Biography of Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Aaron Taylor-Johnson is a British actor, screenwriter, and producer who caught the acting bug early, appearing as young Eisenheim in the Oscar-winning film "The Illusionist" (2006). He gained fame for his role as Ray Marcus in the dramatic thriller "Nocturnal Animals" (2016), for which he received a Golden Globe Award.His filmography also includes playing Alexei Vronsky in "Anna Karenina," Pietro Maximoff in the blockbuster "Avengers: Age of Ultron," and James Frey in the social drama "A Million Little Pieces." By late 2023, he emerged as the frontrunner to become the next James Bond.
Childhood, Adolescence, Family
Aaron Perry Johnson was born in summer 1990 to an engineer father and housewife mother in High Wycombe, a small town near London. Aaron has an older sister named Gemma.The Johnson family has English, Russian, and Jewish ancestry. Aaron began acting in television commercials at the age of six and made his stage debut in the West End production of "Macbeth" with Rufus Sewell, who played the king, at the age of eight. He played Macduff's son, who dies while lying completely naked in a bathtub. Reflecting on this role, the actor said:
In 1999, Aaron appeared in the series "Midsomer Murders" and played Joe Byrne in the drama "The Apocalypse."It's all nonsense. We're not talking about swimwear here—I was completely naked. It was strange... Looking back, I have a lot to figure out about what my childhood in the adult industry was like... Did I feel uncomfortable? Yeah, I probably did.
As a teen, he was physically fit and slightly hyperactive, into skateboarding, BMX riding, martial arts, and gymnastics. He briefly wanted to join the school football team, but that changed when he discovered the Jackie Palmer Theatre School, where he studied acting, dance, jazz, acrobatics, and singing, quickly becoming one of the leading young actors.
About his childhood in High Wycombe, he once said:
I haven't been there for about six years. I still think of it as a place I wanted to escape from. I get along fine with my mom and dad, but if they want to see their grandchildren, they come to me. I don't have any friends from where I grew up, but it's not about fame.
Acting Career
Aaron landed his first major role in the Christmas film "Tom & Thomas" (2002), starring alongside Sean Bean and Derek de Lint. At just 10 years old, he took on the challenging role of identical twins. Filming took place in Amsterdam, where Aaron and his mother spent six months living in an apartment in the Red Light District.Aaron played Charlie, a resourceful street kid who wore a familiar-looking pot and later revealed his last name to be Chaplin.Chan would show up on set in the morning with his stunt team and immediately figure out which chandelier to swing from, which chair to break, and whose head to smash it against. He boldly and fearlessly pushed boundaries. People don't do things because they're too afraid of looking foolish, and that kills creativity.
He followed up with the comedy "Dead Cool" (George) and family drama "Feather Boy" (Niker). Two years later, he snagged the role of young Eisenheim in Oscar-winner "The Illusionist."
During this time, he went through what he calls his wild phase:
Meanwhile, he starred in the German fantasy film "The Thief Lord" and the American-British project "Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging."I had a self-destructive moment. Luckily, it went unnoticed. I started drinking really early. What else is there to do in a small town? At 15, I was hitting clubs in London. That's when I went off the rails. I was blowing through money, and I can't even remember the next two years... It destroyed my work and my life. It was a dark, shitty time, right before 'Nowhere Boy'.
Aaron's breakthrough came with the biographical drama "Nowhere Boy" (2009) about the childhood and youth of The Beatles' leader. Though critics gave Johnson's performance mixed reviews, the actor worked obsessively on the role: he studied the singer's accent on YouTube and watched every available documentary. The film won several British Academy Film Awards.
That same year, the action comedy "Kick-Ass" hit theaters, with the actor once again taking on the lead role as Dave Lizewski, a lovable loser who dreams of becoming a real superhero. His dream came true with the help of Hit-Girl (Chloë Grace Moretz) and her father (Nicolas Cage).
Taylor-Johnson made a strong impression in the superhero movie "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," appearing as Quicksilver, the Sokovian speedster Pietro Maximoff. He reprised the role in the equally compelling sequel "Avengers: Age of Ultron."
The actor portrayed Lord James Douglas, an assistant and advisor to the Scottish monarch, in the historical film "Outlaw King" (2018). His co-star, who played King Robert the Bruce, was Chris Pine.
Next came both acting and screenwriting duties on the social drama "A Million Little Pieces." Drawing from James Frey's memoirs, Aaron crafted a biographical tale about a writer who lands in rehab following a devastating plane crash.
Another interesting project featuring Taylor-Johnson was Christopher Nolan's dramatic thriller "Tenet" (2020).
One of the main roles went to Aaron in David Leitch's action comedy "Bullet Train." In the film, Taylor-Johnson was unrecognizable, sporting a lush mustache and a new hairstyle. The shoot proved dangerous: in one of the scenes, Brad Pitt accidentally injured Aaron, leaving him with a scar as a memento of their work together.
In 2023, the sci-fi action movie "Kraven the Hunter" was released. Discussing his approach to the titular character, Aaron revealed that he chooses roles based on gut instinct, spending two years developing Kraven to match exactly what fans envisioned.
As I've said before, I have to march to the beat of my own drum. That's my own path, which I understand intuitively. I've never made decisions based on other people's views, judgments, or expectations. You'll go insane if you do. Your sense of self-worth and soul are gone. You need to understand what is essential to you and what feels right, and you must not stray from the path that lies ahead of you.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson's Personal Life
At 19, Aaron Taylor-Johnson met 43-year-old Sam Taylor-Wood, an established filmmaker who directed "Nowhere Boy," where Aaron landed the starring role.Aaron said he felt an attraction to her from the first moment. Their romance sparked on set, and Aaron wasn't fazed by the fact that Sam had two daughters, Angelica and Jessie, with her ex-husband, art dealer Jay Jopling. Shortly after the release of their first film together, the couple announced their engagement.
Aaron demonstrated his commitment by adopting the hyphenated surname Taylor-Johnson, which has appeared in his credits ever since.
The couple tied the knot in 2012 while Sam was expecting their second child together, Romy Hero. Their older daughter, Wylda Rae, was born in 2010.
The actor rarely opens up about his personal life, but he's shared that he's dreamed of having a big family since age ten and prioritizes his family above all else.
When pushed about the age difference with his wife, Aaron keeps it brief:
I have nothing to hide—I'm confident in my life. But I'm not going to reveal things that are truly precious to me. I met Sam as an actor working with a director. We clicked professionally, but that's not why I fell in love with her. I love the ordinary stuff—daily life, getting the kids ready in the morning, taking them to school and their activities. It feeds my soul. I always knew I'd have a big family, that I'd be a young dad with lots of kids.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson Now
Whether Taylor-Johnson will land the coveted James Bond role should be revealed in 2024. For now, the actor is focused on other projects. He stars alongside Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt in the action comedy-drama "The Stuntmen," playing one of the central characters, Tom Ryder. His character mysteriously vanishes from the set just as the multimillion-dollar blockbuster faces tight distribution deadlines.Fans can also catch Aaron as merchant ship owner Frederick Harding in the supernatural horror film "Nosferatu." Director, screenwriter, and producer Robert Eggers has been obsessed with this horror story since childhood and finally decided to craft a remake, which also stars Bill Skarsgård, Lily-Rose Depp, and Willem Dafoe. The premiere is expected at the end of 2024.
Interesting Facts
- In 2010, after their first daughter was born, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Sam Taylor-Wood bought an old farmhouse in Somerset and put their Hollywood Hills villa on the market. Since 2022, the family has been living in England, with neighbors including fashion designers Stella McCartney and Phoebe Philo, theatre impresario Sir Cameron Mackintosh, and art tycoons Ivan and Manuela Wirth. Taylor-Johnson found he loves country life. "It's what I love to do. I have pigs. I have bees! I could probably just retire, drop everything and enjoy life with my children and country living," the actor admits.
- Colleagues and friends say that beyond his incredible dedication to acting, Aaron loves taking care of others. "When he bakes a cherry pie," says "Nocturnal Animals" director Tom Ford, "it's the best cherry pie you've ever tasted."
- On the set of "Bullet Train," Taylor-Johnson worked alongside Brian Tyree Henry, playing assassins Tangerine and Lemon, who identify themselves as twin brothers. Henry shared in an interview:
"This idiot went and got a real lemon tree," says Henry, "and planted it between our trailers. Throughout the entire film, we could watch and nurture this tree. I thought, 'What the hell are you thinking about?' But he got me to water this plant, to mist the leaves. That's Aaron. He's just like, 'We'll figure out how to deal with this together.'