Born in Ohio and raised in a town of less than 1200 people, Taylor Fangmann is a small-town girl with big city dreams. She was able to convince her family to move to Los Angeles to allow her to pursue a career in acting. Coming from a military family, until now Taylor spent most of her life moving around. While some see the disadvantages of moving from place to place, Taylor saw it as the perfect way to explore new places, learn about new cultures, and meet new people. These life experiences have led her to find the positive in every situation. Taylor’s bright light of positivity shines through in everything she does whether it’s posing for pictures on a red carpet or presenting new ideas to her favorite charities.
Aside from acting, her passion is raising awareness to the needs of those with Down Syndrome. Having a little sister with Down Syndrome has taught Taylor the importance of inclusivity and kindness for those with special needs. Taylor’s ultimate goal is to be a bright light in the world lighting the way for not only her sister, but for those that need a little extra support, love, and kindness. Quickly becoming a typical SoCal teen, Taylor enjoys traveling, going to Disney, and spending time with her friends.
Hello Taylor, nice to chat! For those unfamiliar with you, tell us a bit about yourself and your background outside of the world of showbiz.
Hi thanks so much for having me. I love acting but I also am a normal kid who takes pride in having good grades in school, and I love snowboarding. My family is extremely important to me and I enjoy church on Sunday mornings.
Right now you are just getting started in your career, having moved from a tiny town to Los Angeles. How has breaking into the industry been different than how you imagined it before you moved to L.A.?
Well moving to L.A from a small town is nothing like the movies, it’s a lot of hard work and almost a feeling of pressure to make your town proud.
Best showbiz moment so far?
My best show biz moment so far is literally every moment. I don’t take any moment for granted and am enjoying every minute of it.
Your little sister has Down syndrome. What do you think is the biggest misconception people have about the syndrome?
The biggest misconception people have with Down Syndrome is that people with Down Syndrome are not able, when that is not the case. Yes sometimes, they will need extra hard work and patience but at the end of the day they are different and we should celebrate that and treat them equal to any other kid.
What’s been the biggest challenge in having a family member with Down Syndrome? And the biggest blessing?
The biggest challenge to having a family member with Down Syndrome or any type of special needs is learning you will never be the favorite. All my friends just tolerate me so they can hang out with Averie! Also learning patience. Sometimes it can be really hard to stay calm and have patience but treating Averie like a “normal” kid with extra patience has helped her learn and be on track for her age. The biggest blessing is every lesson she has taught me and to celebrate Averie and love harder than most people. People with Down Syndrome are a gift to the world to help remind us that we should love everyone with open hearts.
Have you experienced bullying? If so, what most helped you cope with that?
I have experienced bullying for my weight my whole life, and the best way to cope with it is realizing people views and options do not define who you are as a person and weight, race, and sexuality does not define beauty.
What most inspires you to create as an artist/influencer? (Why do you do what you do?)
Well at first, I wanted to do acting to have a platform to spread awareness on Down Syndrome but the more and more I was working on my craft the more I really fell in love with acting.
Long-term career goals?
My long-term career goal is always doing what I love the most.
Biggest pet peeve?
My number one biggest pet peeve is people not having respect for one another.
One good habit you hope to adopt soon?
One good habit I hope to adopt soon is speaking up on how I’m feeling and not just bottling it all up inside. I want people to know it’s okay to ask for help to work and grow on your mental health.
Secret fear?
One of my biggest fears that I don’t tell anyone is… I’m scared of goats which is funny because my grandma has goats and I love them but petting zoo goats scare me.
Tell me something people would be surprised to know about you.
I have a severe gluten allergy. It’s nice because it’s cool and trendy in LA but it makes it difficult to order anywhere outside of LA.
The one thing I cannot live without is:
Family.
Favorite food and least favorite food?
My favorite food is steak tacos and my least favorite is pea soup.
What else are you working on or have coming up next?
Right now, Averie and I are working on growing on social media!
Could we get a quick selfie of whatever you are doing right now?
Of course! Today was a pool day with my sisters.
https://www.snapchat.com/add/taylormfangman?share_id=NjJFMUNB&locale=en_US