A North Suffolk 5-year-old is on his way to a career in showbiz, his mom believes, after landing modeling assignments and an acting part in a short film.

Justin Vargas, who turned 5 in October, has been modeling for about five months, said Sindrinka Bates, the mother.

His first assignment was in New York Fashion Week 2014, with Virginia Beach’s Rogues Gallery Presents, a fashion production company.

He then did Virginia Fashion Week 2014, and Youth Rip the Runway 2015 in Hampton.

In Fairfax this weekend, filming will begin for Justin’s first short film, “Tunnel Vision,” on the topic of domestic violence.

“They are also going to produce a website,” Bates said. “He’s going to be playing Chris Taylor, an adopted little boy who doesn’t realize his mom is being abused until the end of the movie.”

Bates said she discovered her son’s potential as a model and entertainer during a cruise.

“A lot of people wanted to take pictures of him,” she said. “They really liked his look.

“We thought we should make this a career.”

Bates said Justin, who was born in the Bronx, lives off Town Point Road now and attends Apple Tree Learning Center, is “Mr. Personality.”

She attributes his success to those eyes.

“The first thing people comment on is his eyes,” she said. “Even for the film, he’s not the right age — they wanted somebody older — but I sent his picture, and they said, ‘Why don’t you bring him in and let him audition?’”

When she realized his potential, Bates said, she started him off with Splash Model Management, also in Virginia Beach. “They picked him up right away and sent him to his first show,” she said.

With his first film, Justin will really start to get noticed and his career will take off, his mom hopes.

“We are always networking and trying to meet more people that are in the industry,” she said.

“By networking and working hard, he’ll make it.”