Q&A With Host, Actress, and Journalist, Taylor Chanel
Recently, I had the pleasure of interviewing multi-talented Taylor Chanel. Taylor is an Atlanta based host, journalist, and actress. Taylor's first TV debut was in season 7 of Fatal Attraction where she starred as the lead, "Stephanie Rabsatt".
Chanel has quite a long resume, she has interviewed Rotimi, Regina Hall, Romany Malco, Stevie J, Keri Hilson, and many other celebrities. "Entertainment was always in my heart. I’ve always been someone who has loved pop culture. I love that whole life of Hollywood and celebrities. I love entertainment, hosting, and I love becoming a new person that’s why I love acting as well" Chanel explained.
In this Q&A Taylor Chanel discussed starring in the show Fatal Attraction, challenges she has faced in the entertainment field, secret talents, hosting, and more. For more details scroll below.
Angelica: Can you give everyone a bit of background of who you are and what you do?
Taylor Chanel: Currently, I live in Atlanta. I am a actress , a host, and also a entertainment journalist. Right now, I do freelance work. I work with about four different companies covering red carpets, interviewing celebrities of course, interviewing them and doing on air segments as well and I act from time to time.
Angelica: How did you get started in entertainment?
Taylor Chanel: Well, since I was a little girl my parents said they knew I would act. When I was five I acted in the Alliance Theatre here in Atlanta Georgia. I’ve always acted on and off growing up but I just started taking it seriously and pursuing it as a career when I graduated college. As far as the entertainment hosting and reporting, I’m someone who loves award shows. I always watched E! News, that was like my dream.
Everyone who know me knows that I set aside time and watch the red carpet. I really appreciated that art form and ever since then when I got to college I tried to go after it but they didn’t have entertainment. So, of course when I graduated luckily I’m from Atlanta and it's like beginning to be a new hub for Hollywood entertainment. So that's kind of how I got my start. It’s been a blessing honestly.
Angelica: Did it take you having to try out different things to find your passion or have you always been drawn to this field?
Taylor Chanel: When I got to college I studied broadcast journalism. We had two options, we could either do the news track or sports. So, of course I chose news and doing all the fundamentals of journalism and I did an internship where I got a lot of hands on experience. When I was a intern I pretty much worked like a normal staff would. For those who don’t know, the journalist you see on the news stations they do a lot. They’re not just talking heads on your TV. They write their own segments, they edit, they interview the subject, call the subject, put in the graphics. So, I learned to do all that. I practiced with that but entertainment was always in my heart. I’ve always been someone who has loved pop culture. I love that whole life of Hollywood and celebrities. I love entertainment, hosting, and I love becoming a new person, that’s why I love acting as well.
Angelica: When acting what roles do you typically lean toward?
Taylor Chanel: I think being an actress you kind of have to find roles that are your niche in a way, roles that people can see you in because we have headshots and the directors want to see what they can imagine you in first before you even get an audition. So, I think I gravitate towards the lawyer type, or detective, girl next door, or even like the “bitch” a lot of times, like the bossy girl. I think it’s my voice but like Coco from Dear White People or any role that Gabrielle Union plays, I’m obsessed with her. Definitely roles like that but I want to expand my horizon and maybe play a drug dealer one day but that may take some time.
Angelica: You had your TV acting debut on Fatal Attraction where you starred as the lead, Stephanie Rabsatt. The episode was so intense. The fact that you played a young African American female who was brutally murdered by her partner is very important. For me it’s saddening, period, because a lot of women are murdered at the hands of their intimate partners, 3 everyday I believe. What was that role like for you?
Taylor Chanel: It was a lot. I mean it was very heavy. just knowing that she was an actual person that was actually murdered and her family was watching. There was a lot of pressure but the experience was rewarding as well watching the episode air on television. I remember her family had stated that they did not want a lot of blood to be used for the recreation and we understand and respected their wishes. I had always wanted to be on fatal attraction but when I had first found that out that I had first got that role and then finding out that it was the lead, it was very exciting.
