Navigating the world of child stardom is no easy feat, and Taylor Dooley can attest to that. After making her mark in the entertainment industry with a lead role in the 2005 film The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl 3-D, Taylor anticipated a flood of opportunities. However, things didn’t quite pan out as expected. After a few years of sparse quality roles, she took a break from acting. Now, she’s back in a way she never could’ve imagined, reprising her role as Lavagirl in the Netflix movie We Can Be Heroes and showing no signs of slowing down. Here are 10 intriguing facts about Taylor Dooley you probably didn’t know.
1. Lavagirl’s Return Was Beyond Her Wildest Dreams
More than a decade after the release of The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl 3-D, most people, including Taylor, had given up hope for a sequel. In an interview with Hollywood Life, Taylor revealed that she “never thought” she would get the chance to play Lavagirl again. She said, “I always hoped because we were actually originally supposed to do a sequel potentially. So I always had hoped that we were going to, and then as the years passed, it just kind of dwindled.”
2. A Psychology Degree Under Her Belt
When Taylor decided to take a break from acting, she shifted her focus to education. She pursued a degree in psychology, which, although seemingly unrelated to acting, can actually help actors delve deeper into their roles.
3. Embracing Motherhood
During her hiatus from acting, Taylor also built a beautiful family. She married Justin Cassotta in 2016, and the couple now has two children together. Justin doesn’t appear to work in the entertainment industry.
4. A Health and Wellness Enthusiast
Taylor is passionate about health and wellness, ensuring she always looks and feels her best. She follows a healthy diet and incorporates physical activity into her daily routine. She often shares health and fitness-related content with her followers on social media.
5. Brand Ambassador Extraordinaire
Despite her time away from the limelight, Taylor’s fans have remained loyal. With nearly 230,000 followers on Instagram, she has had the opportunity to work with several companies and is currently a brand ambassador for Doterra and other brands.
6. The Blogger Within
In addition to her acting career, Taylor has ventured into blogging. She started a website where she shares lifestyle-based content on topics such as motherhood, health/fitness, and beauty. Although it’s been a while since she’s added new posts, we hope she continues to keep it active.
7. Honing Her Craft at Lee Strasberg Theater and Film Institute
Taylor’s love for acting runs deep, and she’s always been serious about her craft. During her break from acting, she took classes at the prestigious Lee Strasberg Theater and Film Institute to sharpen her skills.
8. TikTok Fame
Like many others during the pandemic, Taylor has spent more time on social media. She joined TikTok and quickly amassed a large following. With 96,000 followers and over 210,000 likes on her content, she’s certainly made her mark on the platform.
9. Friends with Taylor Lautner
Taylor has made many friends in the industry, one of them being Taylor Lautner, best known for his role in the Twilight franchise. The two worked together on The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl 3-D and have remained in touch ever since.
10. A Stellar On-Screen Debut
Many actors land their first roles in obscure shows or movies, but Taylor’s debut was quite the opposite. She burst onto the scene with a role in the major franchise Star Trek: Hidden Frontier. Just two years later, she landed the iconic role of Lavagirl.
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