Scout Taylor-Compton

Scout Taylor-Compton (born February 21, 1989) is an American actress. She has appeared in numerous small television roles and in feature films.[1] Her most notable roles include Laurie Strode in the horror films Halloween (2007) and Halloween II (2009), as well as Lita Ford in the film The Runaways (2010).

Scout Taylor-Compton
Taylor-Compton at Spooky Empire's Ultimate Horror Weekend in 2014
Born
Desariee Starr Compton

(1989-02-21) February 21, 1989
Long Beach, California, U.S.
NationalityUnited States
OccupationActress, singer
Years active1998–present
Known for

Taylor-Compton also sang the theme song for her film Chicken Night (2001). Taylor-Compton also provided voice over work in other films, including The Core (2003). She is a Scream Queen, having appeared in many horror films.

Life and career

Desariee Starr Compton was born on February 21, 1989, in Long Beach, California,[2] and is Mexican American on her mother's side.[3] Taylor-Compton says she "grew up in that whole [horror] genre and visiting my dad at the mortuary. I have no problem with that stuff. Whether it was a coffin or my dad bringing his work home." Andy Biersack from Black Veil Brides, her ex-boyfriend whom she dated for six years, composed the song "The Mortician's Daughter" about her.[4]

In 1998, Taylor-Compton began her acting career with an appearance in the film A.W.O.L. with David Morse, and later in the short film Thursday Afternoon. She went on to have small roles in both television and film including Ally McBeal, ER, Frasier, The Guardian and The Division. She appeared in several student films, commercials for Fuji Film and the Disney Cruise Line, and various skits on The Jay Leno Show.[5] In November 2000, Taylor-Compton made her stage debut as the title character in a production of Annie Warbucks at The Grove Theatre in Upland, California, and a stage production of Footloose at the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center.

In 2001, she had a recurring role as Clara Forrester, the younger sister of Dean Forrester (Jared Padalecki) in the television series Gilmore Girls, appearing in a total of four episodes until 2004. Taylor-Compton was nominated for "Best Performance in a TV Series – Recurring Young Actress" for her portrayal of Clara.[6] She made a comedic appearance in the film Four Fingers of the Dragon (2003) playing herself auditioning for a role in a fictional Kung Fu film. In 2004, she appeared in the teen comedy, Sleepover, her first large Hollywood film role. The cast of the film was nominated for "Best Performance in a Feature Film – Young Ensemble Cast" at the Young Artists Award.

In 2005, she was briefly considered a missing person when her family had been unable to contact her for approximately two weeks. She was discovered to be alive and healthy on August 25, 2005 and had reportedly been in the company of friends during her absence.[7]

Following Sleepover, she appeared in numerous television series including Hidden Howie, Unfabulous (2 episodes), Cold Case, That's So Raven, Charmed (appearing in 8 episodes between 2000 and 2006 as various Fairies), and Without a Trace (in which she portrayed a runaway teenager).

In 2007, Taylor-Compton joined the cast of ABC'S Friday Night Live. The same year, she starred in the drama Tomorrow is Today and the horror film Wicked Little Things. Tomorrow is Today features Taylor-Compton as Julie Peterson, a girl who saves the life of and befriends a hapless drifter. The film won over six awards at various festivals which included the California Independent Film Festival, the Garden State Film Festival, Method Fest Independent Film Festival, and the Rhode Island International Film Festival. She won "Best Actress" for her performance in the film at the Method Fest Independent Film Festival.[8] Wicked Little Things was one of the films featured in After Dark's 8 Films to Die For and saw Taylor-Compton star as Sarah Tunny. Following these films, she appeared in Standoff and Close to Home.

In 2007, Taylor-Compton appeared in the film An American Crime which told the true story of suburban housewife Gertrude Baniszewski, who had kept a teenage girl locked in the basement of her Indiana home during the 1960s. Taylor-Compton then returned to the horror genre as Laurie Strode in Rob Zombie's remake of the classic Halloween. She endured a long audition process, but as director Zombie explains, "Scout was my first choice. There was just something about her; she had a genuine quality. She didn't seem actor-y."[4] Halloween currently stands as the highest grossing overall film in the Halloween franchise.[9]

She starred in the television movie Love's Unfolding Dream, which premiered on November 24, 2007, and in the horror film April Fool's Day, a remake of the 1986 film of the same name, filmed in North Carolina, that had a March 25, 2008 DVD release.[10] Taylor-Compton explained at the time on the starring in the role of Torrance: "I'll just be playing another wholesome 'good girl' that screams a lot."[3] She also made another horror film, the 2009 film Life Blood, in which she had a cameo as Carrie Lain.

