Meet Taylor Tunes | Actor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Taylor Tunes and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Taylor, Let’s talk about principles and values – what matters to you most?
Being true to oneself is always the ultimate goal. In the industry, that is the film and television industry, you receive a lot of offers and are encouraged to accept everything you get. This can sometimes mean that you are encouraged to accept work that doesn’t align with your values, and the older I get the more harmful that I see this can be- especially for younger people who are still learning their values- Hollywood has famously taken advantage of artists who are desperate to succeed. This is not just a reputation, but something I have found to be true based on my experiences directly. I want the work I leave behind to reflect who I was as a person, to light people up and inspire them, to teach lessons and tell historically significant stories. Most importantly, I’ve become much closer to God since giving birth to my first daughter, and the ultimate legacy to leave behind is to show her that all things are possible with faith, kindness and love, and that honoring God should be within all that we do.

Alright, so let’s move on to what is the proudest of your accomplishment?
Succeeding in the film and television industry is a real challenge, and I can say without a doubt that I am not where I’d like to be quite yet. The real question is, whether or not I will ever feel settled with my accomplishments or if the bar just keeps getting pushed further and further out with each success. Either way, I have a healthy obsession with pushing myself to always reach farther than I initially thought possible.

I’ve learned so many things along the way, most notably that every flaw I ever thought I had has been key in building my brand and my sense of self, which is ultimately what people wanted to see. Building your own confidence and owning who you are is the ultimate accomplishment, and when it comes to the acting industry, it is what sets you apart from everyone else. But of course this is also true in life, and is applicable to all careers. The value you see in yourself is perceptible by others.

Interestingly, projects I am most proud of are not the ones that paid the best or received the most visibility, they are the ones I really poured myself into. There is a feature film on Amazon that I just so happened to book alongside several very close friends called Deadlocked, and I’m not sure if an experience can top that. I see why groups of A-list directors and actors have a history of working together repeatedly; the camaraderie, the memories made and the pure joy that comes from these projects among friends is really a feeling second to none. This is how I want all of my future projects to feel, and if I can be a part of making someone else feel this way about working with me, well, that would be the ultimate goal.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
This is a fun question because I have had so many people come and stay with me from all over Portland, Los Angeles and Seattle since I’ve relocated here to Texas. I may be new in town, but I’ve certainly learned a thing or two about which spots really deliver-

I never miss out on the opportunity to show folks the Fort Worth Zoo, and the adorable new baby elephant, Brazos. The entire zoo is so well done, the animals seem so well cared for, and the splash pad is something I’m personally looking very forward to sharing with my daughter as she grows.

I’m a coffee person and my favorite coffee shops in the area are Summer Moon, and Crude Craft. Starting a zoo day with either of those tops my list. If we are feeling extra naughty, we may even stop at Hurts Donuts to grab a treat (the salted caramel is the best I’ve ever had).

On weekends, my husband and I love to take at least one day to visit little towns like Grapevine (ok, maybe not so little), Weatherford, McKinney or Mineral Wells. McKinney is on regular repeat visits for their fun shopping and dining. While there, do not skip stopping at the new ice cream shop Miruku Creamery. Hands down, best ice cream you will ever have, and the owners are absolutely amazing people who I love to support.

The Dallas Farmers Market is another fun hang out of mine. I love to peruse the local makers’ goods (I love to find handmade skincare and perfume), and there is a food cart there called Smith Spot BBQ with an insane sandwich- the Lady Mel. I have eaten at many BBQ spots, and I keep going back to this one as one of the best.

On any given day, you could catch me watching a film at the Coyote Drive-In, one of the absolute best things to do in DFW in my opinion. The setting is amazing for children. They have a fun rock climbing area for them to get their energy out before settling down for a movie in the car, and if they are being unruly, no worries, their activities won’t bother anyone but you since the viewing experience is so private. The ice skating rink they put up at Christmas time is wonderful, too.

Lastly, I would be positively insane if I didn’t mention the Fort Worth Stockyards. I recommend becoming a Heritage Member for fun perks. It’s hands down the most ‘Texas’ thing you can take guests to. I recommend catching the longhorn drive, of course, popping in to Lucchese Boots and Wrangler, maybe grabbing a burger at Shake Shack (their ‘Link Burger’ features meats from Pecan Lodge BBQ) and a libation at the outdoor patio of the Drover Hotel. It’s all in all, a wonderfully vibrant experience that wows all of my friends every time.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Always first in my heart are my beautiful baby daughter and amazing husband, without whom I would not be where I am today. Aside from that, a few key people have helped me on my journey recently; my love affair with Texas would not be where it is today without our wonderful realtor, Phyllis Hunter. Moving to a new city and state was a big undertaking, and I was fully ready for it to be horrible, but she made the process so much better and I honestly thank her so much for the care and love that she provided us.

There are also two creative folks in the area that I’m really excited about right now, the first being Nima Javadi (@nimahjavadi on Instagram) who I’ve worked with many times in Los Angeles and I’m thrilled to say has also relocated to DFW. He is a very talented director and producer, and having him here in Texas is absolutely thrilling to me. I want to see Texas thrive as a film market, and Nima and his wife are the type of people who can make that happen!

Second, Director Jarod O’Flaherty who is currently working on the series ‘Vindication’ on Amazon and Pureflix. I’m just enthralled to see such a good program come out of Fort Worth, and I want to support the folks behind this project as much as possible. I have some shows in mind I would very much like to be cast in, and ‘Vindication’ is at the top of this list. Everything they are doing is great- let’s see more magic like this come out of Texas!

Website: TayTunes.com

Instagram: @TayTunes

Twitter: @_TaylorTunes_