Jeremy Allen White Is Starting the Year Strong

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Jeremy Allen White is the new face (and arms, and abs, etc.) of Calvin Klein, and he can’t quite believe it. “I grew up in the city walking down Houston seeing the famous Calvin billboard,” the actor tells me over the phone from Manhattan. “I've always found the campaigns really timeless and elegant, but I didn't ever see myself in one.”

His CK campaign dropped this week, and, as expected, it sees White wearing little more than the brand's spring '24 underwear offerings. Styles fashioned to flatter the body and ego, christened with names like "Intense Power." (As it goes, intense power is precisely what our current underwear rotation is low on.)

White arrives at Calvin Klein campaign level status after 18 years in the industry. He's appeared in plenty of celebrated film and television projects in that time, but most will recognize the native New Yorker from his three milestone projects: Shameless, The Bear, and The Iron Claw.

The first—a decade-long American adaption of the British black comedy series—put him on the map. The second—FX's currently running kitchen-set comedy drama—proved he's a brilliantly capable leading man. And the third—a critically acclaimed biographical sports drama that hit theaters at the end of last year—cements his place in Hollywood's upper echelons.

We spoke to the actor turned underwear model about his CK gig, as well as his favorite menswear outposts and much more.

Is there a Calvin Klein campaign that sticks in your memory?

The Mark Wahlberg/Kate Moss campaign was so cool. I was very young when it first came out, but I remember seeing it in my teenage years and thinking it was really cool, and I think it still stands up today.

After The Bear, discerning dressers became obsessed with finding the perfect white tee. What do you think makes the perfect white T-shirt?

It’s got to feel good, and then it’s all in the structure. The T-shirt I wear on The Bear, we had that tailored. I don’t think I was even aware that you could tailor a T-shirt before The Bear, but now I know it’s possible, I think fit is so important. I think the sleeves should hit you just in the right place: right below the shoulder. And then it should hit you right above the belt line. That Marlon Brando A Streetcar Named Desire fit of a tee is my favorite.

Do you now get all of your T-shirts tailored?

[Laughs] I don’t. But I do find my favorite T-shirts are usually older. There’s this really great stand at the Melrose Flea Market where these guys sell a bunch of old tees from the '90s and the early 2000s that have been worn and worn and worn and worn. Like, maybe at one point they were smalls but they've been worn so much that they've stretched. They always fit me best if they’ve had some wear.

What’s one style cue you’ve taken from a character you’ve played?

Carmy [White's character in The Bear] knows what works, and he doesn’t stray very far away from that. I can respect that; I bring that same approach to my wardrobe. I know what feels good and looks okay and I know to stay in my lane. I think Carmy is similar in that way.

Carmy is a denim enthusiast. Did you gain a newfound appreciation for denim during the course of filming?

I don’t know... I learned a lot. I learned how expensive denim can be. I wasn’t aware of people’s fascination with denim until I started The Bear and I spoke to guys who are crazy about it, like Chris Storer, the creator [of The Bear], and Matty Matheson [who plays Neil in the show]. But I don’t know if I’ve become any more of an enthusiast—I think I just realized how expensive it can be.

But, yeah, I guess I like to keep things simple. I wore a very specific pair of older jeans [while filming The Bear]—I think they were from the '20s in the second season. What I did like about those is that I was told by our costume designers that they didn’t think they were tailored, but they fit me perfectly.

Usually, I need to take the legs up because I’m a short person and my legs are short. No jeans ever fit me—they’re always too long. But these '20s jeans fit me right away, and I started to wonder if people were just smaller back then, and if I should be buying all of my denim vintage, from the '20s.

The Iron Claw is set in the '80s. What clothing item would you most like to bring back from the decade?

I love a tracksuit. I don’t think I can pull them off. I don’t think I can pull of lot of things off but I still admire them. I get to wear some in The Iron Claw. And my favorite shoe, which I’ve talked about ad nauseam at this point, is the Nike Cortez. I think they really came to prominence in the '80s, so, of course, I have to speak about those shoes.

Do you have a Nike Cortez collection?

I do, yeah. Although I only really wear the white on white, and they're very hard to find. I’ve got one pair that's incredibly beat, I’ve got another pair that’s mid-beat, and I’ve got a pair that's pretty clean.

Who’s the director you’re determined to work with?

Ah, man... there’s so many. I think Paul Thomas Anderson would have to be way up on the list. Andrea Arnold, I really love. I love Paolo Sorrentino—I’ve been watching a lot of Sorrentino.

Which Sorrentino films stand out to you?

The Great Beauty is one of my all-time favorites. When I saw that movie in the theater, I stepped out of the theater and bought another ticket for the next showing, and that’s the only time I’ve ever done that. So I rewatched that, and I also rewatched Youth recently. And The Hand of God, which feels like a Christmas film to me but I don’t know why. I think it’s because it came on [Netflix] around the holidays two Christmases ago, or at least I found it the day after Christmas or something like that, which might be why I associate it with Christmas.

But, man, all of his films are just so stunning and romantic. And I don’t speak or understand Italian but those are films that I can watch without subtitles, even watch on mute, and still understand the story, still understand the characters. There’s something so universal and understandable about his filmmaking.

Favorite menswear shop in New York?

I think Front General Store in Dumbo. They have some staples they make which are really great. They do a simple black crewneck sweatshirt which I like, and they also have a bunch of great vintage pieces.

Favorite menswear shop in London?

I mean, I haven’t been to many but Ayo [Edebiri] who plays Sydney in The Bear sent me a list [of shops] since she’s spent a lot of time in London. I was there for just 24 hours but I went to this store called Clutch Cafe which is not a cafe as far as I know, maybe they have coffee, and they had some really beautiful pieces old and new. I really liked it there and I’d like to go back next time I’m in London.

Finally, who’s the best-dressed person you know?

Chris Storer [the creator of The Bear] dresses in a way that I couldn’t ever. He’s so clean and put-together and detail-oriented. And when I think of best-dressed, my brain goes to sharp tailoring and suits. I think he’s the sharpest guy.

Calvin Klein Spring 2024 Underwear Collection is now available in-store and online.

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