Home is?
Thatâs a hard one. Right now, itâs sunny London, and has been for two months, but I am on the road a lot. So home is living out of a suitcase. Originally, I am from a small town in East Tennessee called MorristownâŠ.which no one has ever heard ofâŠ.but itâs right next to the town where Dolly Parton is from if that helps.
The Wheel of Time actor Taylor Napier
How do you cope with being on the road all the time?
For me itâs the hardest part of being an actor. Itâs hard to commit to stuff and it makes me a bad friend sometimes. Iâm not in control of where I am based a lot of the time. Having a routine helps. It provides a reality and stops you getting lost in the waiting for schedules to be finalised, and I guess going slightly insane. I go to very bed early, and I get up early. I start my day by going out for a walk, I get a coffee, try to seek out some sun. âŠ.then I try to write in the mornings for around 2-3 hours. Then maybe meet a friend for lunch. Routine is good.
A typical day looks like?
There is no typical day. Iâve just got back from Cannes, which was fun, I was there supporting a friend so for it wasnât stressful for meâŠ.we wound up on a few yachts, as one does.
You play Maskim in Prime Videoâs fantasy series The Wheel of Time, tell us a little about the series.
Weâre an ensemble character drama wrapped in a sci-fi/fantasy package. We hit those high fantasy beats, but everything is rooted in character. With a diverse cast, thereâs someone for everyone to loveâor love to hate.
What is your character like to play?
Maksim is a joy to play because he wears his heart on his sleeve. Heâs unapologetically himself â not out of defiance, but out of honesty. He doesnât care what others think and refuses to live by anyoneâs rules but his own, which naturally creates some tension given his position. But this isnât the anger of a rebel without a cause. Maksimâs authenticity comes with immense kindness. Heâs grounded, open-hearted, and deeply human â and thatâs what makes him so compelling.
The series has been praised for its groundbreaking portrayal of polyamory and bisexuality, and your character for normalizing non-traditional love, what has the reaction been and how important was that for you?
Itâs been really positive. When I came on board, I was genuinely excited because I hadnât seen this kind of relationship portrayed in fantasy beforeânot in such a direct, unapologetic way. This was back in 2019, and while there had been subtle nods or subtext in other stories, it was rare to see something this explicit, intentional, and central to the narrative.
With 3 Seasons and six years under your belt, does the cast start to feel a little bit like family?
It feels exactly like a family. From the pandemic to the strikes, with this cast in particular, weâve been through a lot. My last day of shooting the second season was the day the war in Ukraine broke out. We were shooting in Prague and some of the crew were Ukrainian and literally had to drive back that night. These real life things bring you together and creates a real bond. Over the past six years I have spent more time with the people on set than I have with my friends and family. And Iâd like to think the closeness enriches the performance. I have just visited Priyanka Bose in Indian, she has a house on an Island in Carola, and sheâs come to London to visit me. We all try to stay in contact and support each other.
What inspired you to pursue a career in acting?
I tried everything else and was just really bad at it. I actually studied acting at a conservatory and was encouraged to explore other avenues. So, at one point I wanted to be a war correspondent. I find it so fascinating. But then I read a lot of biographies⊠and a lot of them ended up dying. So, I settled on acting.
Any roles youâd love to take on?
Any Tennessee Williams character as Iâm from Tennessee. Iâd really love to play Brick from Cat on a Hot Tin roof. But itâs hard to follow someone like Paul Newman and think you could do something different or better than thatâŠ. However, as with all of Tennessee Williams work thereâs a sexuality and sensualness to the role that I find really interesting, and itâs not necessarily overtly sexual. Itâs about exploring unfulfilled sexual desires and the secrets and the inner hope that people keep, that eventually drives them crazy.
Dream director to work with?
The inner 18-year-old film geek in me, who grew up and watched Requiem for a Dream (and it changed my life) always wants to say Darren Aronofsky. His films are so intense and emotional, it would be a dream to work with him.
Whatâs next?
I would love to do something different. Iâve done the fighting and the battle fields, and it was great for my inner 10-year-old. Now Iâd love to do something thatâs a bit more grounded. Some independent cinema or theatre and Iâd love to explore a family character or a drama. In a project thatâs more actor driven, where there arenât explosions every 10 minutes, thereâs so much more that an actor can bring to the performance. Obviously, the writing is important, but ultimately, itâs all about the performance. It lives or dies with you.
What advice would you give your younger self, and other aspiring actors?
As a young actor I was always looking for that one key piece of advice that would change everything and make all my insecurities as a young actor go away. The harsh reality is that it simply doesnât exist. Thatâs the piece or advice I would give. You have to stop seeking acceptance and admiration from outside sources. It has to come from within. It takes time, and quite honestly a little bit of success. Because once you start getting roles, and you start getting reviewed (and some will say youâre the best thing since sliced bread and some will say that you canât act your way out of a paper bag â everyone gets both) thatâs when it comes. So, you just have to believe what you are doing is good and that what youâre saying with your heart is worth being said. And if you donât, then you shouldnât do it. And thatâs not going to come from someone elseâŠnot from a teacher, not from critics or a director. It has to come from you.
We get to see more than a fair share of your abs in The Wheel of Time, so itâs pretty safe to assume that gruelling gym routines are a big part of your life, what is your fitness/diet regime?
It goes back to routines and actors not always having control of their day-to-day lives. I use the gym, and what I eat, as a way to feel like I am in control of some elements and it also helps to structure my day. The simple answer is that I lift weights 5 days a week and do cardio 3 or 4 days a week. Whether thatâs running outside or running on a treadmill. Itâs nothing fancy. I donât do anything crazy. You just have to do the work. You do it, you stick to it, and it works.
You write, and have produced a short film, how is that side of your career evolving?
We have just sold a 15-minute short to a distributer. I like to call it a kind of psycho-sexual-travel drama. Itâs based on an idea that I had on a trip once. Thereâs something very unique about travelling, especially solo travel, and the film explores the idea that when you alone you can reinvent yourself. Itâs like going to uni for the first time. You can be whoever you want to be. When you meet new people, itâs not about lying necessarily, but it gives you the opportunity to write your own script. Itâs like a blank canvas. And some people use that blank canvas for goodâŠand some people use it for bad, or evil⊠or for other purposes. Essentially, itâs about hidden secrets that people have and using what you have to get what you want, but in a different setting and bringing out different sides of yourself.
Itâs a really fun 15 minutes, but Iâm not giving away any more⊠Potentially thereâs a series there. Watch this space.
