Lili Taylor | |
|---|---|
 Taylor in 2013 | |
| Born | (1967-02-20)February 20, 1967 (age 58)[1] Glencoe, Illinois, U.S. |
| Education | DePaul University (attended) |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1986–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 1 |
Lili Anne Taylor (born February 20, 1967) is an American actress. She came to prominence with supporting parts in the filmsMystic Pizza (1988) andSay Anything... (1989), before establishing herself as one of the key figures of 1990sindependent cinema through starring roles inBright Angel (1990),Dogfight (1991),Household Saints,Short Cuts (both 1993),The Addiction (1995),I Shot Andy Warhol (1996), andPecker (1998). Taylor is the recipient of fourIndependent Spirit nominations, winning once in the category ofBest Supporting Female.
Alongside her work on smaller-scale projects, Taylor has encountered mainstream success with parts in films such asBorn on the Fourth of July (1989),Rudy (1993),Ransom (1996),The Haunting (1999),High Fidelity (2000),Public Enemies (2009),The Conjuring (2013), andMaze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015). Other credits includeFactotum,The Notorious Bettie Page (both 2005),To the Bone (2017), andPaper Spiders (2020).
Outside film, Taylor has appeared in an array of television series. She was nominated for thePrimetime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress for her portrayal of Anne Blaine on theABC drama seriesAmerican Crime (2015–2017). She received a further twoEmmy nominations for her guest role as Marty Glenn in theX-Files episode "Mind's Eye" (1998) and her recurring portrayal of Lisa Kimmel onHBO'sSix Feet Under (2002–2005). Taylor's stage credits includeBroadway productions ofAnton Chekhov'sThree Sisters (1997) andScott McPherson'sMarvin's Room (2017).
Taylor, the fifth of six children, was born inGlencoe, Illinois, a north suburb ofChicago, to an artist and hardware store operator.[2] She grew up in a "warm family environment", and has described herself as being "a bit of a searcher" during her childhood.[3] She graduated fromNew Trier High School inWinnetka, Illinois in 1985. Thereafter, she attendedThe Theatre School at DePaul University before being cut from the acting program for a policy violation, and thePiven Theatre Workshop.[4]
Taylor has appeared in dozens of films since 1988, includingDogfight,Mystic Pizza, andRudy. Her work has mostly been inindependent films andtheater. She playedLisa Kimmel Fisher (mostly in the second and third seasons) in theHBO dramaSix Feet Under for which she was nominated for anEmmy Award. Taylor played supporting roles inMystic Pizza (1988) andSay Anything... (1989). She starred inDogfight (1991) directed byNancy Savoca, in which she played an unattractive young woman who is taken to a cruel contest by a Marine (played byRiver Phoenix) under the pretense of a date; in his 1993 bookAlternate Oscars,Danny Peary argued that Taylor deserved a Best ActressAcademy Award for her performance inDogfight.
In 1991, Taylor played Grace, the witty and romantic step-daughter ofFaye Dunaway, inArizona Dream (released 1993), directed byEmir Kusturica, co-starringJohnny Depp,Vincent Gallo andJerry Lewis. In 1993 too, she re-teamed with Savoca forHousehold Saints. DirectorRobert Altman hired Taylor in 1993 for his epic Los Angeles dramaShort Cuts, in which Taylor shared scenes withLily Tomlin. Taylor portrayedValerie Solanas, whoattempted to assassinate Andy Warhol, inMary Harron'sI Shot Andy Warhol (1996). The same year, she co-starred inGirls Town with Bruklin Harris andAunjanue Ellis, where three inner-city friends dealt with a friend'ssuicide, and later inRansom, as caterer who helps her corrupt policeman boyfriend kidnap a rich man's son.
In 1998 she appeared in theX-Files episode "Mind's Eye", and was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series. The same year, she appeared inJohn Waters' filmPecker, alongsideEdward Furlong,Christina Ricci andMary Kay Place. In 1999, Taylor starred inJan de Bont's remake ofThe Haunting. In 2001, Taylor appeared in the independent featureJulie Johnson. The film, co-starringCourtney Love, centered on aLong Island mother and housewife who leaves her husband to pursue her dream of studying science. In early 2004, Taylor made her New York City stage debut inWallace Shawn'sAunt Dan and Lemon in the role of Lemon.
