Today we’d like to introduce you to Jake Taylor.
So, before we jump into specific questions about what you do, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Hey there! Firstly, I’d like to say thanks so much for reaching out; I’m super thrilled to share my story. I’ll start by saying that my childhood was incredibly complicated. I was a child will insane amounts of energy, parents that both worked 40+ hours per week, and an older brother with a very rare type of muscular dystrophy. He was in a wheelchair at a super young age and it fell on me to be his caregiver. Because of that, I believe I developed this sense of wanting my own identity; something very separate from my duties to my brother. I tried so many ways to express myself but to no avail. I was bullied in school because of my energy. Teachers begged my parents to put me on medication to contain it, to which they said, “absolutely not. We just have to find his outlet.” Shortly after, my parents took me out of school and started homeschooling me, in hopes that it would help me find some focus. Little did they know it would also lead to the discovery of my passion.
One Saturday, after my studies, I was bouncing around, per usual, when my father said, “I wanna try something with you. Are you interested?” I was on board for anything new and exciting. My dad said, “I want to see how you act. You know like in the movies? Let’s see if you can do that. I want you to pretend that your cat is stuck in a tree and I’m a firefighter. You need to convince me to help you. Got it?” I was so excited to try it that I jumped right in. After obliging to my father, he looked at my mom and said, “Paula, we have got to get this kid into some acting classes.” They immediately started searching for theaters near the very small town of Silver Creek, NY. We found the Shae’s Performing Arts Theater in Buffalo, NY.
Oh man… I was so nervous in that first class, but the exhilaration was palpable. I never felt so understood. I mean, I was allowed to play pretend and let my imagination build a world AND! I didn’t get in trouble for it. Needless to say, that’s where my passion for acting blossomed. From there, I started to calm down more and my parents re-enrolled me into public school. I immediately started investigating different ways to get back on stage and around the people who understood my passion.
We moved around a ton when I was younger, so being in a school long enough to invest in drama class, or extracurricular theater opportunities proved challenging. Also, with my brother’s needs and my increased responsibility to those, I usually didn’t have much time to cultivate it. Eventually, in high school, my parents saw just how much I loved acting and chose to sacrifice money so that I could embrace it. I immediately booked a role for the Missoula Children’s Theater in Ogallala, NE. After, I did a statewide theater competition that showcased several different types of theater performances. My parents finally settled down in Franklin, IN, where I quickly immersed myself in the drama scene. I was in every play, show choir, and Shakespeare shows. I was absolutely following my dreams.
Shortly after I graduated and was accepted into university, my brother passed away from complications due to his illness. It threw me into a very depressive place, which made it incredibly difficult for me to focus on pursuing acting any further. My mom begged me to major in “something practical” and that’s what I did. It was only several years later after I met my partner and moved to Miami, that I understood that I could actually do this professionally.
When I was living in Miami, I was working at a local bar slinging drinks. My fellow bartender and I drummed up a conversation about acting and it eventually came out that I was always interested in pursuing it. He offered to give me a recommendation to his commercial agency, to which I very quickly jumped on. They signed me immediately and I booked a few commercials before I decided to move to New York City. My dream of being a professional actor was actually attainable. I could actually be in movies and win an Oscar – a speech that I still practice to this day.
New York City will always be home. It’s a city that you can get lost in, find your truest self, and grow up. I learned how to be honest about myself, while being honest with others because it’s such a hard quality to find. But I knew that it wasn’t where I was going to get where I wanted with my career. So, I decided it was time to move to LA, a place I’d always dreamed about living, to actually pursue my dreams.
Oh! I’m also hyper unapologetically queer and I’m almost completely positive that this is way too long!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It absolutely has not been a smooth road. Taking care of my brother was absolutely challenging. Also, that cute little friend we have called self-doubt. I never had a lot of confidence growing up because I was so severely bullied. So, it has taken years to reverse a lot of that social trauma. Honestly, its a constant journey that I have to keep reminding myself that I’m on. I think it’s incredibly important to note that I’m also a queer man. I grew up with my mom saying, “stop acting like that. You need to be careful about how you’re perceived.” It held me back for a long time until I leaned into being my full self.
What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
I’m a tv/film actor, improviser, and a sketch comedy writer. I’m so proud of all three because they a super symbiotic, while also very specific focuses. I have such a passion for improv because it’s truly challenging and gets you way out of your comfort zone. I think what sets me apart from others in the industry is my upbringing. Having the experiences with my brother that I did, caused me to see the world differently than many others in my age bracket. I also have a self-starting kind of attitude and when I set my mind on something, I can’t help but attack it with everything I have. Also, I have a badass Oscar speech!
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I believe luck is good intentions and the universe working together. So, I would say my relationships and those people genuinely wanting my success would be my “luck”. I’ve been very fortunate to have the humbling experiences I’ve had in childhood carry over into relating to others, having a solid sense of empathy, and building a true connection.
Contact Info:
- Address: Follow Your Dreams Because You’re Worth It
Unit 8
Los Angeles, CA 90008 - Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @jakedeantaylor
- Twitter: @jakedeantaylor
Image Credit:
Bernard Mesa, Frank Carrasquillo, PJ Norton, Sergio Pasquariello
Suggest a story: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
