Actress Taylour Paige has had a steady climb professionally in recent years, moving on from commercial work and advertisements to real starring roles. However, her recent collaboration with Kendrick Lamar might just be the biggest moment yet. It’s the kind of momentum that looks to take this young actress to the next level and make her a truly big name in Hollywood.
Pre-Kendrick Career
Before working with Lamar, Paige was already on her way up in the acting world. Her early work includes plenty of commercials and advertising for firms like Transamerica, Best Buy, McDonald’s, and Adidas. She was also known for Just Dance 3 commercials and her brief work with the Los Angeles Lakers as a Lakers Girl. Her cheerleading work there helped lay a strong foundation for her first role.
In 2008, she appeared in High School Musical 3: Senior Year as a dancer. Her work here impressed directors enough to lead to roles in short films, as well as a five-year stint on Hit the Floor from 2013 to 2018. Eventually, she got some positive reviews, starring in Jean of the Joneses, and appeared in films like White Boy Rick and in shows like Grey’s Anatomy.
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Zola Makes Her Name
While Paige already had some great movement in her career, it was with 2020’s Zola that she finally seemed to hit the big time. Starring as the titular character in that comedy, she earned rave reviews and was named the Best Female Lead at the Independent Spirit Awards. Then, she further got applauded for her work in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom the same year.
It’s likely this work that caught the attention of rapper Kendrick Lamar. In 2022, he contacted Paige with an idea. He wanted to collaborate on a song together, a track called We Cry Together. Paige liked the idea, and the two got together to not only collaborate in the study but to work on a fascinating film highlighting the themes of this song to their audiences.
The Collaboration
We Cry Together was a huge hit, reaching No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 and earning Grammy nominations for Paige and Lamar. In the track and the six-minute video, Lamar plays off Paige, who plays his star-crossed lover. It’s a conflicted, complex, and brilliant video.
The track features Lamar’s trademark lyrical brilliance and fascinating production decisions and brings in elements of free jazz into the world of rap. Paige’s performance can be called nothing less than brilliant, as she brings her trademark comedy and seriousness to the role.
The Sky is the Limit for Paige
The amazing thing about this collaboration is that it might not even be a peak for Paige just yet. Her creativity seems boundless, and she’s already started working on more film roles and other projects that could take her star even higher. We haven’t seen the last of her yet, and there’s no telling what she might bring to the world next.
Doris Pollard, a mesmerizing wordsmith and experienced blogger, crafts narratives that carry readers into unexplored realms. Infused with insightful perspectives and vibrant storytelling, Doris’s mastery of language captivates both hearts and minds, making an enduring impression on the literary landscape.