Taylor Russell

Early life[edit]

Taylor Russell McKenzie was born on July 18, 1994, in the small community of Deep Cove, North Vancouver,^[1] located near Vancouver, British Columbia. Russell was raised in Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal.^[2][3] She has an older brother and a younger brother.^[1] Russell, who was born to a white mother and a black father, an actor of Jamaican^[1] descent, and grew up mostly with her mother's side of the family. As a child she would visit her grandparents in Montreal Quebec. She is from a large family on her father's side. She recalled that growing up she felt unaccepted by her peers due to the color of her skin.^[4] Her parents faced financial struggles, leading the family to rely on welfare,^[5] and they were frequently compelled to relocate, uprooting their lives a total of sixteen times to accommodate her father's professional pursuits. Russell also began working at the age of 13.^[6] Despite this adversity, Russell mentioned how in her younger years "there was always an opportunity for reinvention, to create something new.”^[7][3]


As a child, Russell was artistically inclined. She strived to pursue a career in ballet, and later as a painter.^[8] At eighteen, Russell took her first acting class, which led her to become interested in pursuing acting. She used her work savings to buy a car, and would drive to Los Angeles to audition. When money ran out, she would return home to work until she had enough earnings to audition again.^[3] Some of the jobs that Russell worked were at restaurants, a jewelry store, and a butcher's shop.^[9] This routine went on for four years until she landed her first major TV role.^[3]