Taylor Black

Taylor Black
Black at the premiere of The Banker
Born
Taylor Rene Gildersleeve[1]
Alma materColumbia University
Occupation(s)Actress, producer, director
Years active2005–present
Websitetaylorblackofficial.com

Taylor Black (née Gildersleeve) is an American actress, Columbia University graduate, producer and model.[2] She is known for her first major role as Sydney Harris in the ABC daytime drama All My Children,[3] and as the former Miss New York Teen USA.[4] She is professionally known as Taylor Black and is the co-owner of Black Tandem, a multidisciplinary creative company based in Los Angeles.[5]

Career

[edit]

2005–2012

[edit]

In 2005, she auditioned for the role of Colby Chandler in All My Children and was offered the role of the teenager Sydney Harris.[6] Her character's story spanned 38 episodes and ended in June 2007.[7] After leaving All My Children, Black joined the cast of One Life to Live[8] as the character Leah Valeria.[9] While in high school, Black appeared in a series of commercials, films and television shows including that of guest stars Lauren Claiborne on NBC's Law and Order, and Archeria in 30 Rock. In 2009, she won the pageantry title of Miss New York Teen USA[10] and went on to compete in the Miss Teen USA pageant.[11] After graduating from Mattituck High School, Taylor attended Columbia University and graduated with a degree in film studies, concentrating in production.

2012–2015: Film and television

[edit]

Black's film and television career continued during and after college.[citation needed] In 2010, she had leading roles as Clare Shanley in the Alloy TV/Teen Networks series Haute & Bothered and recurred as Tiffany in The CW's Gossip Girl. Co-starring roles included the role of Kelly in the CBS series Blue Bloods, Gabi in CBS Person of Interest and Sasha in the CBS drama from the executive producer Robert De Niro, NYC22.[12] She also appeared in several episodes of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon as Fallon’s "assistant", was a judge on the panel of Reel Teens 2010,[13] and as Blake, the lead of Lorne Michaels' Cool Kid’s Table (Above Average Productions), where she hosted and spoofed celebrities. Other work included the film Ass Backwards which was premiered at Sundance in 2013, nine episodes recurring in MTV's sketch comedy series Hey Girl, Anna McGraw in the CBS series Unforgettable, Beth in the film Affluenza, Kippy Cook in The CW's Cheerleader Death Squad, and Laura Gorman in MTV’s One Bad Choice. In 2014, Taylor starred opposite the Emmy Award actor Peter Strauss in Lifetime's film Sugar Daddies.[14] She had the supporting role of Kristin in the film ADDicted. In 2016, she guest starred as Laura Mahoney in David Schwimmer's AMC series, Feed the Beast and Jane in the Hulu series Deadbeat.[15]

2015–present: Black Tandem and mainstream projects

[edit]

In 2015, Black married the artist Bradley Livingstone Black. Their production company, Black Tandem, operates from Los Angeles. Their film Helen of Troy (2017) was filmed on location in Paris, France, and in Upstate New York. It enjoyed a successful festival run highlighted by its international premiere at the Academy Award eligible Bermuda International Film Festival in 2018, and ended in the United States at the TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood as part of the HollyShorts Film Festival in 2019. The pair are currently[when?] working on a screenplay adaptation of a book they optioned titled Caveat Emptor. The project was formerly optioned by Ron Howard with Ryan Gosling attached as the lead.[16]

Beginning in 2017, Taylor Black became the face of the Swiss jewelry line, Nana Fink.[17] She continues to work in leading film and television roles including guest stars Lauren Barret in CBS's Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders, Gina in NBC's Midnight Texas and Misty Canyons in the Fox series Lucifer.[1] Black also appeared in Woody Allen's film A Rainy Day in New York as well as the film, The Big Take. In 2019, she had recurring roles of Ashley Cunningham in The CW's Dynasty and Emma Mitchell on Sony/Spectrum's LA's Finest[18] opposite Gabrielle Union and Jessica Alba.[19] Black was cast as Susie Steiner, a supporting lead opposite Samuel L. Jackson, Nicholas Hoult and Anthony Mackie in Apple TV+'s The Banker.[20]

Philanthropy

[edit]

Black's charitable work has included the Make a Wish Foundation, Teens Against Cancer and volunteering for Cardinal McCloskey Services. Recently,[when?] Tayor has begun working with the Children's Hospital L.A. and is a patron of Ganna Walksa Lotusland botanical gardens in Montecito, California.[21]

Filmography

[edit]

Film

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
2013 Sleeping with the Fishes Summer
2014 Affluenza Beth
2014 Sugar Daddies Kara Jones
2017 ADDicted Kristin
2018 The Big Take Edie
2019 A Rainy Day in New York Dana
2020 The Banker Susie Steiner

