A Look At Taylor Russell’s Road To Becoming A Hollywood A-Lister

 

Taylor Russell was born Taylor Russell McKenzie in Canada and later moved to Toronto. Growing up, the actress faced colorism and racism in her school and locality, which was troubling for her. Having an interest in acting from a young age, Russell began auditioning soon after her graduation. She landed minor roles on television shows and supernatural films before earning a breakthrough in 2018 with the Netflix show Lost In Space. Her critical acclaim and accolades made her a recognized face amongst the critics and landed her movie roles in arthouse films. Russell has also ventured into screenwriting for documentaries and made a splash on the red carpet with her head-turning outfits.

Taylor Russell is well on becoming a fashion icon and a global superstar with her award-worthy roles in movies. The actress has amassed a massive $5 million net worth in a short period and will continue to grow her fortune in the coming years. With a kickstart in television, let’s look at Taylor Russell’s success story.

Breakthrough In Television

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Taylor Russell McKenzie was born in Vancouver before she moved to Toronto, Ontario, to begin school. Born in a biracial household, she experienced racism from people of different cultures. The communities found it difficult to accept her, causing her to grow up with identity issues about herself. When Russell decided to pursue acting as her career, the actress knew she never wanted to be typecast again. According to IMDB, she began her professional career in Hollywood in 2012 with her auditions for various television roles. One of her earliest roles was in Emily Owens, M.D. She later starred in Pants On Fire, a Disney television film.

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The actress didn’t attain much success during the early years of her acting career as she bagged minor and supporting roles in shows such as Falling Skies, Strange Empire, and Dead Of Summer. Through her work in supernatural and horror shows, Russell had created a niche for herself which landed her a breakthrough role. In 2018, she was cast in the lead ensemble of the reboot of Lost In Space for Netflix, as noted by Byrdie. Her performance in the science-fiction show earned her a Saturn Award nomination and critical acclaim. She was one of the few actresses of color who starred in a sci-fi genre show, which was an honor for the actress.

Commercial And Critical Success In Movies

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While her television career took off in 2018, Taylor Russell’s filmography soon exploded with multiple critically-acclaimed projects. In 2019, she became a leading lady in the psychological thriller Escape Room. Made on a small $9 million budget, it surpassed all expectations to garner $155 million at the box office. Her performance made her a famous face in the independent cinema circle. She won two awards: the Santa Barbara International Film Festival Virtuoso Award and the Gotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Performer. A year later, she was seen in another arthouse film, Words on Bathroom Walls which was a critical hit.

Taylor Russell also ventured into directing and writing when she produced a documentary short film titled The Heart Still Hums. Her unique project won the Best Documentary Short at the Palm Springs International ShortFest. After starring in the Escape Room sequel, she received an opportunity of a lifetime to star in Luca Guadagnino’s Bones And All as Maren opposite Timothée Chalamet. As mentioned by W Magazine, her stellar performance earned her the Marcello Mastroianni Award at the 2022 Venice Film Festival. Russell has become a fashion icon with her red-carpet appearances along with her portrayals.

An Emerging Fashion Icon

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The actress surprised everyone when she made appearances for various festivals in head-turning outfits that made everyone swoon. Her first red carpet-appearance was at the 2022 Venice Film Festival for Bones And All. While all eyes were expected to be drawn to Timothée Chalamet, she stole the spotlight in a green Balenciaga Fall/Winter 2022 Haute Couture gown, as stated by L’Officiel USA. Since then, she has become a breakout fashion star and had everyone’s attention for her appearances.

During the press tour and premiere of the 2022 film, Russell experimented with various fashion designers, including an archival Vivienne Westwood, a couture Schiaparelli gown, and choosing an Alexander McQueen runway look. Her influence on fashion through simple yet elegant outfits made her an instant hit in the fashion circle and landed her a spot on the runway at the Summer/Spring 2023 Loewe collection, where she opened the show in a strapless dress. This is just the beginning for the emerging style star to give more iconic looks.

Taylor Russell began her career primarily in television, working in minor roles and appearing as a recurring cast member. With her breakthrough performance on a Netflix show, she appeared in critically acclaimed films that led to her groundbreaking performance in Bones And All. The movie premiered in September 2022 at the Venice Film Festival and will receive its theatrical release at the end of November.

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Sources: IMDB, Byrdie, W Magazine, L’Officiel USA

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