Tate Taylor

Tate Taylor (born June 3, 1969) is an American filmmaker and actor. Taylor is notably recognized for directing major hits such as The Help (2011), Get On Up (2014), and The Girl on the Train (2016). Born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi, Taylor spent 15 years working in New York City and Los Angeles, becoming a feature film director with his debut in Pretty Ugly People (2008). Throughout his early career, he also acted in films like Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997) and Winter's Bone (2010), and made appearances in TV series such as Charmed, Six Feet Under, and The Drew Carey Show.

Taylor's career took a major leap when he directed The Help (2011), based on Kathryn Stockett's novel. The film was both critically acclaimed and a commercial success, grossing over $200 million worldwide. This success led to numerous industry awards and nominations for Taylor. He followed with the James Brown biopic Get On Up (2014) and the adaptation of Paula Hawkins' book, The Girl on the Train. Though the latter received mixed reviews, it had commercial success. More recently, Taylor directed the psychological horror film Ma (2019) and action thriller film Ava (2020). His most recent film, Breaking News in Yuba County (2021), featured frequent collaborator Allison Janney.