Lili Taylor
{{short description|American actress (born 1967)}}
{{BLP sources|date=January 2009}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Lili Taylor
| image = Lili Taylor 2013.jpg
| caption = Taylor in 2013
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1967|2|20}}{{cite news|url=https://abcnews.go.com/amp/Entertainment/wireStory/celebrity-birthdays-week-feb-20-26-82878609|work=ABC News|title=Celebrity birthdays for the week of Feb. 20-26|date=14 February 2022}}
| birth_place = Glencoe, Illinois, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| occupation = Actress
| years_active = 1986–present
| spouse = {{marriage|Nick Flynn|2009}}
| children = 1
| alma_mater = DePaul University (attended)
}}
Lili Anne Taylor (born February 20, 1967) is an American actress. She came to prominence with supporting parts in the films Mystic Pizza (1988) and Say Anything... (1989), before establishing herself as one of the key figures of 1990s independent cinema through starring roles in Bright Angel (1990), Dogfight (1991), Household Saints, Short Cuts (both 1993), The Addiction (1995), I Shot Andy Warhol (1996), and Pecker (1998). Taylor is the recipient of four Independent Spirit nominations, winning once in the category of Best Supporting Female.
Alongside her work on smaller-scale projects, Taylor has encountered mainstream success with parts in films such as Born on the Fourth of July (1989), Rudy (1993), Ransom (1996), High Fidelity (2000), Public Enemies (2009), The Conjuring (2013), and Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015). Other credits include The Notorious Bettie Page (2005), To the Bone (2017), and Paper Spiders (2020).
Outside film, Taylor has appeared in an array of television series. She was nominated for a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress award for her portrayal of Anne Blaine on American Crime (2015–2017). She received a further two Emmy nominations for her guest role as Marty Glenn on The X-Files (1998) episode "Mind's Eye" and for her recurring role as Lisa Kimmel on Six Feet Under (2002–2005). Taylor's stage credits include Broadway productions of Anton Chekhov's Three Sisters (1997) and Scott McPherson's Marvin's Room (2017).
Early life
Taylor, the fifth of six children, was born in Glencoe, Illinois, a north suburb of Chicago, to an artist and hardware store operator.[https://archive.today/20130630042911/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/72953733.html?dids=72953733:72953733&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=May+13,+2001&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=TAYLOR&pqatl=google "Obituary: Park Taylor"], Chicago Tribune, May 13, 2001 She grew up in a "warm family environment", and has described herself as being "a bit of a searcher" during her childhood.[http://lili.net/lili/articles/out01.html Lili Taylor profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171024100433/http://lili.net/lili/articles/out01.html |date=2017-10-24 }}, Out Magazine She graduated from New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois in 1985. Thereafter, she attended The Theatre School at DePaul University before being cut from the acting program for a policy violation, and the Piven Theatre Workshop.{{Cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1996-05-16-9605160277-story.html|title = On the Verge of a Nervous Breakthrough|website = Chicago Tribune| date=16 May 1996 }}
Career
Taylor has appeared in dozens of films since 1988, including Dogfight, Mystic Pizza, and Rudy. Her work has mostly been in independent films and theater. She played Lisa Kimmel Fisher (mostly in the second and third seasons) in the HBO drama Six Feet Under for which she was nominated for an Emmy Award. Taylor played supporting roles in Mystic Pizza (1988) and Say Anything... (1989). She starred in Dogfight (1991) directed by Nancy Savoca, in which she played an unattractive young woman who is taken to a cruel contest by a Marine (played by River Phoenix) under the pretense of a date; in his 1993 book Alternate Oscars, Danny Peary argued that Taylor deserved a Best Actress Academy Award for her performance in Dogfight.
