Lauren-Marie Taylor

Last updated

Lauren-Marie Taylor
Born
Lauren Marie Schwartz

(1961-11-01) November 1, 1961 (age 62)
OccupationActress
Years active1980–2013; 2024
Spouse
John Didrichsen
(m. 1983)
Children3

Lauren-Marie Taylor (born Lauren Marie Schwartz; [1] November 1, 1961) [2] [3] [4] is an American film and television actress. She is regarded as a "scream queen" for her roles in several horror films. [5] Born and raised in the Bronx, Taylor was scouted by a talent agent while performing in a high school production of Oklahoma! with classmate Ally Sheedy, and began pursuing acting in commercials. Her first major role was as Vickie in the slasher film Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981). [1] [6] [7]

Contents

Subsequent film credits include in the black comedy Neighbors (1981), followed by the slasher film Girls Nite Out (1982). From 1983 until 1995, Taylor portrayed Stacey Donovan on the soap opera Loving . She returned to screen acting with a role in the horror film In a Violent Nature (2024). [8]

Early life and education

Taylor was born Lauren Marie Schwartz on November 1, 1961 [2] in the Bronx borough of New York City. [3] [9] She spent her childhood in the South Bronx. [1] She and her brother were raised by their maternal grandparents in a "very Catholic household". [10] [11] She graduated from Loyola School, a Jesuit school in Manhattan. [12] Prior to acting, Taylor considered pursuing a career as a veterinarian. [10] She attended Wagner College, New York University, and the Circle in the Square Theatre School. [12] [6]

Career

As a teenager, while appearing as Ado Annie Carnes in a stage production of Oklahoma! with classmate Ally Sheedy, Taylor was scouted by Sheedy's agent who suggested that she audition for commercial acting work. [10] This led to Taylor appearing in commercials for Burger King before she made her film debut as Vickie in the horror film Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981). [2] [13] Taylor subsequently portrayed John Belushi's character's daughter in the dark comedy film Neighbors (1981), [6] [1] followed by another supporting role in the slasher film Girls Nite Out (1982).

She starred in the soap opera Loving as Stacey Donovan Forbes Alden from 1983 [2] to 1995, the only original cast member to stay with the show for its entire run. [14] [15] [16]

Prior to Loving, Taylor starred in Ryan's Hope as Eleanor Skofield from 1980 to 1981. After Loving, she hosted her own daily crafts series, Handmade by Design, for several years on the Lifetime channel. [17] She has also done numerous TV commercials and off-Broadway plays. [6] [12]

In 2000, she began her career as a kindergarten and first grade teacher, a role she worked full time in for 10 years. She was also active in local community theater, appearing onstage and later directing productions in the New York City metropolitan region. [18] In 2023, Taylor began hosting the Not the Final Girl podcast. [19] Taylor had her first onscreen acting role in over two decades with the slasher film In a Violent Nature , which was filmed in 2021. It premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival [20] before being given a wide theatrical release by IFC Films on May 31, 2024. [21]

Taylor has a supporting role in the upcoming Christmas-themed horror film He Sees You When You're Sleeping, co-starring with Caroline Williams. [22]

Personal life

In 1983, Taylor married actor and singer John Didrichsen, [6] whom she met when they were both filming Girls Nite Out in 1981. [23] They have three children, Katherine, Wesley, and Olivia.

Taylor has been a vegetarian since she was a teenager. [10]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotesRef.
1979 Manhattan Dalton studentUncredited
1981 Friday the 13th Part 2 Vickie [24]
Neighbors Elaine Keese [24]
1982 Girls Nite Out Sheila Robinson [25]
2009 His Name Was Jason: 30 Years of Friday the 13th SelfDocumentary film
2013Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13thSelf / Vickie (archive footage)Documentary film
2024 In a Violent Nature The Woman [26]
He Sees You When You're SleepingSue-Ellen Galveston [22]

Television

YearTitleRoleNotesRef.
1980–1981 Ryan's Hope Eleanor Skofield3 episodes [2]
1983–1995 Loving Stacey DonovanMain cast
1985The Cracker BrothersCracker GirlTelevision film
1987 Pound Puppies Various (voice)5 episodes
1996Handmade by DesignHost [17]
2006My First TimeSelfEpisode: "Soap Opera Starts"

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Croke, Karen (October 13, 1983). "Running through her lines". New York Daily News . p. 149 via Newspapers.com.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Peterson, Bettelou (February 16, 1986). "Lauren-Marie Taylor / 'Loving'". Detroit Free Press . p. 5K via Newspapers.com.
  3. 1 2 "Lauren-Marie Taylor". La Vanguardia . Películas y Series (in Spanish). Archived from the original on May 28, 2024.
  4. Taylor, Lauren-Marie [@laurenmarietaylor] (November 1, 2022). "Thank you for sending birthday wishes my way! You guys are awesome and I'm so grateful to you for sharing the love!!♥️😸🎉🥳". Archived from the original on June 9, 2024 via Instagram.
  5. "Scream queen to visit Johnstown's State Theater". The Tribune-Democrat . October 18, 2021. Archived from the original on June 9, 2024.
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  9. Redmond, Kimberly (April 18, 1985). "'Loving' fan wants to know about soap star". Hood County News . p. 18 via Newspapers.com.
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  11. Taylor, Lauren-Marie [@laurenmarietaylor] (May 19, 2021). "I swear I was a good Catholic girl! 😇 Why'd ya do it @jason2warringtongillette ⁉️🎬🪓". Archived from the original on May 29, 2024 via Instagram.
  12. 1 2 3 Cooper, Mary Ann (February 13, 1988). "Taylor finds time for running and 'Loving'". Pottsville Republican via Newspapers.com.
  13. Bracke, Peter M. (2006). Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday The 13th. London, England: Titan Books. p. 54. ISBN   978-1-845-76343-5.
  14. Novakovich, Lilana (June 23, 1995). "McCay wants character to get into some trouble". Waterloo Region Record . Retrieved February 25, 2018 via NewsBank.
  15. Reichardt, Nancy M. (July 11, 1993). "Actor Taylor is last original cast member on "Loving'". The Tampa Tribune via NewsBank.
  16. Perigard, Mark A. (August 27, 1995). "Plot twists and star turns Soap operas are fighting low ratings the old-fashioned way -- by killing off cast members, bringing people back from the dead and stirring up new daytime drama". The Boston Herald via NewsBank.
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  19. "Not the Final Girl Podcast with Lauren-Marie Taylor". Podbean. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  20. Ornelas, Stephanie (January 23, 2024). ""In A Violent Nature": Festivalgoers Look Through the Eyes of a Murderer". Sundance Film Festival . Archived from the original on June 2, 2024.
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