Meet Baylee Toney | Actress and Filmmaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Baylee Toney and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Baylee, how do you think about risk?
My whole life I’ve taken risks. I didn’t grow up with any connection to the entertainment industry. I had never been to New York City, I had never been exposed to the business at all. Yet somehow, I knew I wanted to pursue it and live a life in the arts. I moved to New York City with no money and no idea where to even start as an actor or filmmaker. I took out a loan and went back to acting school during Covid. I’d say the biggest achievements and most impactful moments of my life have been because of risk. Because there is always something on the other side of putting yourself out into the unknown, exposing yourself to loss, harm, embarrassment, and disappointment. And sometimes, when we are lucky (like in my case) on the other side of the risk is some of the best moments of our lives. I met the love of my life on the other side of risk. I’ve become a filmmaker on the other side of risk. I’ve traveled the world on the other side of risk. I’ve experienced culture, art, and humanity on the other side of risk. And I hope to leave a legacy where I am known for being risky and brave.

“Art is an adventure into an unknown world, which can be explored only by those willing to take risks.” -Mark Rothko

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am so deeply proud of my directorial debut for my upcoming film, Last Tour Home. Having the artistic freedom to get to create something that reflects my vision, was such an incredible experience. The film is gritty, heartbreaking, and touches on a reality that is so prevalent today in our society. I am interested in continuing to tell stories that make people think deeper about topics they think they already have their mind made up about. I’m interested in pushing the buttons, just enough so that we can all look within ourselves and reflect on our biases we have deeply embedded in us. I’m proud of this project because it’s my hope that it will do just that. I’m also really excited to be playing the incredible, real, Medora Von Hoffman in an upcoming Western filming in the Badlands! I love the western genre so much. Despite it sometimes being filled with grit and tragedy, I find it so pure and reflective of the strength of humanity.

I’m learning that having people in my corner who believe in me and believe in my art is the very thing that will keep me going. It’s really hard to find people who authentically believe in you in this business, but when I’ve found them, they’ve been the people who have helped me bring all of my art to fruition. I hope to continue making art with people who don’t necessarily see the world in the same way I see it, but who believe in the art I’m making.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
OOOHHHHHHHH! Okay, this is fun. I’d basically just write out this list and begin crossing things off everyday: – Eat dinner at Cobi’s in Santa Monica
– Sunrise walk on the beach in Malibu
– Lunch in Topanga
– Order take out from Goop and rent a few classic films from Cinefile
– Go see an oldie like “True Romance” and the New Beverly
– Dinner at Gjelina
– Picnic on the beach with goodies from Gjusta
– Hike in the Hollywood hills
– If it was their first time there, head to the Griffith observatory and then go to a Lakers game

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My partner Myles has been my sounding board, my encouragement, and my heartbeat throughout my whole journey pursuing this wild career in entertainment. He’s the kind of person that truly lives in abundance and expectation, and because of him, I’ve been able to step out and create art I didn’t even know I had in me.

I also have been wildly inspired by the life of Greta Gerwig. She’s a female powerhouse in the industry who started out making films for 3k. She really is the heart of indie filmmaking and has a way of telling female stories that resonates with me so deeply. She really carved a path for herself in the industry with such beautiful humility and determination. I hope to become a filmmaker like her, and her art inspires me to keep pushing forward.

Website: https://pro.imdb.com/name/nm12670060?ref_=hm_prof_name

Instagram: @firesidefilmco

Image Credits
Hallie Swain Caleb Salvadori Jason Lee