In 1991, Taylor played Grace, the witty and romantic step-daughter of Faye Dunaway, in Arizona Dream (released 1993), directed by Emir Kusturica, co-starring Johnny Depp, Vincent Gallo and Jerry Lewis. In 1993 too, she re-teamed with Savoca for Household Saints. Director Robert Altman hired Taylor in 1993 for his epic Los Angeles drama Short Cuts, in which Taylor shared scenes with Lily Tomlin. Taylor portrayed Valerie Solanas, who attempted to assassinate Andy Warhol, in Mary Harron's I Shot Andy Warhol (1996). The same year, she co-starred in Girls Town with Bruklin Harris and Aunjanue Ellis, where three inner-city friends dealt with a friend's suicide, and later in Ransom, as caterer who helps her corrupt policeman boyfriend kidnap a rich man's son.
In 1998 she appeared in the X-Files episode "Mind's Eye", and was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series. The same year, she appeared in John Waters' film Pecker, alongside Edward Furlong, Christina Ricci and Mary Kay Place. In 1999, Taylor starred in Jan de Bont's remake of The Haunting. In 2001, Taylor appeared in the independent feature Julie Johnson. The film, co-starring Courtney Love, centered on a Long Island mother and housewife who leaves her husband to pursue her dream of studying science. In early 2004, Taylor made her New York City stage debut in Wallace Shawn's Aunt Dan and Lemon in the role of Lemon.
Taylor won the 2005 Best Actress award at the Copenhagen International Film Festival for her role in Factotum. In 2006, Taylor worked again with Mary Harron in The Notorious Bettie Page.Jacobs, Evan. [http://www.movieweb.com/lili-taylor-talks-the-notorious-bettie-page "Lili Taylor Talks 'The Notorious Bettie Page'."] www.movieweb.com. April 14, 2006. She starred in the Lifetime cable network's hour-long comedy-drama series State of Mind, as a New Haven therapist dealing with a divorce and a parade of quirky clients. She played the daughter of Frank Langella's character in Andrew Wagner's 2007 drama Starting Out in the Evening. In the 2008 film The Promotion, Taylor played Lori Wehlner, the wife of John C. Reilly's character.[http://www.movieweb.com/movie/the-promotion/lili-taylor-interview "'The Promotion' Lili Taylor interview"] www.movieweb.com In 2009, Taylor played Sheriff Lillian Holley of Lake County, Indiana, who incarcerates John Dillinger (played by Johnny Depp), in Michael Mann's Public Enemies. In 2011, Fence Books released Taylor's audio recording of poet Ariana Reines' Save The World. In 2013, Taylor starred in the horror hit The Conjuring.{{Cite web|title=Can We Talk About Lili Taylor in 'The Conjuring'?|url=https://tribecafilm.com/news/lili-taylor-the-conjuring-james-wan|access-date=2021-04-29|website=Tribeca}}
In 2014, Taylor starred alongside Chloë Grace Moretz in the off-Broadway play The Library directed by Steven Soderbergh.{{cite web|url= https://www.publictheater.org/Tickets/Calendar/PlayDetailsCollection/13-14-Season/The-Library/|title= The Library|author= |website= publictheater.org|publisher= The Public Theater|access-date= 3 February 2017|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160408162654/http://publictheater.org/Tickets/Calendar/PlayDetailsCollection/13-14-Season/The-Library/|archive-date= 8 April 2016|url-status= dead}}{{cite news |last= Healy|first=Patrick |date=16 January 2014 |title=Soderbergh to Direct New Play at Public Theater |url=https://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/01/16/soderbergh-to-direct-new-play-at-public-theater/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0 |work=The New York Times }}{{cite news |last=Rooney |first=David |date=16 January 2014 |title=Steven Soderbergh to Direct Off-Broadway Play Starring Chloe Grace Moretz |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/steven-soderbergh-direct-broadway-play-671668 |work=The Hollywood Reporter }} The following year she co-starred in Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials, as Dr. Mary Cooper, "a doctor who helps Thomas and his fellow Gladers".{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2014/11/lili-taylor-maze-runner-2-scorch-trials-1201272592/|title=Lili Taylor Joins Fox's 'The Maze Runner 2′|publisher=Deadline Hollywood|author=Jen Yamato|date=November 3, 2014|access-date=November 4, 2014}} Filming began at the end of October, and the movie was released on September 18, 2015. In 2020, Taylor starred opposite Stefania LaVie Owen in Paper Spiders.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/04/paper-spiders-lili-taylor-stefania-lavie-owen-to-star-mental-illness-drama-1202600468 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190424170145/https://deadline.com/2019/04/paper-spiders-lili-taylor-stefania-lavie-owen-to-star-mental-illness-drama-1202600468/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 24, 2019 |title=Lili Taylor & Stefania LaVie Owen To Star In Mental Illness Drama 'Paper Spiders' |work=Deadline Hollywood |date=24 April 2019 |access-date=December 24, 2019}}
