Photo Credit:Erick Carter/Newyorktimes
Teyana Taylor is opening up about the risks she took while reshaping her career and why she never second-guessed her decision to pivot from music to acting.
In a recent interview with _Time_ for its Women of the Year feature, the multi-talented performer reflected on the moment she stepped away from the music industry in 2020, a move she says was widely questioned. Despite earlier musical success, including her appearance in Kanye West’s 2016 “Fade” video and her 2014 hit “Maybe,” Taylor admitted she reached a point where she no longer felt supported in the space.
“Everybody told me it was dumb,” Taylor said. “And I was like, ‘No, I am going to be a great actress. One day, I am going to be a
great director.’” Her confidence has since paid off. Taylor went on to secure roles in films including _Coming 2 America_, _White Men Can’t Jump_, and the Paul Thomas Anderson-directed _One Battle After Another_. Her performance in the latter earned her a Best Supporting Actress
nomination at the 2025 Academy Awards, her first Oscar nod, marking a major milestone in her evolving career.
great director.’” Her confidence has since paid off. Taylor went on to secure roles in films including _Coming 2 America_, _White Men Can’t Jump_, and the Paul Thomas Anderson-directed _One Battle After Another_. Her performance in the latter earned her a Best Supporting Actress
nomination at the 2025 Academy Awards, her first Oscar nod, marking a major milestone in her evolving career.
Reflecting on the recognition, Taylor maintained a grounded perspective. “Even if I go home empty-handed, I have won,” she said, noting she has enjoyed sharing the awards-season experience with fellow nominee Jacob Elordi, whom she described as her “awards-season bestie.”
She added, “We’re young, we’re blessed, we’re being celebrated, this is the time to be happy and to have fun with it, especially in a space that some people take so serious, and some people are cold, some people are robotic.”
While acting has taken centre stage, Taylor has not closed the door on music. In 2025, she returned with her album _Escape Room_, explaining in a previous interview that the comeback happened on her own terms. She emphasized that feeling boxed in had previously pushed her away from the industry.
