Shawn Mendes and Noah Centineo Get Candid in Powerful New Calvin Klein Campaign
After their steamy Calvin Klein ad practically broke the Internet earlier this year, Shawn Mendes and Noah Centineo are back to star in the follow-up project called #ISpeakMyTruthInMyCalvins, released today. While a strip-down commercial is nothing out of the ordinary for Calvin Klein, this new campaign (which also features Billie Eilish and Chika Oranika) puts a powerful twist on the classic concept.
#ISpeakMyTruthInMyCalvins is much more than sex-appeal; it’s all about vulnerability — an emotional strip-down for the celebrities who star in it. In a statement, Calvin Klein says it “exists to provoke, challenge and defy the status quo. We believe that embracing authentic self-expression creates a platform for authentic connections – and ultimately, a catalyst for change.”
Calvin Klein
Over the course of the four 30-second campaign commercials, Mendes reflects on his journey to stardom, Cinteneo opens up about his external and internal scars, Eilish admits she hides insecurities behind her signature baggy clothes and Oranika gets real about self-confidence during a powerful spoken word performance.
In his video clip, Mendes (who’s fresh off two Grammy nominations and a Saturday Night Live performance) is shown walking alongside a screening showing a home video of his younger self. The Canadian-born pop star admits, “I think the younger version of me would be pretty proud.”
“I think the real strength in putting yourself out there, whether that’s in your music or just life in general,” the 20-year-old says with a smile. “I speak my truth in my Calvins.”
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And this isn’t the first time the “In My Blood” singer let fans see his vulnerable side. In November 2018, Mendes told Rolling Stone that he feels pressure to prove he’s not gay, thanks to years of speculation about his sexuality.
“In the back of my heart, I feel like I need to go be seen with someone – like a girl – in public, to prove to people that I’m not gay,” he told the outlet.
For Centineo, #ISpeakMyTruthInMyCalvins means something different. In his clip (shot in a small hotel room) Centineo gets candid about his past while lounging in white Calvin Klein briefs and a matching undershirt, “I’ve always been really reckless. If you ain’t got no scars, you’re afraid, really cautious or you’re just really lucky.”
“You can’t really get rid of scars,” Centineo adds. “Especially if they’re emotional ones.”
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After starring in Netflix’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before last year, the 22-year-old actor became an overnight heartthrob. Between hilarious memes and thirsty Instagram comments, Centineo quickly earned a reputation as the Internet’s boyfriend.
But not even his classic good looks could stop new fans and followers from pointing out the scar near the left side of his mouth. The Fosters star revealed the reason for it in a Buzzfeed interview last August.
“I got attacked when I was 6 years old by a Mastiff,” Centineo told the outlet. “He ripped a hole in my face, so you could see my teeth, my gums, and all the way through my tongue to the other side. There was a massive, gaping hole.”
Centineo has obviously come to terms with the shocking story, closing his Calvin Klein ad with, “I love my scars. All of them.”
In addition to Eilish and Oranika’s own powerful spots, all four up-and-coming stars were joined by a few Calvin Klein veterans like Kendall Jenner, A$AP Rocky and Bella Hadid.
They all came together for a group #ISpeakMyTruthInMyCalvins commercial, which features a wide variety of both sexy and artful shots.