Taylor will portray Mags in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping set to be released in November 2026. Taylor will also work in season two of Daredevil: Born Again as the as-yet-unidentified Governor of New York.{{Cite web |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |date=March 27, 2025 |title=Lili Taylor Joins 'Daredevil: Born Again' Season 2 |url=https://deadline.com/2025/03/lili-taylor-daredevil-born-again-season-2-marvel-disney-plus-1236350524/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250327195933/https://deadline.com/2025/03/lili-taylor-daredevil-born-again-season-2-marvel-disney-plus-1236350524/ |archive-date=March 27, 2025 |access-date=March 27, 2025 |website=Deadline Hollywood}}{{Cite web |last=Larson |first=Jamie |date=May 12, 2025 |title=Lili Taylor Reveals Role as NY Governor In Marvel's 'Daredevil' While Discussing New Book on Birdwatching |url=https://ruralintelligence.com/arts/lili-taylor-reveals-role-as-ny-governor-in-marvels-daredevil-while-discusses-new-book-on-bird-watching |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250513215112/https://ruralintelligence.com/arts/lili-taylor-reveals-role-as-ny-governor-in-marvels-daredevil-while-discusses-new-book-on-bird-watching |archive-date=May 13, 2025 |access-date=May 13, 2025 |website=Rural Intelligence}}
Personal life
In May 1997, Taylor's former boyfriend, actor Michael Rapaport, was arrested for harassing Taylor and charged with two counts of aggravated harassment. He pleaded guilty to the charges. New York Supreme Court Justice Arlene Goldberg issued a protection order forbidding him from contacting Taylor and requiring him to undergo counseling.{{cite news|last1=Errico|first1=Marcus|title=Michael Rapaport Sentenced for Harassment|url=http://www.eonline.com/news/36433/michael-rapaport-sentenced-for-harassment|access-date=December 7, 2017|publisher=E! News|date=May 19, 1998}}{{cite news|title=Actor ordered to stay away from girlfriend he harassed|url=https://www.deseretnews.com/article/630786/Actor-ordered-to-stay-away-from-girlfriend-he-harassed.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130910160931/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/630786/Actor-ordered-to-stay-away-from-girlfriend-he-harassed.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 10, 2013|access-date=December 7, 2017|work=Deseret News|date=May 19, 1998}}
In 2009, Taylor married writer Nick Flynn. They have a daughter Maeve, who was born sometime around 2008.{{Cite news|last=Kachka|first=Boris|date=January 21, 2010|title=Nick Flynn Talks (and Writes) About Meeting With His Actress Dream Girl, Lili Taylor|work=New York|url=https://nymag.com/arts/books/features/63212/}}
Taylor is an activist for conservation issues, particularly those having to do with birds, and sits on the boards of the American Birding Association and National Audubon Society. She wrote Turning to Birds, The Power and Beauty of Noticing in 2025. She introduced Louise Post to Nina Gordon, and they went on to found the 1990s alternative band Veruca Salt in the early 1990s.[https://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/07/10/1057783280884.html "Grohl schmoll"], The Sydney Morning Herald, July 11, 2003
Awards
Taylor is a three-time Primetime Emmy Award nominee.[https://www.emmys.com/bios/lili-taylor Lili Taylor]{{Cite web|url=https://tvline.com/gallery/memories-from-the-set-almost-humans-lili-taylor-talks-six-feet-under-x-files-and-more/taylor_the-x-files-2/|title = Memories from the Set: Almost Human's Lili Taylor Talks Six Feet Under, X-Files and More|date = 3 March 2014}}[https://www.eonline.com/news/1200221/see-the-stars-of-mystic-pizza-then-now See the Stars of Mystic Pizza, Then & Now] Also recognized for her extensive work in American independent film, she has been nominated for four Independent Spirit Awards, winning Best Supporting Female for her performance in Household Saints (1993). She was nominated for Best Female Lead for Bright Angel (1990) and The Addiction (1995), and again for Best Supporting Female for Girls Town (1996). In 1996, she received a Special Recognition award from the Sundance Film Festival for her performance in Mary Harron's I Shot Andy Warhol, in which she portrayed Valerie Solanas. Ten years later, in 2006, she was honored with the Excellence in Acting Award at the Provincetown International Film Festival.
