Taylor Zakhar Perez
Taylor Zakhar Perez (born December 24, 1991)[1] is an American actor popularly known for portraying Marco Valentin Peña in The Kissing Booth 2.
Early life
Perez was born in Chicago on December 24, 1991, and grew up in Chesterton, Indiana.[2] He attended Chesterton High School, where he was a swimmer.[3] Perez is of Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and Mexican descent.[4]
His mother is an aesthetician and he is the third youngest of eight children.[5] He earned a swimming scholarship to Fordham University, but turned it down to attend UCLA where he majored in Spanish, Culture and Community with a minor in TV and Films.[6]
Perez started by performing musicals in opera houses at an early age.[7] Modelling came next and he moved to Los Angeles. He took photos in his room with a sheet as backdrop and sent them in manila envelopes with self tapes.[8]
Career
Perez began his career by appearing in various popular shows like iCarly, Suburgatory, Young & Hungry, Code Black and Scandal.[9]
In 2020, Perez played Marco Valentin Peña in Netflix's The Kissing Booth 2 opposite Joey King.[10] For his role, he took choreography and guitar lessons.[11] In 2021, he reprised the role in the third film The Kissing Booth 3.[12]
In 2022, Perez starred in HBO Max's comedy series Minx as Shane Brody.[13] He then starred in gaming comedy film 1Up as Dustin.[14][15] Perez will also headline Amazon Prime Video's Red, White & Royal Blue as Alex Claremont-Diaz opposite Nicholas Galitzine.[16]
Philanthropy
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Perez partnered with Variant Malibu, a 3D tech company to make masks. They cut 90% of traditional manufacturing waste. He also designed his own masks with The Kissing Booth 2 co-stars Joel Courtney, Joey King, Meganne Young and Maisie Richardson-Sellers. The proceeds from his masks went to a Chicago organisation that helps disabled kids, adults and families with disabled kids in the Hispanic community.[17]
"I really like digging my heels into one social issue and being like, 'This is what I know. This is what I'm learning.' And maybe the people that follow me will have read everything along the way and understood it," said Perez.[18]
Filmography
Films
| Year | Film | Role | Platform | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | The Kissing Booth 2 | Marco Valentin Peña | Netflix | [19] |
| 2020 | Philanthropy | Taylor | ||
| 2021 | The Kissing Booth 3 | Marco Valentin Peña | Netflix | [20] |
| 2022 | 1Up | Dustin | ||
| 2023 | Red White & Royal Blue | Alex Claremont-Diaz | Amazon Prime Video | [21] |
Television
| Year | Show | Role | Platform | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | iCarly | Keith | Nickelodeon | [22] |
| 2013 | Suburgatory | Renaldo | ABC | |
| 2014 | Alpha House | Trent | Prime Video | |
| 2014 | Awkward | MTV | ||
| 2015 | Young & Hungry | Benji Rodriguez | ABC Family | |
| 2016 | Code Black | Ari Stricks | CBS | [23] |
| 2016 | 12 Deadly Days | Zac | YouTube Red | |
| 2016 | Cruel Intentions | Mateo De La Vega | NBC | |
| 2017 | Embeds | Noah Torres | Go90 | [24] |
| 2017 | High Expectasians | Jonathan Price | YouTube | |
| 2018 | Scandal | Calvin | ABC | |
| 2022 | Minx | Shane Brody | HBO Max | [25] |
References
- ^ "9 fun facts about "The Kissing Booth 2" heartthrob Taylor Zakhar Perez who brought Marco to life". Seventeen.
- ^ "Taylor Zakhar Perez: Everything you need to know about 'Kissing Booth 2' star". Entertainment Tonight.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "15 minutes with Chicago-area native Taylor Zakhar Perez of Netflix's 'The Kissing Booth 2'". Chicago Tribune.
- ^ "Taylor Zakhar Perez is a star for the streaming age". Sharp Magazine.
- ^ "The Kissing Booth 2's Taylor Zakhar Perez shares the skin-care lesson he learned the hard way". Popsugar.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Here's everything we know about The Kissing Booth 3 actor Taylor Zakhar Perez". Buzzfeed.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "The 'Kissing Booth' star Taylor Zakhar Perez on Cats, Selena and greased abs". The New York Times.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Taylor Zakhar Perez broke out in The Kissing Booth. Now he plans for life after rom-com stardom". WWD.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Who is Taylor Zakhar Perez? Meet the actor who plays Marco in The Kissing Booth 2". Elle.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Netflix's The Kissing Booth 2 sets Maisie Richardson-Sellers & Taylor Perez in key roles". Deadline.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Prepare to fall in love with Kissing Booth 2 star Taylor Zakhar Perez". Glamour.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Kissing Booth 3 star Taylor Zakhar Perez talks end of Netflix franchise: There will be some heartbreak". Variety.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Kissing Booth actor Taylor Zakhar Perez on baring it all in HBO Max's 'scandalous' 'Minx'". Entertainment Weekly.
- ^ "WME & Anonymous Content sign 'Kissing Booth 2' breakout star Taylor Zakhar Perez". Deadline.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Ruby Rose replaces Elliot Page in '1Up'". Hollywood Reporter.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Amazon's gay rom-com 'Red, White & Royal Blue' finds leads in Taylor Zakhar Perez, Nicholas Galitzine". Variety.
- ^ "The Kissing Booth 2 star Taylor Zakhar Perez on having to lie about a third movie". Variety.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Taylor Zakhar Perez is doing it all". Vman.
- ^ "The Kissing Booth 2 star Taylor Zakhar Perez on Marco, Jacob Elordi, and more". Teen Vogue.
- ^ "We got 'The Kissing Booth 3' star Taylor Zakhar Perez to tell us all about what's in his drawers". Cosmopolitan.
- ^ "Taylor Zakhar Perez, Nicholas Galitzine to topline Amazon rom-com 'Red, White & Royal Blue' from director Matthew López". Deadline.
- ^ "Try to get through these photos of Taylor Zakhar Perez without drooling — just try!". Popsugar.
- ^ "Meet Taylor Zakhar Perez: Marco from The Kissing Booth 2". New York Post.
- ^ "Recognize Taylor Zakhar Perez? He's been in more than just the Kissing Booth trilogy". Popsugar.
- ^ "Taylor Zakhar Perez is 'excited' to strip down for new HBO Max role". E! News.
External links
- Taylor Zakhar Perez at IMDb