Taylor Hale | |
|---|---|
Hale in 2019 | |
| Born | Taylor Mackenzie Dickens Hale (1994-12-31)December 31, 1994 (age 31) Detroit, Michigan, U.S.[1] |
| Alma mater | George Washington University |
| Occupation | Television personality |
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) |
| Beauty pageant titleholder | |
| Title | |
| Hair color | Black |
| Eye color | Brown |
| Major competitions |
|
Taylor Mackenzie Dickens Hale (born December 31, 1994) is an Americanreality television personality and beauty pageant titleholder. She is the winner ofthe 24th season of the American reality television seriesBig Brother, becoming the firstAfrican American woman to win the series.[2] She is also the first houseguest to win both the game and the America's Favorite Houseguest prize.
Prior toBig Brother, she was crownedMiss Michigan USA 2021 and won Miss Congeniality at theMiss USA 2021 pageant but unplaced at the finals of the competition.
Hale was born on December 31, 1994, in Detroit, Michigan. She attendedDetroit Country Day School from kindergarten through grade 12, graduating in 2013.[3] She graduated fromGeorge Washington University in 2017, where she was a member ofAlpha Phi sorority. Hale resides inWest Bloomfield, Michigan.[4]
On November 9, 2022, she confirmed her relationship with fellowBig Brother 24 contestant Joseph Abdin.[5] They announced their breakup on April 19, 2023.[6] Hale then dated fellowBig Brother contestant Kyland Young. The pair competed together as a couple onThe Amazing Race 38.[7][8] Leading up to the season, Young stated that they intentionally chose to keep their relationship private and that they were not a couple "right now".[9]
Hale won theMiss Michigan USA 2021 pageant in August 2021 after nearly a year-long postponement due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[10] She did not place in theMiss USA 2021 Pageant, but she was awarded Miss Congeniality.[10]
CBS announced Hale as aBig Brother 24 houseguest on July 5, 2022. Hale's fellow housemates ostracized her upon entering the house, making her an early target in the game and leading to her being nominated for eviction in each of the first two weeks. Hale was also the target of comments deemedmicroaggressive by some viewers of the show, and disparaging remarks about her appearance and personality.[11][12][13] During the third week, Hale joined "The Leftovers" alliance,[14] securing her safety for the remainder of the season. Hale won twoHead of Household competitions; during weeks six and eleven.[15]
Hale was awarded the $750,000 grand prize by the season's jury, winning by a vote of 8–1 over Monte Taylor, and she became the first African American woman to win a regular season ofBig Brother.[2] She is also the first houseguest to win both the game and the America's Favorite Houseguest prize, awarding her an additional $50,000.[16] With total cash winnings of $800,000, Hale has won the most money of any houseguest in the history of the series.[17]
Hale was interviewed for theBig Brother 25th Anniversary Celebration ahead ofBig Brother 25. She later returned in the season to discuss the gameplay during Week 14's eviction episode.
Hale appeared on a special episode ofBig Brother 26 alongside fellow winners Cody Calafiore (from seasons16 and22) and Jag Bains (fromseason 25) to look back on the first three weeks of the season and reveal the next twist. She returned later in the season, where she began taking over for fellow winnerWill Kirby (from seasons2 and7) as the new host of the Jury Roundtable.[18]
Hale and fellow winnerDerrick Levasseur (fromseason 16) return to host a new companion show—Big Brother: Unlocked. It will air bi-weekly on Fridays beginning July 25, 2025. They will be joined by mystery celebrity guests and surpriseBig Brother alumni to recapBig Brother 27. Six episodes are planned to air throughout the season.[19][20]
In 2023, Hale returned toBig Brother to compete in the holiday spin-off season,Big Brother Reindeer Games.[21] She finished as the runner-up of the season.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Miss USA 2021 | Contestant | Miss Congeniality |
| 2022 | Big Brother 24 | Contestant | Winner; America’s Favorite HouseGuest (35 episodes) |
| 2022–23 | The Bold and the Beautiful | McKenzie | Guest star (4 episodes) |
| 2023 | Big Brother 25 | Guest | 25th Anniversary Celebration (2 episodes) |
| Big Brother Reindeer Games | Contestant | Runner-up (6 episodes) | |
| 2024 | Big Brother 26 | Guest | Jury Roundtable Host (2 episodes) |
| 2025 | Big Brother 27 | Guest | (2 episodes) |
| Big Brother: Unlocked | Host | Companion show withBig Brother 27 (6 episodes)[22] | |
| The Amazing Race 38 | Contestant | Runner-up; (12 episodes) |
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Chanel Johnson | Miss Michigan USA 2021 | Succeeded by Aria Hutchinson |
| Preceded by | Big Brother U.S. winner Season 24 (2022) | Succeeded by |