Television

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
2005–2006 All My Children Sydney Harris Recurring role, 38 episodes
2008 Law & Order Lauren Claiborne season 19, episode 6
2010 30 Rock Archeria season 4, episode 10
2010 One Life to Live Leah Vallaria 2 episodes
2010 Gossip Girl Tiffani season 4, episode 1
2012 NYC 22 Sasha season 1, episode 8
2012 Person of Interest Gabi season 2, episode 3
2013–2014 Hey Girl Christina Recurring role
2014 Unforgettable Anna McGraw season 3, episode 2
2015 Cheerleader Death Squad Kippy Cook Unsold television pilot
2015 One Bad Choice Laura Gorman season 1, episode 6
2016 Deadbeat Jane season 3, episode 4
2016 Feed the Beast Laura Mahoney season 1, episode 4
2017 Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders Lauren Barrett season 2, episode 4
2017 Midnight, Texas Gina season 1, episodes 2-4
2018 Lucifer Misty Canyons season 3, episode 11
2019 Dynasty Ashley Cunningham Recurring role (seasons 2–3)
2020 L.A.'s Finest Emma Mitchell Recurring role (season 2)
2021 Magnum P.I. Erin Bates season 3, episode 10

As a producer

[edit]
Year Title Notes
2016 Les Falaises Filmed in Normandy, France
2017 Helen of Troy Filmed in France and New York

Awards and nominations

[edit]
Year Award Category Work Result
2009 Miss Teen USA Miss New York Teen USA Pageant Contestant Won

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Hottest Woman 8/16/17 - Taylor Black (Midnight, Texas / Lucifer!)". King of the Flat Screen. August 16, 2017.
  2. ^ Barylski, Nicole (January 25, 2017). "Local Actress Films Scenes for Helen of Troy On the North Fork". Hamptons.
  3. ^ "Nice to Meet You Taylor Gildersleeve". Soap Opera Digest. September 2, 2006.
  4. ^ "Miss New York Teen USA". Miss USA Pageants.
  5. ^ Foreman, Troy L. (September 6, 2017). "Interview: Taylor Black". The PC Principle.
  6. ^ "Whos Who in Pine Valley". Soap Central. June 20, 2007.
  7. ^ "Taylor Gildersleeve". TV Guide. January 4, 2007.
  8. ^ "One Life To Live: Taylor Black Cast as Leah". Soaps. January 20, 2010.
  9. ^ Gore, S (21 January 2010). "Ex-Children Star Finds a New Life to Live".
    - Kroll, Dan (January 25, 2010). "OLTL Casts Former AMC Player as Leah". Soap Opera Central.
  10. ^ "Miss New York". February 3, 2020.
  11. ^ "New York - Taylor Gildersleeve". May 3, 2009.
  12. ^ Pereira, Frank (May 3, 2017). "Taylor Gildersleeve – Titleholder's Career Soars". Miss Continents.
  13. ^ "Aeropostale's 'Reel Teens' Modeling Contest!". Seventeen. April 1, 2010.
  14. ^ Stockly, Ed (January 9, 2015). "Saturday's TV Highlights and Weekend Talk: 'The Other Woman'". The Los Angeles Times.
    - Cooper, Matt (January 2, 2015). ""Sugar Daddies"". The Los Angeles Times.
  15. ^ Chinese, Vera (April 27, 2016). "North Fork actress to appear in new AMC David Schwimmer series and more". Northforker.
    - Smith, Nicole (January 13, 2015). "Taylor Gildersleeve of Mattituck Stars in Lifetime's 'Sugar Daddies'". Northforker.
    - "Taylor Gildersleeve of Mattituck Stars in Lifetime's 'Sugar Daddies'". The Suffolk Times. January 13, 2015.
  16. ^ "Master Forger comes clean about tricks that fooled art world for four decades". The Guardian. July 7, 2012.
  17. ^ "Nana Fink Switzerland". Nana Fink Jewelry. July 7, 2017.
  18. ^ Petski, Denise (November 22, 2019). "L.A.'s Finest: Adam Rose & Taylor Black to Recur on Spectrum Original Series". Deadline.
  19. ^ Rowell (August 14, 2017). "Exclusive: Taylor Black's Road to NBC's Supernatural Thriller 'Midnight, Texas'". OMFGTV.
  20. ^ N'Duka, Amanda (October 17, 2018). "Adam Ray To Star In 'Bellmen'; 'The Banker' Adds Taylor Black". Deadline.
  21. ^ "Taylor Gildersleeve Biography". Magweb. November 22, 2019.
[edit]