Age|24
Hometown|Beautiful Arcadia Valley, Missouri
How did you get discovered?
Photographer Clarke Tolton saw me at a 4th of July party on a Manhattan rooftop and asked me to do a test shoot with him...so I had pics but then I had absolutely no idea how to get an agent. I sat on the pictures for a while (well...I didn't...literally...sit on them, you see, I...figuratively...sat on them, but, well....you know what I mean. Er, right.) and finally called up Next. Emailed the pics to them and the very next day I had a contract in my hands (literally). I wish I had gone to them a lot sooner!
Prior to modeling, what career or schooling were you pursuing? Are you still planning to pursue this career?
I majored in entrepreneurship at Saint Louis University and took a lot of acting classes. I have no idea why I studied entrepreneurship, because I am not a businessman at all. Then I was extremely close to joining the Navy to become a lawyer when I realized I would always regret not trying to be a film actor (my dream since I was a wee boy). And you gotta make yourself happy, otherwise one day you'll just die and realize what a fool you were by not making the most of your brief life. It's all about happiness, man. So I moved to NYC. I will continue to pursue acting work with vigor. I have a long list of big dreams and I think modeling and acting will definitely help me get there.
People would be surprised to know...
I've never tripped and fallen in my life. Even if I trip over something and am on my way down, I can right myself (without a knee or hand ever hitting the ground). It's pretty incredible.
Do you have a secret talent?
Well, I don't know if this could be classified as a talent, but ya, when I get angry, my birthmark becomes vibrant. It's a (usually undetectable) purple V-shaped triangle under the skin on my forehead that appears only on special occasions. Apparently it's called the "Mark of Caesar" because Julius Caesar had the same thing. And legend has it, anyone who bears it will become extremely powerful someday. Rock and roll. The only thing is, I don't really get angry anymore because I don't see the point, so I guess it's become even more of a secret the last few years. But if you want a real skill, I'd say fire-building. When it's published in spring 2011, I'll be credited in Sarah Huck and Jaimee Young's camping cookbook as the "fire-building expert" for my assistance in their work. That will be very exciting!
Five things you can't live without:
I like to think that I'm not addicted to anything and could live without anything but water. But I'll give this tough question a try...
1. "Walk and Talks"...every single evening, my sister, my brother-from-another-mother (her husband Ronan), and I go for 1 to 2 hour walks all the while talking about loads of subjects. On really good days it can turn into a 7 hour walk or so. The saying goes, "Walking is also an ambulation of mind."
2. Jumbling Towers' music.
3. My MacBook Pro...I do a lot of productive stuff on it. For instance, I learned the basics of Flash and even made my own website from scratch (www.patrickwessel.com).
4. My family is pretty dang incredible.
5. Water...or, as I call it, "the nectar of the gods." A lot of people drink coffee in the morning to wake up, but you just give me a glass of ice water and I'll be ready to go.
Is there a song that sums up what you are about as a individual? Why did you choose this song?
"He's A Cop Now" by Jumbling Towers. It's pretty offbeat (not offbeat as in "they-can't-play-on-the-beat" offbeat, but offbeat in a good way. I think you know what I mean.). Actually, you could say any song by Jumbling Towers but that was first song I heard by them. They're a fresh-to-death rock and roll band from St. Louis, MO, and they're without a doubt my favorite band. They make dance-y rock and roll, and I like to bust a move. I don't think people dance enough at rock and roll concerts, but Jumbling Towers makes that easier.
What is the most reckless thing you have ever done?
Ha, I don't know if I want to talk about this expansively, but I don't think I'll be scaling the sides of any more buildings. I'm really good at it, as my friend Meghann can attest, but I think I'll save that special skill for emergencies.