However, in an interview conducted in July 2007, Taylor-Compton did report that after completing April Fool's Day she wanted to stay away from roles in the horror genre for her next film projects.[11] Although she has received many horror film scripts, she believes that she "need[s] to move on from horror. Just drift away a little bit and do something else so I don't get stuck in that" and although she "love[s] doing horror films" and are her "favorite", she'd "like to do other stuff in between."[12] She has recently been influenced by the career of Scarlett Johansson, wanting to choose scripts and roles based on personal interest as she views Johansson does. Taylor-Compton went on to explain, "That's what I kind of want to do. I love just being passionate about something rather than just caring about the money or who's in the movie."[13] In 2009, Taylor-Compton starred alongside Helen Mirren and Joe Pesci in Love Ranch. Then she appeared in the film Obsessed alongside Beyoncé Knowles. Taylor-Compton reprised her role as Laurie Strode in Halloween II (2009), a sequel to the Rob Zombie's 2007 film.

In 2010, she appeared in The Runaways, where she played Lita Ford, alongside Kristen Stewart, Dakota Fanning and Stella Maeve.

Other work

In 2001, Taylor-Compton provided voice overs for I Am Sam, and continued with voice over work with appearances in The Core (2003) and The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004). The following year, she provided voice over work for the teen hero comedy Sky High. She sang the theme song "Jet Set" for the film Chicken Night (2001).[14] In 2002, Taylor-Compton appeared briefly in the Will Smith music video for "Black Suits Comin' (Nod Ya Head)" for the Men in Black II soundtrack. She appeared in the music video for "Sweet Valentine" by the band Born the Sky in 2007.

In 2003, Taylor-Compton took vocal lessons with Diane Gillespie and Vocal Power Institute, along with guitar, drums and keyboard lessons, and joined a theatre group called "Shenanigans," where she performed and took weekly tap and jazz lessons.[14] She attended the Hollywood Pop Academy for additional vocal training.[15]

In 2007, Taylor-Compton released her debut rock/pop album,[2] in which she sang and played drums. She has cited Cyndi Lauper, Gwen Stefani, Madonna, Kelly Osbourne and Green Day as her musical influences.[13] She worked with ERA Productions and punk-pop singer Vitamin C. While on the set filming Halloween (2007), Taylor-Compton received "a few pointers" about a music career from director Rob Zombie, who had also fronted the band White Zombie.[12] She has stated that singing is a side project and "is just a little talent that I have on the side, and if it does something then I'll do that, but I'm not gonna give up acting."[16]

See also

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1998 Thursday Afternoon Anna Short film
2001 A Window That Opens Katherine Jane Short film
2001 Chicken Night Penny Short film
2003 7 Songs Molly
2003 Afterschool Delight Scout Short film
2004 13 Going on 30 Tiffany
2004 Sleepover Farrah James
2006 The Honeyfields Mary Beth Short film
2006 Tomorrow Is Today Julie Peterson
2006 Wicked Little Things Sarah Tunny
2007 An American Crime Stephanie Baniszewski
2007 Halloween Laurie Strode
2008 April Fool's Day Torrance Caldwell Direct-to-video
2009 Obsessed Samantha
2009 Smile Pretty Nasty
2009 Halloween II Laurie Strode
2009 The First Time Anya Benton also known as Love at First Hiccup
2009 Life Blood Carrie Lane Direct-to-video
2010 The Runaways Lita Ford
2010 Love Ranch Christina
2010 Triple Dog Liza
2011 247°F Jenna
2012 Someone Like You Courtney Short film
2012 The Silent Thief Elise Henderson
2013 Wet and Reckless Sonya 'Turbo'
2014 Flight 7500 Jacinta Bloch
2015 Tag Rae
2015 Return to Sender Crystal
2016 Cured Young Woman Short film
2017 Get the Girl Jade
2017 Dirty Lies Stacey
2017 Ghost House Julie
2017 Feral Alice
2017 After Party Julia
2017 Diverted Eden Detective Fini
2018 Andover Emma Grady
2018 Cynthia Robin
2018 Randy's Canvas Cassie
2018 Edge of Insanity Rylee Summers
2019 The Lurker Taylor Wilson
2019 The Lumber Baron Mary Catherine Rimsdale
2019 Eternal Code Charlie
2020 Room 9 Star Bedford
2021 The Coven Grace Filming
TBA Star Light Bebe Post-production
2020 Penance Lane Sherry
TBA Getaway Girls Maddy Post-production
TBA An Intrusion Detective Savannah Simpson
2020 Abducted Detective Fini

