# Kelvin Taylor (actor)

Kelvin Lewis Taylor (born January 18, 1985, in Hampton, Virginia), is an American born New Zealand actor based in Auckland. His film appearances include the documentary "The Golden Hour". The documentary received an International Emmy nomination for the Best Documentary Award at the 41st International Emmy Awards. Taylor appeared on the second week of the first season of Come Dine with Me New Zealand.

## Early life

Taylor was raised in Newport News, Virginia alongside his twin sister, Princess. His ethnic heritage links him to Nigerian Moors; he is of African, British, German, Irish, and French descent. His mother, Rhonda (Taylor) Clark, was a playwright who was orphaned in New Orleans and relocated to New York City. Taylor made his stage debut in 1990 at the age of 5, playing the lead role in a kindergarten production of The Gingerbread Man. When he was 11, his family relocated to Virginia Beach, Virginia.

## Career

Taylor began modelling at age 19 for the Shmack Clothing in collaboration with Billionaire Boys Club / BAPE. An altercation would later hinder his modelling career and lead him into undergoing emergency plastic surgery. It was later revealed according to a 2020 article in The New Zealand Herald the attack was racially motivated. After making friendships on social-media website MySpace, a trip to Sydney, Australia and Perth, Western Australia in 2008 lead him into acting after signing up to a roommates short film as a breakdancer for Edith Cowan University. He later appeared in commercials and music videos for the likes of N.E.R.D, Fam-Lay feat. Pharrell Williams. Humble beginnings, he would find a start as a background actor in Spartacus before showing up on New Zealand's Three (TV channel).
Taylor went on to make guest appearances in Ash vs Evil Dead, The Shannara Chronicles and James Patterson's Murder Is Forever. He was cast as Malcolm X in American Playboy: The Hugh Hefner Story, however the role was cancelled as production opted to use archived footage instead. He was also a student of Meisner Technique instructor Michael Saccenté, acting coach of Karl Urban and Antony Starr (The Boys).
As of 2008, Kelvin Taylor resides between Australia, New Zealand and the United States. Having appearing on Adult Swim's FishCenter Live and Post Malone's Goodbyes (Post Malone song) Music Video, he was recently cast in season 2 of Gēmusetto: Death Beat(s)

## Filmography
### Films

| Year | Title | Role | Note |
| 2013 | Hadir and The Deep | Sayed | |
| 2014 | Born with Happiness | Danny | |
| 2015 | Born to Dance | African American Dance Crew Leader | |
| 2016 | Electro City 3 | Dynamite | Short Film |
| 2016 | Value | Mike | Short Film |
| 2018 | Reset | Revolter | Short Film |
| 2018 | Cottonmouth | Johnny | |
| 2018 | Wake | American Soldier | |
| 2018 | The Breaker Upperers | Party Goer (as "Kelvin Taylor) | |
| 2020 | Surge of Power: Surge of Dawn | Benny | |
| 2020 | World War Four | Dave Bradley | |
| 2020 | Older | City Lover | |
| 2020 | Alien Addiction | DJ | |
| 2021 | Last Star | Jaks (Ranger 3) | (Post-Production) |
| 2021 | Internecionem | Aramon | (Post-production) |
| 2021 | Into The Unknown | Brad | (Post-production) |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Note |
| 2011 | Spartacus | Kraynos | 14 episodes |
| 2013 | Power Rangers Super Megaforce | Cyclist | 1 Episode "Power of Six" |
| 2014 | Oddball's | Jayden | TV mini series |
| 2015 | Come Dine with Me New Zealand | Himself | 5 episodes (fifth Place) |
| 2016 | Ash vs Evil Dead | Orderly | 2 episodes |
| 2017 | American Playboy: The Hugh Hefner Story | Malcolm X | TV documentary Series, 1 episode |
| 2017 | The Shannara Chronicles | Crimson Guard | 1 Episode |
| 2018 | James Patterson's Murder is Forever | Detective (Fisher) | 1 Episode |
| 2018 | Nigel Latta's Mind Over Money 2 | Himself | 1 Episode |
| 2018 | Vida (TV series) | Kissing Couple (Afro-Latino Male) | 1 Episode |
| 2018 | Criminal Confessions (TV series) | Brian Golsby | 1 Episode |
| 2018 | America's Court with Judge Ross | Scott Goggins | 1 Episode |
| 2018 | Funny You Should Ask (2017 game show) | as "Kelvin Taylor" | 1 Episode |
| 2019 | FishCenter Live | Himself | 2 episodes |
| 2019 | Action Figure Miles | Maurice | 1 Episode |
| 2020 | No Limit Chronicles | Big Ed | 1 Episode |
| 2020 | Gēmusetto: Death Beat(s) | Kelvin | 2 episodes |
| 2021 | The War At Home | Stan Gatland | 1 Episode |

### Documentary

| Year | Title | Role | Note |
| 2012 | The Golden Hour | George Kerr | Nominated Best Documentary Award at 2013 International Emmy Award |

### Music video

| Year | Title | Artist | Role |
| 2007 | Da Beeper Record | Fam-Lay feat Pharrell Williams | Night Club Entourage |
| 2008 | Everyone Nose | N.E.R.D | Party Goer |
| 2010 | Maori Boy | JGeek and the Geeks | Breakdancer |
| 2012 | Black, White and Blue | Ladyhawke | Camp MUA |
| 2015 | Don't Hang Around Here | Sir T | MMA Fighter |
| 2016 | Kind of Love | MAALA | Sensual Male |
| 2016 | Ones Cycle | Yokozuna feat Bailey Wiley | Himself |
| 2016 | When I Leave | Maaka & White Wall | Motorcyclist Boyfriend |
| 2017 | YES | Yokozuna feat Heavy & LarzRanda | African American Boyfriend |
| 2017 | The Sweetest Meditation | Lord Echo feat Mara TK | Himself |
| 2018 | Voltron | Yokozuna | Drakkus (Level 17 Warlock) |
| 2018 | I'm So 90's (Neo Jack Swing Mix) | Lewis City | Twin |
| 2018 | Gabruu Nu | Diljit Dosanjh | Dancer Entourage |
| 2018 | Lifted | Parker Bossley | Graffiti Artist |
| 2018 | ReDerik | Locksmith (rapper) | Locksmiths Crew |
| 2018 | From The Outside | Real Friends (band) | Photographer |
| 2018 | Boomin In Your Jeep | Crystal Fighters | Burning Man Dancer |
| 2018 | Shanter Claus | William Shatner | Freestyle Dancer |
| 2018 | We Will Meet Once Again | Andrea Bocelli | South African Young Man |
| 2018 | Checklist | Megan Nicole | Bachelor |
| 2018 | Prom Queen | Lil Kloroxxx Bart Baker | Goldie Wilson |
| 2018 | BURN IT | The Fever 333 | Alt Teen |
| 2018 | BlackAss | Rakeem Miles | ROM the Android |
| 2019 | World War X | Carnifex (band) | Nightmare |
| 2019 | H.O.E.S | Eearz | Goon Fronts |
| 2019 | Take It Easy feat.Smokepurpp | Octavian (rapper) | Crew |
| 2019 | Que lo Que | Social Club Misfits | BBoy |
| 2019 | Goodbyes feat. Young Thug | Post Malone | Donnie's Best Friend |
| 2019 | Icy | Itzy | Single Male Patron |
| 2019 | Blurry | Crown The Empire | Dream Guy |
| 2019 | Proofread feat. Wiz Khalifa | Famous Dex | Single Male Patron |
| 2019 | Eres Top feat. DJ Snake & Sean Combs | Ozuna | Punk Alien Leader |