Teyana Taylor is considered a front-runner in the Oscar supporting actress race thanks to her role in the Paul Thomas Anderson film One Battle After Another. After years in the entertainment industry, she tells The Hollywood Reporter the moment means more than if she’d had instant success when she started out.
“You can see my patience being in this game since I was 15, doing a little bit of everything,” says Taylor, who was introduced to the world on MTV’s My Super Sweet 16. “This moment hits a lot harder than it would’ve if everything had gone my way when I wanted it to.”
Taylor has experienced label changes, a musical retirement, a public divorce and more throughout the course of her journey. She’s also made a successful foray into acting, including projects with Ben Affleck, Kevin Hart and Niecy Nash.
Although the possibility of clickbait and negative comments about her increase with her growing success, Taylor says she’s grateful that everything is falling into place.
“There’s no such thing as complaining about answered prayers,” Taylor says. “Do you know how dope it is to be shown this much love from people who don’t know you from a can of paint?”
She also tells THR she is absorbing all she can from the stars she’s had the privilege of working with.
“Imagine having these legends for teachers,” Taylor says. “You think I’m about to fall asleep in class? No.”
“I’m going to open that notebook, pen to pad,” she continues. “I’m here to be a sponge. Even when I’m teaching, I’m a student. And I’m a straight-A student.”
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