Today we’d like to introduce you to Taylore Simone.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I started modeling and acting when I was nine years old. My parents signed me up for a modeling development program, and then I went on to graduate from another modeling development school where I received 9 out of 10 callbacks for agency representation. However, education was more important, so I focused on that and went to graduate as the valedictorian of my high school. I then went to attend UofSC and receive my Bachelor’s in Business and minor in Theater. I went on to work in healthcare and was then laid off during COVID. I looked at that as an opportunity to go full-time with my creativity. As my pastor says, you have to be creative in your crisis. I have been full-time ever since 2020, so I have been doing this for five years now. I have worked with numerous and various top brands and networks, such as L’Oréal, PGA Tour superstore, Coca-Cola, Marriott, Disney, Hallmark, Netflix, and so on.
How I got to where I am today is not because of hard work and persistence alone, but because of the grace of God and the favor that I have on my life. God has placed me in rooms where I never thought I would be in, let alone sitting at the table. I have worked with A-list actors very close up, such as Tamera Mowry, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Lakeith Stanfield, Danny DeVito, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Rosario Dawson to name a few. To be able to be in the room with them and to see their process was priceless. No one could have told me that when I was growing up, the same people I watched on TV were the same people I would be sitting across. God is good and He has matched His super to my natural.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not always been a smooth road, but every bump has been smoothed out thanks to God. I had to learn this industry myself, and thank God that I have grown in wisdom when it comes to what to look out for. There are scammers that try to take advantage of people in this field. I also learned what it takes to succeed in this industry as a working model and actress, and now I am able to share that knowledge with others. It has been a blessing to share with others so that they do not have to take as long as I had to learn this field.
In lieu of all that has been happening in the world today, as far as COVID, AI, and strikes, I was feeling down because I was so used to booking back-to-back and not having extensive breaks. Recently, I went throughout the whole month of September without booking anything. This made me question everything and just feel so low. You start questioning whether you are good enough and start comparing yourself, but that is a trick of the enemy. The enemy wants us to think we have not done anything, we are not being productive, and what is the point of it. However, my memory reminded me that God has blessed me to do what I have been able to do up until this point and that many cannot say they have experienced what I have. I am grateful for what may be considered the least of things to the greatest of things. It is truly a blessing.
I have been blessed to recently book, after that one month break, a Reeds Jewelers shoot I have always wanted to do. I have also been contacted by a casting director letting me know that the Blue Cross Blue Shield client that I have shot a commercial and voiceovers for wants to use my photos for local newspapers and magazines. I will be getting paid an extra usage fee, which was a total surprise to me. That just goes to say what we may consider a struggle is really not a struggle. As my pastor says, “You don’t need another miracle, you just need a better memory.” Continue to stay grateful to God for what He has already blessed you with and that will make room for more blessings to come and to chase after you.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a full-time SAG-eligible actress, published model, and “entreprenher” who consults aspiring and established talent to convert them to working actors and models. I specialize in film, television, commercials, print and runway modeling, and voice over. I am known as a model and actress who does not compromise her values to be successful in this field. I am also known as a commercial queen and booking magnet.
I am most proud of not compromising my relationship with God to “be successful” in this industry. God has lifted me in this industry without my having to compromise my values and morals. I am proud of being persistent and not giving up. I am too passionate to give up.
What sets me apart is God. My relationship with Him is truly important to me. I do not care what the dollar amount is. I will not compromise to land a role or to receive a certain amount of money. If it is wrong, it is wrong. Right is right and wrong is wrong. At the end of the day, the beginning of the day, and throughout the day, I have to answer to God and nobody else.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
The quality or characteristic I feel is most important to my success is chasing after God and the things of God. Rather than chasing money and fame and doing all kinds of things to secure these things, I will chase after God, The Giver of rewards and all things good. When you put God first, everything else will be added to you. As long as it lines up with His Will, He will give you the desires of your heart. It is as simple as that.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/misstayloresimone
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/misstayloresimone
Image Credits
Colin Myers
