Editorial Team
Embodying the quintessential helpful neighbor, Jake from State Farm is instantly recognizable for his signature red polo, khaki pants, and, by any sane person’s standards, flawless smile.
There’s literally no situation he can’t handle, unless it isn’t insurance-related.
He provides expert advise with ease, keeping calm and making sure the customer knows that they come first.
Jake from State Farm is always there for us. But who is he?
Before we dive deep into the man we all know and love as the ultimate nice guy of the insurance world, let’s examine the origin story of Jake from State Farm.
The original Jake from State Farm was actually Jake, from State Farm.
The character first appeared in a 2011 commercial starring Jake Stone, an actual State Farm agent who answered an internal casting call. In the ad, dubbed “State of Unrest,” a woman (Caryne Shea) suspects her husband (Justin Campbell) of cheating because he’s on the phone in the middle of the night while breathing heavy and saying things that make it sound like he’s cheating. But it’s just Jake on the other end of the call.
“Yeah I’m married, does it matter? You’d do that for me? Really? Yeah, I’d like that,” says the husband in a breathy voice as his wife comes down the stairs to interrogate him.
The man’s wife grabs the phone. “What are you wearing, Jake from State Farm?”
“Uh, khakis,” he famously replies.
The ad became a viral sensation and spawned countless memes, parodies and references in popular culture.
In 2020, actor Kevin Miles was hired to replace Jake Stone.
The thing Kevin Miles (also known as Kevin Mimms) is most recognized for is no doubt his portrayal of Jake. But if you take a quick look at his IMDB page, you’ll soon learn he’s done several other things.
He’s been in quite a few commercials for brands including “Coors Light, 5 Hour Energy, Henry’s Hard Sparkling Water, T-Mobile, Hyundai, McDonald’s, Pepsi, Taco Bell and Bose.” Here he is being cartoonishly confrontational in a promo for 5 Hour Energy:
He’s also appeared on television shows like “Criminal Minds,” “iCarly,” “Pretty Smart” and “S.W.A.T.”; and in movies including Tall Girl 2, Emmanuel and Me and Lap Dance.
Miles also starred in a Super Bowl commercial with Drake and Paul Rudd, and in a parody commercial with Alfonso Ribeiro.
Also, if you want to see his versatility, here’s a clip of Miles roughing up comedian Matt Rife in the intro for “Natural Selection,” his latest Netflix special:
Miles also appears to be friends with some big names like football players Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes.
He’s also got a lot of Instagram followers.
Born in 1990, Kevin Miles grew up in Chicago and started acting at a young age, but things weren’t always easy. In a 2021 interview with Forbes, he revealed that he was actually quite a fat child. “I was a bigger kid, I was like 240 [pounds],” he told the publication. “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.”
He’s now very fit. We’re not sure what his current weight is, but he’s 5′11½,” and we’re quite confident he no longer weighs 240 pounds.
Miles studied acting throughout his youth, and after graduating from Webster University’s Conservatory of Theatre Arts, the then-struggling actor bought a one-way ticket to Los Angeles.
“The aspiring actor at the time remembers sleeping in his car for a week, before finding a room to live in that he says was far too expensive for his nearly non-existent income,” wrote Forbes.
Miles’ current net worth is unknown, with various outlets suggesting a wide range of numbers.
Like the original, the new Jake from State Farm has become a cultural icon of its own, most recently featured in an “SNL” skit starring Michael B. Jordan as Jake.
