kevin was out there trying to make it in Hollywood, State Farm executives began searching for someone who was a better fit for their role as Jake. The original Jake wasn’t an actor, and while he delivered a memorable performance, the team felt they needed a professional actor portraying the now-infamous character.
Kevin began reading for the part, but if it wasn’t for the wife of State Farm’s CMO Rand Harbert Kevin wouldn’t have gotten the job. “In the focus groups, I always tested as number one except for maybe one. The CMO of State Farm Rand, he’s a great dude but he let me know, ‘I was not looking for you. I was definitely looking for the original Jake. It was my wife that saw your callback sheet and said ‘That’s your Jake’ immediately.’”
Is Kevin Miles AKA Jake From State Farm Dating Anyone?
According to online sources, Kevin Miles is not single. He’s dating Emily Gaither. The two have been together for over eight years. Emily and Kevin sometimes post pictures of each other on Instagram, but seem to prefer their privacy. Kevin doesn’t really speak about any aspects of his personal life.
According to her Instagram account, Emily is an illustrator who lives in Los Angeles. IMDB has her listed as a costume designer for the 2013 short film Bonfire Boys. We don’t know much about their relationship, but given they’ve been together for over eight years we can assume they love each other deeply. Emily was also dating Kevin before he became the face of state farm, meaning she’s seen him through some of his highs and lows in life.
Kevin has admitted he was struggling before he got the role as “Jake From State Farm.” He slept in his car for a week when he first got to LA, before finding a shared space to live. “It was definitely hard. I kept going. It was brick-by-brick and making sure I put my best foot forward and go for it,” he said while talking with Forbes.
Now the actor shares the screen with some of the biggest sports and music stars in the world. He said both people in public and those on set call him Jake, and it’s something he’s just gotten used to. He hopes to use his jobs as a spokesperson for the company to catapult his acting career. He idolizes actors such as Sidney Poitier and Denzel Washington and hopes to follow in their footsteps. He also wants to make his parents proud. “My parents are foster kids, and they had a rough life and I want to make them feel like royalty for the first time in their life,” he said to Forbes.
As excited as he is for his potential future, he isn’t rushing away from his job as “Jake from State Farm.” In fact, he hopes to be able to continue the role once he starts acting in other projects. He has a good relationship with the team at State Farm, saying “They’re actually really, really good people which makes it feel like it’s a real good experience being with them. I’ve definitely told them that the dream would be to win a couple of Oscars and still be ‘Jake’ for a little bit, if I’m not too old to do it. I want to do it as long as I can.”
