Taylor John Smith
Taylor John Smith an American actor who began acting as a teenager, soon found himself in demand on both film and television. He is scheduled to star in the film Where The Crawdads Sing, in which he plays a character named Tate. The film is currently in pre-production hence no release date has been confirmed. Smith’s other credits include a recently wrapped filming that has yet to be titled action film starring Liam Neeson and directed by Mark Williams.
Shirt by Lord of Fools at Ivan Bitton Stylehouse
Blazer by FORTUNA TOKYO
You’re starring in two upcoming movies. Could you tell us the roles/characters that you play and how you prepared for these roles?
I just finished filming an Action/Thriller in Australia with Liam Neeson. We play deep cover FBI agents in search of the truth. This was my first-time doing stunts for a film. The amount of work and creativity put into these fights by Mark Vanselow, our stunt coordinator, was insane. There was a ton of training every day for about a month (even over Zoom during my two weeks in quarantine) to get these fights as perfect as they could be. I have a huge newfound respect for stuntmen and stuntwomen and what they put their bodies through to tell a great story.
WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING is the next film I’m prepping for. I’m incredibly excited about it not only because I get to work with the crazy talented Daisy Edgar-Jones and Olivia Newman, but because the book really struck a chord with me. And after a ton of my friends and family came out of the woodwork to tell me how much the book meant to them, I knew it was a special opportunity I had to get right. That means transforming my body more into Tate’s, learning the dialect, and immersing myself in that time and place in history.
From Shadow in the Cloud, The Outpost, to Sharp Objects, which production did you relate the most to and which one did you most enjoy being a part of?
They all brought something so beautiful and different that it’s impossible to choose. For SHADOW I feel like our brilliant director, Roseanne Liang, made all the technical stuff and direction such a breeze so that our incredible ensemble of actors could just show up and start playing without feeling any strain. In THE OUTPOST, I felt a deep responsibility to the Gold Star families, especially to Lt. Andrew Bundermann whom I had the honor of playing, and I felt a great sense of patriotism, wanting to do justice to the brave soldiers who gave so much on that deployment.
In SHARP OBJECTS, Jean-Marc Valle was beyond brilliant in helping me understand myself within my character. I feel like I related to John Keene the most at that time in my life. It had such a strong impact on my heart, and I felt myself not being able to shake John Keene when I went home. Thank you to Gillian Flynn for your brilliant writing and to Amy Adams for making each take feel exhilarating and special.
From all your films, would you say you acting in genres like action and thrillers are your favorites, or could you possibly see yourself maneuvering into a new direction in the future?
I love good stories. I love complicated people. Any genre that dabbles in character driven stories, I’ll be a sucker for.
Left:
Shirt by Theory
Jacket by Helen Anthony
Right:
Shirt by Theory
Jacket by Barajas at Ivan Bitton Stylehouse
Who inspired you to get into acting?
I think it originally was my mom, who didn’t care when I was a kid if I watched R- rated movies, as long as it was good storytelling and writing, and her consistent call to “Tell the truth, Taylor.” I owe my brilliant mom the world and then some.
Your career blossomed after you filled in for your younger sister in an acting class. Can you tell us about that day? Do you think your career would’ve grown so far if it wasn’t for that?
I think that if I had always dreamed of becoming an actor, it would have never happened. I was at a crossroad in my personal journey, and God showed me something foreign, scary, and beautiful that ended up being exactly what I needed. I remember in my first acting class, I hid in the back seats trying to disappear. Pamela Shae was teaching, and I was the youngest kid there, by a long shot, surrounded by mostly adults. I was incredibly nervous, and 15 minutes into the class, Pam made me come up to the front to “dive into the salsa,” as she says. She changed my life that night, I’ll be forever grateful to her.
Do you have a favorite hobby or hidden talent that you practice in your spare time?
I like photography, capturing moments of me and my friends, riding my Harley to clear my mind, and I journal every day religiously. It is my hope to give my future kids a better understanding of their Dad through the years.
Left:
Shirt by Theory
Shirt by Theory
Jacket by Barajas at Ivan Bitton Stylehouse
Right:
Floral Suit Jacket by HC Paris
Shirt by Lord Of Fools at Ivan Bitton Stylehouse
If you never became a public figure through film and television, was there another aspiration you wanted to pursue?
I’ve always wanted to be in the military, and if I wasn’t acting I think I’d be in the marines. When I was a kid “fighting bad guys and helping people” was my M.O. There’s a part of me that still daydreams about it. I have the utmost respect for those who serve. We should all be grateful for the unseen sacrifices our service men and women make every day.
Was there anything significant that happened from your childhood growing up that affected you to become the person you are today?
I think every trial, screw-up, question, adventure, broken bone, and skinned knee taught me lessons that made me who I am. My Mom constantly showed me what it means to sacrifice and the importance of being a good man before being a strong one.
Left:
Shirt by Theory
Wool Blazer by Helen Anthony
Right:
Shirt by Lord of Fools at Ivan Bitton Stylehouse
FORTUNA TOKYO
What is your life motto?
MAKE TODAY COUNT.
Can you link us with your social media’s?
Instagram: @Taylorjohnsmith
Twitter: @_TaylorJSmith
CREW CREDITS:
Creative Director, Photographer & Producer: Mike Ruiz
Talent: Taylor John Smith
Fashion Stylist: Alison Hernon at Agency Gerard Artists
Groomer: Ozzie Gutierrez
Fashion Stylist Assistant: Fletcher Hurley
Tearsheets: Caitriona Moran, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine
Interview: Maya Wilson, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine
