Katie Barnes, ESPN.comApr 26, 2017, 12:55 PM ET
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- Katie Barnes is a writer/reporter for ESPN.com. Follow them on Twitter at Katie_Barnes3.
Eliza Taylor was beaming when she walked down the red carpet for the world premiere of her new movie, "Thumper," at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York last Thursday. That moment had been over two years in the making, and she could not believe that it had, in fact, arrived.
"I was gobsmacked," the Australia native said with a giggle via phone.
Taylor, 26, laughs a lot. It's soft, warm, and a distinct departure from the characters she plays. She is best known for her lead role as Clarke in the CW's "The 100," a badass young leader tasked with steering her people through life in a post-apocalyptic world. In "Thumper" she plays Kat Carter, a high school student immersed in the drug culture of an unnamed small town.
Both of these characters are nuanced and complex. Clarke is the first bisexual lead in a network television show, which critics and fans alike celebrate. However, "The 100" was also at the center of fandom outrage when Lexa (portrayed by fellow Australian actress Alycia Debnam-Carey), a former rival turned love interest of Clarke, was killed last season by a stray bullet meant for Taylor's character. Her death sparked sharp criticism of the show and led to fans raising a large financial donation to The Trevor Project, a nonprofit organization that focuses on suicide prevention efforts for LGBTQ youth.
"It was a crazy time to be on social media," Taylor said of the fans' response. "This affected people so deeply, but being able to portray the first lead of a show on network television who is bisexual is an absolute honor. The life of Lexa completely changed my career and my fanbase."
While "Thumper" is a gritty exploration of the ways in which drugs like methamphetamine affect a community, it is not a fairy tale that romanticizes drug use or brings those who are addicted to sobriety salvation. It's not pleasant and hard to watch at times. But it was that grit that drew the Aussie to the film in the first place.
Taylor loves characters and has always been a thespian at heart. Her mother put her in an acting class when she was 11 because she was a "shy, strange little child," in hopes it helping her make friends. To her mother's surprise, she had a talent for it. Auditions followed, and Taylor soon had consistent roles in Australia. She went on to star in the long-running Down Under soap opera "Neighbors" for four years. Suffice to say, her childhood played out on soundstages.
"I never went to high school," she added. "I was tutored on set, which was a strange way to grow up, but I loved it. Being on set feels like home."
"Thumper" provided a unique opportunity for Taylor. She collaborated with director Jordan Ross to create Kat's character. The fluidity of the process differed significantly from the more rigid nature of a network television show. Getting to collaborate on building a character was exciting for Taylor, who enjoys nothing more than providing another place for the audience to retreat from their world into hers.
"One thing that I like about ['Thumper'] is that it doesn't glorify the drug world," Taylor said. "It doesn't make it look fun, which some movies can do. We made it really dirty and dark, and kind of gross, which is the way it should be perceived. There are people living like this, and it doesn't really get talked about enough."
The fact that Taylor points to how "Thumper" portrays drug use should not be all that surprising. She seems to always consider how her work has an impact on others. Being an actress on The CW, her fan base is energetic, and they skew young. Taylor is seen on Instagram (where she has 700K followers) sharing messages of body positivity. She once tweeted to fans to meet her for crepes in New York to promote positive body image.
"I've seen so many young girls over the years beat themselves up over their curves, thinking that it's not OK," Taylor said to "Access Hollywood" in 2014. "One thing I'm passionate about is positive body image. I've got boobs and hips, and I like those. I don't want to change that."
Taylor's friends, family and fans are the center of her world. She answered almost every question by demonstrating how she shares with others. For instance, she loves to cook, noting "it's like therapy," and will spend hours in the kitchen. She especially loves throwing down an incredible meal for a dinner party with her friends and family. Her go-to is slow-roasted lamb shoulder with a blackberry and red wine reduction, garnished with garlic puree and broccolini. No big deal.
"It's heavenly," she said. "It takes like eight hours [to cook]. But, it's so good."
Taylor's fans love her, and she loves them right back. They even helped her raise more than $100,000 in a week for the Koh Tao International Primary school, which she started with best friend Claire Wyndham in Ban Ko Tao, Chumphon, Thailand. They also raised money for Isla Donaldson, a student attending that school who had recently been diagnosed with leukemia. Taylor's fans showed up to the premiere selling T-shirts to benefit Isla.
"My fans are incredible," she said. "I'm continually blown away by them."
The gesture brought tears to Taylor's eyes.