Hello, I am Taylor Hay. I started working when I was four. My first booking was a Peter Piper Pizza commercial, and I’ve been in the business ever since. I worked steadily until I was nine and was diagnosed with cancer. After going into remission, I returned to the screen by voicing the role of Taylor in the Tim Burton animated holiday film, Yes, Virginia, and I’ve been fortunate enough to work ever since.
Ck out the new @CFCcharity & join my team 2 make a difference @ https://t.co/X6VYk8zE8K Taylor’s Team of Teen Titans pic.twitter.com/IjbDxhSrOY
— Taylor Hay (@imtaylorhay) October 25, 2016
Did you study acting
Yes. I think an actor has to keep growing and exploring or they get stagnant. I’ve worked with several coaches throughout my career including Marcie Smolin, Clay Banks, Amy Lyndon, and Dennis LaValle for acting and Lynnanne Zager for voiceover.
What acting technique do you use
I don’t believe that any one type of acting technique is better than another. I think it all depends on the actor, their background, their training, and the way they process the material. I’d say I use both method and sense memory in my work, depending on the role and the situation. Because I’m still young, there are things I’ve never experienced in life, so I use sense memory in some of those instances rather than method. It just depends. But I think you can learn something from everyone.
Meet the cast of Season 1! What a blast creating & sharing w/ everyone. Like, subscribe, & share for Season 2 news! https://t.co/P6mKhQJe5k
— Strings the series (@StringsSeries) October 24, 2016
What wrong impressions do actors hold about acting
Acting is such a personal thing, I’d hate to say there are wrong or right impressions on it. I can tell you it’s hard work, it isn’t as glamorous as it seems, and the hours can be very, very long, but to actors that are really serious about their work, it’s worth every moment. I’d also advise them to learn to love auditioning, because you spend as much time doing that as you do working, sometimes more.
Do you take courses to improve your craft
I really don’t like workshops much, but I do take classes and I use private coaching if I have a big audition coming up or a character that I just can’t seem to wrap my head around. Then I like to get a second set of eyes on my work to put me on the right track or fine tune some things I may not have thought of or considered.
What acting books do you read
I really don’t read acting books. That might be a bad thing, but acting is such a practical, physical craft that I’ve found that at least for me, words on a page don’t really translate to my actual work. I have to live it and practice it before something becomes second nature to me and if I’m in my head thinking about something I’ve read, then I’m not in the character’s head and that’s not good.
How do you keep fit as an actor
I’m not a huge gym person, but I do work out on the treadmill, at my self defense class, and other activities that I love. I also try to eat fairly healthy. Mentally, I just try to get as much sleep as I can and spend some down time with friends and my boyfriend to relax and just have fun.
How do you prepare for a role
I like to read the script through several times, and then I break it down. I go line by line and ask myself questions about where I am and the relationship of my character to the other characters. I write subtext for both my character and the other character or characters and try to get to the real meaning of the scene, which isn’t always contained in the actual lines of dialogue. I also really try to put myself into that person’s position to get into their head. It’s the way I work best. I don’t really like to rehearse with the other actors a lot because I think it takes the spontaneity out of the work and removes some of the potential for discoveries.
How do you create a character from a script into a real person
Pretty much what I just said above. I work out my character’s backstory and how they feel about the people they’re talking to and about the situation presented in the script. I take my characters all the way back to childhood to really get to know them. To me, that’s one of my favorite parts.
How do you stay fresh on a production set
Honestly, it depends on the character. If the character is light and fun, I carry that offscreen, but if the character is heavy, it’s hard to go back and forth so I tend to stay to myself more to keep my head in the game and to continue to explore the character. On different takes, I try to try different things and try to explore my thoughts from take to take unless the director tells me he or she wants it exactly like the last one. It also depends on the crew. Different directors work differently.
Describe a memorable character you played
I really enjoyed working on Videre, playing Zoe Eres. I loved the storyline and I hope the short will be made into a feature. I filmed that in 2015. The script is so good. I’m also really looking forward to shooting my new series, Strings. The cast is phenomenal and the script is amazing. My character is strong and sassy. I think viewers will love it!
What do you want most from a director
I just want the trust and freedom to do my job while still having guidance on what they’re looking for. I love a director that lets me try different things and lets me come up with ideas to contribute to the project. It’s hard when the director is a dictator. I’ve found that the really good ones are much more collaborative.
What actors do you long to work with
Oh, wow. There are so many! I’d say Jennifer Lawrence or Tom Hanks.
Why
Jennifer Lawrence because she’s so real, both as an actor and as a person. I really respect her for that. And Tom Hanks because he’s so versatile and compelling on screen. He can say so much with just a look. Eddie Redmayne, too. Just really talented people.
What advice would you give to actors
If it’s something you really want, never give up. It isn’t about the fame or the pay. It has to be about the work first and foremost. Everything else is just gravy.
Briefly write about your career
My IMDB contains most of my works. There’s only a few that aren’t on there, for one reason or another. I’ve been working since I was four, worked steadily since I was nine, then started again when I was eleven until now. I’d say every character had some kind of influence on me, either teaching me something about myself or leading me to a discovery about acting or the character. All are opportunities for growth. I only hope my next seventeen years are as exciting
