Meet Tanner Hayes

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

Hi Tanner, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
I’m of the opinion that when you truly love something, you will always come back to it.

For example —

When I was in middle school, I loved writing. I would spend my free time writing. I told everyone that I wanted to be a writer.

Come high school, writing faded into the background in favor of a new love: acting.

When it came time to select a college major, writing came back to the forefront. I graduated from NYU Tisch with my B.F.A. in Television Writing, and moved to LA where I found a job as a Development Assistant and worked my way up to become a Junior Creative Executive.

Time went by, and before long, it had been years since I had really written anything of substance — and even longer since I had acted.

But like I said — when you truly love something, you come back to it. And so, I left my stable job with healthcare and a salary to pursue BOTH acting and writing — go figure.

All that said — my view is that it’s OK to give up sometimes. If you truly love something, it will come back around — and you’ll pick right back up and keep going again.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I strive to make art that opens up conversations about difficult topics through entertainment, making discussions and connections easier. I would love for someone to read one of my scripts, or watch one of my films, and be able to talk about something they’ve never been able to before, because it gave them the opportunity to introduce a topic; or, to have an audience member feel seen — able to feel an emotion, or identify something within themselves that they might not otherwise get to in ordinary life.

I was voted Most Unique in high school — so although I might not always see it myself, there’s gotta be something that sets me apart. If I were to guess, I would have to say that it is my ability to approach everyone and every situation with an open heart and genuine kindness, curiosity, and interest. It has brought me a long way not only in my art, but in my personal and professional relationships as well.

Being a queer kid from a small, rural town, my journey has definitely not been easy. Since my college days and into my professional career, I’ve often found myself as the only queer person, or the only person from an economically disadvantaged background in the room. Every step of my journey has been, and may always be a gamble with big consequences.

I’ve learned that being genuine to who you are, and leading with kindness will always make you feel the most satisfied with your work and yourself at the end of the day.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
FOOD: – Plant Power Fast Food
– Crossroads Kitchen
– My Vegan Restaurant
– BESTIES
– Gracias Madre
– Doomie’s
– Just What I Kneaded
– Coffee and Plants

(Can you tell I’m vegan?)

SHOPPING:
– Melrose Ave (WeHo)
– Magnolia Blvd (Burbank)
– Rose Bowl Flea

BARS:
– Precinct (DTLA)
– Hi Tops (Los Feliz)
– Akbar (Silver Lake)
– Clifton’s Republic (DTLA)
– Tiki-Ti (Los Feliz)

BEACHES:
– Manhattan Beach
– Ginger Rogers

THINGS TO DO:
– Hike to the Griffith Observatory
– See a Cinespia outdoor movie at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery
– Go on the High Tower Walk in the Hollywood Hills
– Ride a swan boat in the Echo Park Lake
– Go to the (free!) LA City Hall Observation Deck
– Take a Studio Tour (and tip your tour guide!)
– Walk the Venice Canals
– Drive up into the Angeles National Forest
– Ride Angels Flight
– Play some pinball at Revenge Of
– Go to the South Pasadena Farmer’s Market
– Ride a bike along the beach from Santa Monica to Venice

MUSEUMS:
– The Getty Center
– The Academy Museum
– Huntington Gardens

MOVIE THEATERS:
– Vista Theatre
– Los Feliz 3
– Vidiots

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would love to shoutout my mom — for never once questioning the fact that I wanted to pursue a career in the arts, or making me feel like I had to choose something more “practical” to do with my life. Love ya, Mom!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hannertayes

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tannerseanhayes/ 

Image Credits
Chris Jon, Hera Hong, Tyler Bradberry, Ben Duggan