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United States Isaiah Mustafa is an American actor and former professional football player, widely recognized for his prominent roles in film, television, and advertising campaigns.
Isaiah Mustafa created the iconic 'Smell Like a Man, Man' campaign for Old Spice in 2010, which later expanded into personalized YouTube videos, a challenge with Fabio, and subsequent campaigns including 'Interneterventions' and appearances alongside Terry Crews.
Hulu partnered with Procter & Gamble for a 15-second commercial featuring Isaiah Mustafa to promote both Old Spice and Hulu's ad-free subscription service.
Isaiah Mustafa showed off his linguistic skills as he went global for the 2022 AICP Awards, highlighting his role as an actor and athlete.
Old Spice joined with Arby's to bring back Isaiah Mustafa in an campaign, referencing his iconic role.
In April 2013, Mustafa appeared in a commercial for the Israeli beer Maccabee.
Isaiah Mustafa was born on February 11, 1974, in Portland, Oregon. He later moved to Mission Viejo, California, at the age of five. Mustafa attended Santa Clara High School, where he excelled in basketball and track, though he did not play high school football. His football journey began at Moorpark College, where he joined the team as a free safety and later transitioned to wide receiver, seeking an athletic scholarship. He continued his academic and athletic career at Arizona State University, graduating with a history degree in 1995. While at Arizona State, Mustafa was a starting wide receiver for the Sun Devils, playing in the 1997 Rose Bowl.
After his college career, Mustafa pursued professional football. He was signed by the Tennessee Oilers to their practice squad and subsequently played for the Barcelona Dragons in NFL Europe in 1998. He also spent time on the practice squads of the Oakland Raiders and Cleveland Browns in 1999, before attending the Seattle Seahawks’ training camp in 2000. Following his football career, Mustafa transitioned into acting, taking on small roles in various television series such as ‘Ugly Betty’ and ‘Days of Our Lives.’ This period marked a significant career pivot, leading him from the sports arena to the entertainment industry.
Mustafa achieved widespread recognition in 2010 as “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” in the Old Spice advertising campaign, a role that led to a talent deal with NBC and film appearances in ‘Horrible Bosses’ (2011) and ‘Madea’s Big Happy Family’ (2011). His career progressed with notable television roles, including Luke Garroway in Freeform’s ‘Shadowhunters’ (2016–2019) and Detective John Sampson in ‘Cross’ (2024). He also played the adult Mike Hanlon in ‘It Chapter Two’ (2019) and appeared in films such as ‘Boy Kills World’ (2023) and ‘Murder at Yellowstone City’ (2022). He continues to be active in both acting and directing, with upcoming projects including ‘It Chapter Three’ (Fan Film) and an uncredited role in ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ (2025).
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