Nyle DiMarco
DiMarco in 2016
Born	Nyle Thompson (1989-05-08)May 8, 1989 (age 35) Queens, New York, U.S.
Nationality	American
Alma mater	Gallaudet University
Occupations	Model actor Deaf activist
Years active	2014–present
Modeling information
Height	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[1]
Hair color	Dark brown[1]
Eye color	Blue[1]
Agency	Wilhelmina Models (New York), CESD Talent Agency (Los Angeles)[2]
Website	nyledimarco.com

Nyle DiMarco (born May 8, 1989)^[3][4] is an American model, actor, andDeaf activist. In 2015, DiMarco was the winner ofThe CW's reality television seriesAmerica's Next Top Model inseason 22, becoming the second male winner and the first Deaf winner. In the following year, he and professional dance partnerPeta Murgatroyd were the winners of theABC televised dance competitionDancing with the Stars inseason 22.

DiMarco was born inQueens, New York as Nyle Thompson, explaining in his book that along with his brothers, he changed his last name from Thompson to DiMarco, his mother's maiden name, while at university. He is of English,Scottish, Italian and German descent.^[5] DiMarco grew up inFrederick, Maryland, where he attended theMaryland School for the Deaf,^[6] and went on to graduate fromGallaudet University in 2013,^[7] with a degree in mathematics.^[5]American Sign Language (ASL) is his native language but he uses English fluently in writing. Nyle also gets by withlip reading andnonverbal communication.^[8] He has a fraternal twin brother,Nico,^[9][10] and an older brother, Neal.^{[11][non-primary source needed]}

In 2013, DiMarco had a leading role in the independent filmIn the Can, an American Sign Language Films production.^[9][12] In 2014 and 2015, he played the recurring role of Garrett Banducci inSwitched at Birth on theFreeform network.^[12]

DiMarco was doing freelance modeling for about a year before he was contacted byAmerica's Next Top Model producers in 2015.^[8] They scouted him via his social media without realizing he was deaf.^[6][8] He was named the winner of the season after beating outMamé Adjei in the season finale.^[13] He is the only deaf male in the show's history, the first deaf winner, and the second male to win.^[13]

Shortly after winning the competition, DiMarco signed withWilhelmina Models in New York City.^[1][14]

On March 8, 2016, DiMarco was announced as one of the celebrities who would compete onseason 22 ofDancing with the Stars. He was partnered with professional dancerPeta Murgatroyd.^[15][16] DiMarco is the second deaf contestant to compete on the show afterMarlee Matlin. On May 24, 2016, DiMarco and Murgatroyd were announced as the winners of the season. DiMarco became the first deaf celebrity to win any global version ofBBC Worldwide'sDancing with the Stars franchise.

In 2016, DiMarco appeared in theHulu comedy seriesDifficult People.^[17] Later on, he appeared onTóc Tiên's music video for "Big Girls Don't Cry" in January andAlex Newell's music video for "Basically Over You (BOY)" in March.

In June 2016, DiMarco walked forGiorgio Armani atMilan Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2017.

DiMarco was featured on DIVERSEability Magazine's 2017 Summer issue. He was also honored as DEAF LIFE Magazine's "Deaf Person of the Year" (January 2017 issue).

DiMarco played the lead role inDan + Shay's "Tequila" music video, which premiered in February 2018.

Dimarco was partnered with professional ballroom dancerPeta Murgatroyd on the22nd season of theABC televised dance competitionDancing with the Stars.

Dimarco was the show's second deaf contestant, the first beingMarlee Matlin in 2008.

¹ Score by guest judgeZendaya.

² This week only, for "Partner Switch-Up" week, DiMarco performed withSharna Burgess instead of Murgatroyd. Murgatroyd performed withDoug Flutie.

³ Score by guest judgeMaksim Chmerkovskiy.

⁴ Due to Tonioli being the judge coaching DiMarco's team during the team-up dance, the viewers scored the dance in his place with the averaged score being counted alongside the remaining judges.

In October 2015, DiMarco came out as "sexually fluid" when asked during an interview withOut magazine about his sexuality.^[18]

DiMarco does not consider himself disabled by deafness and sees his media profile as an opportunity to bring awareness toDeaf culture.^[8] He views deafness as an advantage in modeling because he is accustomed to communicating without speaking.^[19] He believes deaf actors should play deaf roles.^[8]

DiMarco is a spokesperson for LEAD-K (Language Equality and Acquisition for Deaf Kids). He is also a signer and creative collaborator on The ASL App, anapp that teaches ASL.^[20]

In 2016, DiMarco started The Nyle DiMarco Foundation, a non-profit organization providing access to resources for deaf children and their families.^[21]

DiMarco supportedHillary Clinton'spresidential campaign during the2016 U.S. election.^[22] He criticizedRepublican nomineeDonald Trump, after reports surfaced ofableist comments, one directed at deaf actressMarlee Matlin.^[23] DiMarco stated, "[T]here are 55 million disabled people living in America. I don't want a president who marginalizes my community."^[24]

On November 22, 2020, DiMarco delivered the keynote address at the closing general session of the Annual Convention and Expo of theAmerican Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.^[25] In the keynote address, DiMarco drew comparisons between his experiences in education (both in Deaf schools and in hearing schools) and the experiences of learners of world languages negotiating cultural differences. Due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, the conference was fully online, so DiMarco delivered the keynote via video streaming.

Wikimedia Commons has media related toNyle DiMarco.

• Official website
• Nyle DiMarco atIMDb 

• 1989 births
• 21st-century American LGBTQ people
• America's Next Top Model winners
• American deaf people
• American LGBTQ male actors
• American LGBTQ models
• American male deaf actors
• American twins
• Dancing with the Stars (American TV series) winners
• Deaf LGBTQ people
• Fraternal twins
• Gallaudet University alumni
• LGBTQ actors with disabilities
• LGBTQ people from Maryland
• LGBTQ people from New York (state)
• Living people
• Male actors from Maryland
• Male actors from New York (state)
• Male models from Maryland
• Male models from New York (state)
• Models with disabilities
• People from Frederick, Maryland
• People from Queens, New York
• Sexually fluid men
• LGBTQ male models

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