Meet Jake Taylor | Actor & Server

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

Hi Jake, what’s something about your industry that outsiders are probably unaware of?
Getting pinned for a project is the most nerve-wracking experience. You audition a few times put your heart into the scene or commercial only to find out there are three others pinned waiting on the edge of your seat to find out if you are going to be on set the next day. It was eye opening the first time.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Acting has always been this excuse to continue what most kids did when we were young, play. I wanted to never stop imagining, exploring a characters life or world that I otherwise would never have known through acting. It’s the one place where you can go through something intense but still be safe because once you hear “cut”, you’re safe.

I think what separates me from other’s in my industry is that when I audition, I take risks . If the scene is about a character who is angry or sad, I’m not going to just give you just those emotions. When we are feeling a certain way in real life, we often don’t know exactly what we are feeling, which is what I like to make sure my performance contains.

A hard truth I learned is that your follower count impacts if you get the job or not. It breaks my heart.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
The Griffith observatory would be on that list. My first time visiting Griffith there were amateur astrnomers with their telescopes pointed at the cosmos having people take turns to gaze up and be awe inspired at the diamonds in the sky. I also got to look through Zeiss Telescope when Saturn was close (as something can be in space) to Earth. I still remember the feeling of childlike joy and shot of perspective with our place in space seeing the actually rings of Saturn.

Since I’m a valley rat, Sherman Oaks, I would take a friend to The Sherman. One of the best burgers you could ever want. After you eat, you can walk upstairs to a speak-easy style bar called the Attic. It’s everything I could ever want., all that is missing is Sam Cooke singing live, Louie Armstrong, Buddy Rich playing their hearts out and you have heaven. I would have included Miles Davis but he’s way too cool to be in my heaven.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Lucille Taylor, my mother hands down is my number one supporter. She has been an example of how to lead with kindness and understanding, showing me time and again why it’s important to be selfless. My mother also taught me to stand up for myself as well because unfortunately people will try to take advantage of those who see kindness as weakness.

Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Self-Reliance”, has had a huge impact on me. In a world where everything is curated through algorithms to give you what you think you want, the words in that essay encouraging the reader t0 decide for yourself what you like and what you believe in rings more true then ever. Anytime I feel like I am in a rut I re-read his essay.

Website: https://www.jakebtaylor.com

Instagram: @jakebtaylor23