Filmography
= Film =
{{pending films key}}
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| rowspan=2 | 1988
| Lab Technician O. Palmer | |
| Mystic Pizza
| Josephina "Jojo" Barbosa | |
| rowspan=2 | 1989
| Corey Flood | |
| Born on the Fourth of July
| Jamie Wilson – Georgia | |
| 1990
| Lucy | Nominated—Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead |
| 1991
| Dogfight | Rose | |
| rowspan=5 | 1993
| Grace Stalker | |
| Watch It
| Brenda | |
| Short Cuts
| Honey Bush | |{{unbulleted list|Golden Globe Special Ensemble Cast Award {{small|(non-competitive)}}|Volpi Cup for Best Ensemble Cast}} |
| Household Saints
| Teresa Carmela Santangelo |
| Rudy
| Sherry | |
| rowspan=3 | 1994
| Touch Base | Darcy Winningham | Short film |
| Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle
| |
| Prêt-à-Porter
| Fiona Ulrich |
| rowspan=4 | 1995
| {{sortname|The|Addiction}} | Kathleen Conklin | Málaga International Week of Fantastic Cinema: Best Actress |
| Cold Fever
| Jill | Seattle International Film Festival: Best Actress (also for I Shot Andy Warhol and Girls Town) |
| Four Rooms
| Raven | Segment: "The Missing Ingredient" |
| Killer: A Journal of a Murder
| Woman In Speakeasy (uncredited) | |
| rowspan=6 | 1996
| Plain Pleasures | Unknown | Short film |
| Girls Town
| Patti Lucci | Seattle International Film Festival: Best Actress (also for I Shot Andy Warhol and Cold Fever) |
| I Shot Andy Warhol
| Seattle International Film Festival: Best Actress (also for Girls Town and Cold Fever) |
| Cosas que nunca te dije
| Ann |
| Illtown
| Micky | |
| Ransom
| Maris Conner | Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Supporting Actress—Suspense |
| 1997
| 'Happy' | |
| rowspan=4 | 1998
| Rachel | |
| {{sortname|The|Impostors}}
| Lily 'Lil' | |
| Come to
| Angela | Short film |
| Pecker
| Rorey Wheeler | |
| rowspan=2 | 1999
| {{sortname|A|Slipping-Down Life}} | Evie Decker | Indianapolis International Film Festival: Special Jury Prize (shared with Sara Rue) |
| {{sortname|The|Haunting|The Haunting (1999 film)}}
| Nell Vance | Nominated—Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Supporting Actress – Horror |
| 2000
| Sarah Kendrew | |
| rowspan=2 | 2001
| Julie Johnson | |
| Gaudi Afternoon
| Ben | |
| 2003
| Leslie | |
| rowspan=2 | 2005
| Factotum | Jan | Copenhagen International Film Festival: Best Actress |
| {{sortname|The|Notorious Bettie Page}}
| Paula Klaw | |
| rowspan=2 | 2007
| Ariel Schiller | |
| {{sortname|The|Secret|The Secret (2007 film)}}
| Hannah Marris | |
| 2008
| {{sortname|The|Promotion}} | Lori Wehlner | |
| rowspan=3 | 2009
| Tired of Being Funny | Lee | Short film |
| Brooklyn's Finest
| Angela Procida | Nominated—Black Reel Award for Best Ensemble |
| Public Enemies
| Sheriff Lillian Holley | |
| 2011
| The Pier | Grace Ross | |
| rowspan=4 | 2012
| Phyllis | |
| Being Flynn
| Joy | |
| {{sortname|The|Courier|The Courier (2012 film)}}
| Mrs. Capo | |
| Future Weather
| Ms. Markovi | |
| rowspan=3 | 2013
