Everything You Need To Know About Drew Starkey

North Carolina’s very own Drew Starkey has become Christian Dior’s brand-new brand ambassador.

Starkey is probably best known for his role in Outer Banks as a heartthrob villain, but this new brand ambassadorship for Dior is sure to set new pathways in his career. So, who is Drew Starkey? And why was he chosen for this new role?

Born in 1993 in the southern state of North Carolina, Joseph Andrew Starkey began his acting career at Western Carolina University before following his dreams to the famous City of Dreams, Los Angeles.

He began his career with smaller roles in film Love, Simon and the award winning The Hate You Give in 2018. Although most of us would recognise Starkey for his character, Rafe Cameron, in Netflix’s elite show Outer Banks.

Rafe has long had Outer Banks fans conflicted. As one of the supposed villains of the show, he’s a complex character who is not just evil but tragic and emotionally unstable. Many fans also crush hard on him, which proves how charismatic Starkey really is.

The fifth season of the show is set to be released in late spring or summer this year, which means we’ll be seeing lots more Rafe… but that’s not all.

Drew’s role in the 2024 film Queer, starring alongside Daniel Craig, sees him exploring the complexities of sexuality, as he chases more emotional depth as an actor. He has also starred in the horror genre, when he appeared in the 2022 Hellraiser remake.

But it was his role in Queer that introduced him to Jonathan Anderson, who was working as the costume designer for the film. At the time of filming, the Irish designer was the creative director of Loewe, the prestigious Spanish luxury house. He is also the founder of JW Anderson, and later became the creative director of Dior in June 2025.

Anderson has revealed his exposure to the contrasting environments of growing up in Northern Ireland during the troubles and spending time in Ibiza where his parents owned a house played a crucial role in developing his sensibilities to becoming a designer. So, why was Drew Starkey chosen as the new ambassador for Dior?

During the filming of Queer, Anderson says he was “immediately drawn” to the American actor. He was even consulted on the casting, telling The Wrap: “There is a certain ambiguity in Drew, which I noticed in his demeanour. That’s unusual to find this balance of a modern actor” – further proof of how fashion and cinema intersect in pop culture today.

This is a strategic evolution for Dior, combining menswear and celebrity influence for a Gen Z audience, who are already familiar with Starkey but may not be too into Dior. Although he has yet to wear Dior on a major red carpet, Starkey is to be the future of masculine identity for the fashion house.

From what we know, Starkey is remaining in the acting world but as many actors tend to do, moving into designer clothing is a smart move for him. His upcoming films include Onslaught, an A24 action/horror film, and King Snake, another horror film being directed by Jeff Nichols.

Drew is making sure he is staying in the headlines, and with several new projects on the horizon, he is one to keep an eye on.

Words by Nia Hayden