Career
Taylor Dearden was a still a high school student when she made her first onscreen appearance. In the third season episode, ‘No Más’, of the AMC crime-drama series ‘Breaking Bad’, she played a character credited as the “sad faced girl.” Created by Vince Gilligan, the show ran for five seasons from January 20, 2008, to September 29, 2013. Taylor’s father portrayed Walter White, a mild-mannered chemistry teacher, who becomes a ruthless drug kingpin over the course of the series. His performance in the show is generally considered to be one of the best performances in the history of television. It garnered him four Emmys (2008, 2009, 2010, and 2014) and one Golden Globe. He also served as a producer on the show and directed several episodes, including ‘No Más.’
In 2011, she played Caroline in the biographical short ‘Calling’. The story revolves around a college freshman (Ian Elmaleh) who calls his sister (Taylor) on the phone and finds out what is important to him. The project was directed by Will Merrick and is based on the screenplay by Cameron Evans and Will Merrick. In 2012, she appeared in writer-director Michael Effenberger’s comedy short, ‘Red Handed’, in which she also served as the co-executive producer. In the 2013 drama short ‘The Fourth Wall’, she shared screen space with the likes of Harrison Hunter and Dana Malkin. Written and directed by Michael Nader, the short film tells the story of a depressed college student who finds his way back to normalcy with the help of television sitcom characters who communicate with him through the screen.
Between 2013 and 2014, she played McKenzie in 18 episodes of the web series ‘101 Ways to Get Rejected’. Created by Susie Yankou, who also stars in the series along with Taylor and David Mandell, ‘101 Ways...’ follows three friends as they manoeuvre through their extraordinarily ordinary teenage years.
The MTV action black comedy ‘Sweet/Vicious’ was created by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson and aired between November 15, 2016, and January 24, 2017, before its cancellation. The series tells the story of two college students, Ophelia Mayer (Taylor) and Jules Thomas (Eliza Bennett), who perform acts of secret vigilantism on their campus against sexual assailants. It deals with the emotional suffering of a victim as well as the shortcomings of the justice system when it comes to reporting of such crimes.
In 2017, she made her big screen debut in writer-director Chris Sivertson’s ‘Heartthrob’. Also starring Aubrey Peeples, Keir Gilchrist, Peter Facinelli, the film is about a youth whose love gradually turns into a dangerous obsession. Taylor was cast in the supporting role of Cleo in the film. That year, she also appeared in the comedy short ‘Smash Face’, which was written and directed by Nicolette Daskalakis.
In 2018, Taylor joined the cast in the second season of the mockumentary web series ‘American Vandal’, which aired on Netflix from September 15, 2017, to September 14, 2018. The character she played is Chloe Lyman, a high school junior.
The series was cancelled by Netflix after two seasons. However, it has since been announced that the showrunners are looking for a new channel for it.
She worked with Katie Findlay, Aubrey Peeples, and Imogen Tear in Carrie Brownstein’s musical comedy telefilm ‘Search and Destroy’. This was an adaptation of Brownstein’s own memoir, 'Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl'. Taylor is set to appear in the upcoming sports drama ‘The Last Champion’ and comedy series ‘To Whom It May Concern’.
In 2015, her first directorial venture, the comedy short ‘The Cigarette’, was released. It is about two high school girls connecting over a cigarette they are sharing.
Family & Personal Life
Born on February 12, 1993, in Los Angeles, California, USA, Taylor is the only daughter of Bryan Cranston and his second and current wife, actress Robin Gale Dearden. Her paternal grandfather, Joseph “Joe” Louis Cranston, was also an actor. Her paternal uncle, Kyle Edward Cranston, has done a few films and TV shows as well. Her interest in acting developed quite early. After obtaining her high school degree, she enrolled at the University of Southern California, from where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in theatre.