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2000 Ally McBeal Young Georgia Episode: "Over the Rainbow"
2000 Charmed Thistle Episode: "Once Upon a Time"
2001 ER Liz Woodman Episode: "A Walk in the Woods"
2001–2004 Gilmore Girls Clara Forester Recurring role; 4 episodes
2003 Audrey's Rain Young Marguerite Television film
2003 The Lyon's Den Girl Fenderson Episode: "Things She Said"
2003–2006 Charmed Fairy Recurring role
2003–2004 The Guardian Tiffany Skovich / Sharon Diamond Guest role; 2 episodes
2004 Class Actions Lydia Harrison Television film
2004 The Division Katrina "Trina" Merril "The Kids Are Alright"
2004–2005 Unfabulous Molly Guest role; 2 episodes
2005 Hidden Howie: The Private Life of a Public Nuisance Madison Unknown episodes
2005 Cold Case Leah (1993) Episode: "Wishing"
2005 That's So Raven Lauren Parker Episode: "Goin' Hollywood"
2006 Without a Trace Emily Grant Episode: "White Balance"
2006 Standoff Tina Bolt Episode: "Peer Group"
2007 Close to Home Grace Hendricks Episode: "Fall from Grace"
2007 Bones Celia Nash Episode: "Soccer Mom in the Mini-Van"
2007 Love's Unfolding Dream Belinda Tyler Television film
2008 The Governor's Wife Hayley Danville Television film
2010 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Renata Clarke Episode: "Internatal Combustion"
2010 NCIS: Los Angeles Angela Rush Episode: "Full Throttle"
2011 CSI: NY Emmy Thomas Episode: "Do or Die"
2011 Breakout Kings Starla Roland Episode: "Fun with Chemistry"
2012 Grey's Anatomy Angie Episode: "If Only You Were Lonely"
2014 Major Crimes Becka Wilshaw Episode: "Zoo Story"
2015–2016 Nashville Erin Recurring role; 7 episodes
2016 Rosewood Christa Recurring role; 2 episodes

References

  1. "INT: Scout Taylor Compton". joblo.com. Retrieved September 10, 2007.
  2. "Scout Taylor-Compton". IMDb. Retrieved September 10, 2007.
  3. Carmona, Josh (September 23, 2007). "Apple Valley actress, 18, stars in 'Halloween'". Daily Press. Archived from the original on January 5, 2013. Retrieved September 23, 2007.
  4. Turek, Ryan (September 2007). "Scout's Horror". Fangoria.
  5. "Other works for Scout Taylor-Compton". IMDb. Retrieved September 15, 2007.
  6. "Scout Taylor-Compton". superiorpics.com. Retrieved September 15, 2007.
  7. "Actress Scout Taylor-Compton Found After Two-Week Disappearance". mtv.com. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  8. "Tomorrow is Today". IMDb. Retrieved September 10, 2007.
  9. Carroll, Larry. "Box Office History for Halloween Movies". the-numbers.com. Retrieved September 5, 2007.
  10. "March DVD Releases". videoeta.com. Retrieved January 4, 2008.
  11. "Scout Taylor-Compton". youtube. Retrieved September 22, 2007.
  12. Scout Taylor-Compton (2007). "New 'Halloween' Heroine Scout Taylor-Compton" (Interview). Interviewed by Eric Alt. premiere.com. Retrieved November 2, 2007.
  13. "An interview with Scout Taylor-Compton". losangelesjournal.com. Archived from the original on October 27, 2007. Retrieved September 26, 2007.
  14. "Biography and Facts". celebritykidz.com. Retrieved September 15, 2007.
  15. "Success Stories". hollywoodpopacademy.com. Archived from the original on September 6, 2007. Retrieved September 19, 2007.
  16. Barker, Lynn (August 28, 2007). "Scout Taylor-Compton Turns Scream Queen". TeenHollywood. Retrieved September 1, 2007.
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