This former baseball star hits a home run on Being Mary Jane.
Stephen Bishop, 43
Where you’ve seen him: If you’re a baseball fan, you might have known Bishop during his three years as a player for the Atlanta Braves and Baltimore Orioles. If you like sports-themed movies, maybe you saw him with Brad Pitt in Moneyball—Bishop and his sexy smile starred as David Justice.
Right now: Bishop returns to BET’s Being Mary Jane. He plays the title character’s on-again, off-again, his-stolen-sperm- was-in-the-freezer ex, David Paulk. “A lot of people are upset with how David treats Mary Jane a certain way. For those fans I just want to say I’m with you!” he admits. “I think David and Mary Jane should be together, but who knows what the future holds.”
Status: Taken (but not married!)
On being a sex symbol: “It’s flattering to be referred to as eye candy, but I’ve learned that versatility and hard work are key to being successful,” he says. “I don’t waste too much time worrying about my looks, but I am aware that in this industry looks do play a part.
This feature was originally published in the March 2015 issue of ESSENCE, on newsstands now!