At just 23, rising star Jamaican actor and model Ackeem Lyn is steadily putting his name and face in new spaces.
Fresh off a first runner-up finish at the Mister and Mister Teen Universe International competition, Lyn could easily be enjoying his moment in the pageant spotlight. Instead, his attention is already shifting towards what comes next — including film projects, music video appearances and opportunities to establish himself as an actor.
For the Tarrant High School and Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts graduate, pageantry is only one part of a much bigger creative journey.
More Than a Pageant Run
Lyn entered the Mister and Mister Teen Universe International competition with ambitions that extended beyond winning a crown. He saw the experience as an opportunity to build his reputation, strengthen his confidence and develop skills that could serve him both personally and professionally.
His first runner-up finish added another achievement to his growing résumé, but Lyn is not stepping away from pageantry just yet. He has since been announced as an official delegate in the Mister & Miss Tourism Jamaica 2026 competition, with the Grand Coronation scheduled for September in Montego Bay.
The new competition gives Lyn another opportunity to build on the experience and exposure gained from his Mister Universe run while continuing to develop his presence as a model and performer.
He is also considering taking on another international pageant, with Manhunt International among the competitions he may explore in the future.
For Lyn, each experience appears to be part of a larger strategy of continuing to challenge himself and opening new doors.
“I always keep moving…just keep going,” he said.
Building a Career on Screen
Although Lyn studied animation at Edna Manley, his creative interests have always extended beyond one discipline. Influenced by teachers Mr. Earl and Mr. Johnson and the muralists of Studio 174, he explored visual art and animation before branching into modelling, pageantry and, ultimately, acting.
Acting is where Lyn now hopes to make his mark. His growing body of screen work includes Benji Black, Chain & Power and Unlicensed.
Benji Black, directed by Jahmeel Thwaites, features Lyn among its cast and is expected to premiere soon. Lyn has described the film as an emotional project that explores the weight of decisions and their consequences.
Another of his projects, Chain & Power, is also heading to the big screen, with a showing announced for September 19, 2026, at UTech, Jamaica. Promotional material teases a story involving a piece of jewellery tied to a destiny its central character never asked for, setting off a struggle involving legacy, danger and sacrifice.
These projects represent the latest steps towards Lyn’s larger goal of establishing himself in the film industry. For the young creative, his varied interests remain interconnected: “Art is life and life is art…it is all around us,” he said.
A Face in Lila Iké’s “What It Feels Like”
Lyn can also be spotted in the visuals for reggae singer Lila Iké’s “What It Feels Like,” another notable addition to his growing on-camera résumé.
The appearance puts him in the orbit of one of Jamaica’s leading contemporary reggae artistes and gives the emerging actor exposure beyond film and pageantry. It also reflects the range of opportunities Lyn has been pursuing as he works to establish himself as a performer.
For the 23-year-old, there does not appear to be one prescribed route to the big screen. Whether through modelling, pageantry, music videos or film, Lyn is building his experience — and his visibility — one opportunity at a time.
Keeping the Momentum Going
Lyn is the eldest of five children and credits his family, including a highly competitive father, with helping to shape some of his own willingness to challenge himself.
That competitive streak is now being channelled into a career where rejection and setbacks are almost inevitable.
His advice to other young people pursuing their ambitions reflects that understanding.
“You may fail at one thing but you will not fail at everything. Never give up on your hopes and dreams,” he said.
It is perhaps also the best description of Lyn’s own approach.
At 23, he has yet to land the role that will define his career — and he did not leave his latest pageant with the crown. But with new screen appearances, a music video credit and increased visibility following his first runner-up finish, Lyn is accumulating something potentially more valuable at this stage: experience, connections and momentum.
For the young Jamaican actor, the spotlight may be moving from the pageant stage to the screen — and he intends to keep moving with it.