"I believe that if God puts something in your heart to do then it is your duty to respond to the call."
Angelica: What was the experience like working with the cast?
Taylor Chanel: The cast was like really cool. We are all like a family. You know, I had the dad and mom and the step mom, so we all became close knit as soon as I got to set. I don’t know if you guys could see it but it was like really freezing outside, it was around 30 degrees but luckily we made it work. We would all cram up in the car between the death scene where I was found in the car and tun on the heat waiting for the crew to set up before each shot. The crew had hot hands for us and big bubble coats as well.
Angelica: As a woman within this field of work has there been any challenges you’ve faced?
Taylor Chanel: Yes, definitely. When I first graduated college and moved back home to Atlanta there was a period where I didn't really know what I was going to do. I ended up trying out different avenues and that is when I finally decided to pursue hosting and acting professionally. Just figuring out my path because there is no blueprint with this at all so it's really up to you to figure you own way out and hustle. It was hard and still is but I believe that if God puts something in your heart to do then it is your duty to respond to the call.
Angelica: When you’re hosting and interviewing people like Regina Hall do you prepare before going into those interviews?
Taylor Chanel: Yes, absolutely. When I have an event for a day, I block out the whole day to prepare. I research the entirety of the event, stalk the guests that will be coming on Instagram and have 3 questions ready to go for each person that I'll be interviewing because I never want to look like I don't know what I'm doing. Besides just asking them about the current event we are at, I dig deep into maybe some recent headlines that may relate to them in some way and also anything personal like their daughter's birthday that may have been 2 days ago.
Angelica: With you being someone who is in media what are your goals in the field?
Taylor Chanel: I want to be a force to be reckoned with in the entertainment industry. I can see myself dabbling in different positions as my life goes on but mainly I want to work with or get hired for a national entertainment news outlet while also excelling as an actress.
Angelica: As you move up in the field of entertainment what lessons are learning?
Taylor Chanel: As creatives, we can sometimes get in our heads too much and overthink every decision or just something that we want to do. I've learned to just go with it and go for it at full speed. There are so many people with great ideas but the problem is is that they just never end up pursuing them or putting anything into action. Once you get started, things will start to work themselves out along the way but the key is to just start. I've also grown in my faith massively and learned to really just train your mind and set goals for yourself periodically and mark once you've completed then so you can be in a constant state of progressing forward.
Angelica: What other talents do you have that others may not be aware of?
Taylor Chanel: For anyone that doesn't know, I was in my high school's marching band for all four years. It was one of the best experiences of my life and I was also in the Million Dollar Band for 1 year in college. It was a really great experience because we got to travel and got treated equal to the football team which was pretty much celebrities (laughs). So I can play the saxophone, I also can play the piano. My parents had me in a lot growing up and I was in I think around 10 different extracurricular activities all throughout my life including Lacrosse, Basketball, Cheerleading, Softball, Swim team, ballet/tap dance, Karate, Piano lessons, Saxophone lessons, and Marching Band.
Angelica: What can we expect next from you?
Taylor Chanel: I have been in the process of revamping my brand and I will be launching a whole new website with my own domain soon. I just had my official logo design finished and I will also be uploading my Entertainment Hosting reel. I want to get signed to an Acting agency by the end of the year and yeah, I should have 2 films that I've been in be released online soon and just continuing to grind nonstop.
Angelica: What advice can you give to those who want to move into entertainment, acting, and hosting?
Taylor Chanel: I would say that if this is the career that you really want, to make sure you absolutely love it because it can very demanding. You know, the entertainment industry doesn't operate only during regular business hours, we work sometimes all day or even at night. The hustle doesn't stop but your mental health is also important too. I would say to be very persistent, network as much as possible, always work on your personal brand. This career path has it's challenges but truly consistency is key and it will separate you from the rest. If it is pressing on your heart, it is for a reason and I command you to honor it.
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