| {{sortname|The|Cold Lands|The Cold Lands (film)}} | Nicole | |
| The Conjuring
| Carolyn Perron | Fangoria Chainsaw Award for Best Supporting Actress |
| Blood Ties
| Marie Pierzynski | |
| rowspan=2 | 2015
| Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials | Dr. Mary Cooper | |
| A Woman Like Me
| Anna Seashell | |
| rowspan=2 | 2017
| Judy | |
| Leatherface
| Verna Sawyer-Carson | |
| 2019
| Eli | Dr. Isabella Horn | |
| rowspan=2 | 2020
| Ruby Freeman | |
| Paper Spiders
| Dawn | |
| 2021
| The Winter House | Eileen | |
| 2022
|Yield |Celia |Short film |
| 2023
| There There |One Night Stand | |
| rowspan="2"|2025
|VP Dolores Brekenridge | |
| The Gettysburg Address
| Emily Souder (voice) | Post-production |
| 2026
| {{pending film|The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping}} |Mags Flanagan |Pre-production |
= Television =
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 1986
| Waitress | Episode: "Hide and Go Thief" |
| 1987
| Night of Courage | Marina | Television film |
| rowspan=3 | 1990
| Monsters | Jamie Neal | Episode: "Habitat" |
| American Playhouse
| Younger Marianne | Episode: "Sensibility and Sense" |
| Family of Spies
| Laura Walker | Television film |
| 1997
| SUBWAYStories: Tales from the Underground | Belinda | Television film |
| 1997–1998
| Arley | 2 episodes |
| 1998
| {{sortname|The|X-Files}} | Marty Glenn | Episode: "Mind's Eye" |
| 2000–2001
| Deadline | Hildy Baker | 13 episodes |
| 2001
| 2 episodes |
| 2002
| Judy Parker | Television film |
| 2002–2005
| 25 episodes |
| 2003
| Penguins Behind Bars | Doris Fairfeather (voice) | Television film |
| 2007
| Ann Bellows, M.D. | 8 episodes |
| 2010
| {{sortname|The|Good Wife}} | Donna Seabrook | Episode: "Poisoned Pill" |
| rowspan=2 | 2013–2014
| Lynda Rumancek | 11 episodes |
| Almost Human
| Captain Sandra Maldonado | 13 episodes |
| 2014
| Gotham | Patti | Episode: "Selina Kyle" |
| 2015
| Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Martha Thornhill | 2 episodes |
| 2015–2017
| Nancy Straumberg / Anne Blaine / Claire Coates | 21 episodes |
| 2019
| Chambers | Ruth Pezim | 7 episodes |
| 2020
| Birdy McKeegan | 7 episodes |
| 2022–2024
| Cecilia Abbott | 14 episodes |
| 2024
| Manhunt | 4 episodes |
| 2026
| Upcoming season |
Stage credits
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|666}}
- {{IBDB name}}
- {{Iobdb name|479}}
{{Navboxes
|title = Awards for Lili Taylor
|list =
{{Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female}}
{{San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actress}}
}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Taylor, Lili}}
Category:20th-century American actresses
Category:21st-century American actresses
Category:Actresses from Illinois
Category:American film actresses
Category:American stage actresses
Category:American television actresses
Category:DePaul University alumni
Category:Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female winners
Category:Sundance Film Festival award winners
Category:New Trier High School alumni