Taylor won the 2005 Best Actress award at theCopenhagen International Film Festival for her role inFactotum. In 2006, Taylor worked again withMary Harron inThe Notorious Bettie Page.[5] She starred in theLifetime cable network's hour-longcomedy-drama seriesState of Mind, as aNew Haven therapist dealing with a divorce and a parade of quirky clients. She played the daughter ofFrank Langella's character in Andrew Wagner's 2007 dramaStarting Out in the Evening. In the2008 filmThe Promotion, Taylor played Lori Wehlner, the wife ofJohn C. Reilly's character.[6] In 2009, Taylor played SheriffLillian Holley ofLake County, Indiana, who incarceratesJohn Dillinger (played byJohnny Depp), inMichael Mann'sPublic Enemies. In 2011, Fence Books released Taylor's audio recording of poet Ariana Reines'Save The World. In 2013, Taylor starred in the horror hitThe Conjuring.[7]
In 2014, Taylor starred alongsideChloë Grace Moretz in the off-Broadway playThe Library directed bySteven Soderbergh.[8][9][10] The following year she co-starred inMaze Runner: The Scorch Trials, as Dr. Mary Cooper, "a doctor who helps Thomas and his fellow Gladers".[11] Filming began at the end of October, and the movie was released on September 18, 2015. In 2020, Taylor starred oppositeStefania LaVie Owen inPaper Spiders.[12]
Taylor will portray Mags inThe Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping set to be released in November 2026. Taylor will also work inseason two ofDaredevil: Born Again as the as-yet-unidentifiedGovernor of New York.[13][14]
In May 1997, Taylor's former boyfriend, actorMichael Rapaport, was arrested for harassing Taylor and charged with two counts of aggravated harassment. He pleaded guilty to the charges. New York Supreme Court Justice Arlene Goldberg issued a protection order forbidding him from contacting Taylor and requiring him to undergo counseling.[15][16]
In 2009, Taylor married writerNick Flynn. They have a daughter Maeve, who was born sometime around 2008.[17]
Taylor is an activist for conservation issues, particularly those having to do with birds, and sits on the boards of theAmerican Birding Association andNational Audubon Society. She wrote a book of essays,Turning to Birds, The Power and Beauty of Noticing, published in 2025.
Taylor introducedLouise Post toNina Gordon, and they went on to found the 1990s alternative bandVeruca Salt in the early 1990s.[18]
Taylor is a three-timePrimetime Emmy Award nominee.[19][20][21] Also recognized for her extensive work in American independent film, she has been nominated for fourIndependent Spirit Awards, winningBest Supporting Female for her performance inHousehold Saints (1993). She was nominated forBest Female Lead forBright Angel (1990) andThe Addiction (1995), and again for Best Supporting Female forGirls Town (1996). In 1996, she received a Special Recognition award from theSundance Film Festival for her performance inMary Harron'sI Shot Andy Warhol, in which she portrayedValerie Solanas. Ten years later, in 2006, she was honored with the Excellence in Acting Award at theProvincetown International Film Festival.
| † | Denotes film or TV productions that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Crime Story | Waitress | Episode: "Hide and Go Thief" |
| 1987 | Night of Courage | Marina | Television film |
| 1990 | Monsters | Jamie Neal | Episode: "Habitat" |
| American Playhouse | Younger Marianne | Episode: "Sensibility and Sense" | |
| Family of Spies | Laura Walker | Television film | |
| 1997 | SUBWAYStories: Tales from the Underground | Belinda | Television film |
| 1997–1998 | Mad About You | Arley | 2 episodes |
| 1998 | The X-Files | Marty Glenn | Episode: "Mind's Eye" Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series |
| 2000–2001 | Deadline | Hildy Baker | 13 episodes |
| 2001 | Anne Frank: The Whole Story | Miep Gies | 2 episodes |
| 2002 | Live from Baghdad | Judy Parker | Television film |
| 2002–2005 | Six Feet Under | Lisa Kimmel Fisher | 25 episodes Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series (2002) |
| 2003 | Penguins Behind Bars | Doris Fairfeather (voice) | Television film |
| 2007 | State of Mind | Ann Bellows, M.D. | 8 episodes |
| 2010 | The Good Wife | Donna Seabrook | Episode: "Poisoned Pill" |
| 2013–2014 | Hemlock Grove | Lynda Rumancek | 11 episodes |
| Almost Human | Captain Sandra Maldonado | 13 episodes | |
| 2014 | Gotham | Patti | Episode: "Selina Kyle" |
| 2015 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Martha Thornhill | 2 episodes |
| 2015–2017 | American Crime | Nancy Straumberg / Anne Blaine / Claire Coates | 21 episodes Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Nominated—Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actress in a Movie/Limited Series |
| 2019 | Chambers | Ruth Pezim | 7 episodes |
| 2020 | Perry Mason | Birdy McKeegan | 7 episodes |
| 2022–2024 | Outer Range | Cecilia Abbott | 14 episodes |
| 2024 | Manhunt | Mary Todd Lincoln | 4 episodes |
| 2025 | Poker Face | FBI Agent Darville | 2 episodes |
| 2026 | Daredevil: Born Again | Governor of New York | Upcoming season |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Three Sisters | Irina | Roundabout Theatre Company, New York |
| 2001 | The Dead Eye Boy | Shirley-Diane | MCC Theater, New York |
| 2006 | Landscape of the Body | Betty | Off-Broadway, Peter Norton Space, New York[22] |
| 2009 | Mourning Becomes Electra | Christine Mannon | Off-Broadway, AcornTheatre, New York[23] |
| 2014 | The Library | Dawn Sheridan | Off-Broadway,Public Theater, New York[24] |
| 2017 | Marvin's Room | Bessie Wakefield | Broadway,American Airlines Theatre |
