Taylour Paige-Angulo (née Paige; born October 5, 1990) is an American actress. She received recognition for starring in the VH1 sports drama series Hit the Floor (2013–2016) and the comedy drama film Jean of the Joneses (2016). Her breakthrough role was the titular lead in the black comedy crime film Zola (2020), winning the Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead. She then starred in the drama film Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020) and the comedy drama film Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (2024). She also gained further recognition for playing Charlotte Hanlon in the HBO series IT: Welcome To Derry.

Though not a musician, in 2022, Paige featured on Kendrick Lamar's spoken word song "We Cry Together", which debuted at number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 and netted Paige a Grammy Award nomination.

Early life and education Taylour Paige was born on October 5, 1990, in Santa Monica, California to Reginald Paige and Cheryl Williams. She grew up in Inglewood, California, a suburb of Los Angeles, with her older brother Travis. Paige began dancing at the age of 2 and trained at Katnap in Venice, Westside Ballet Academy, and later spent two consecutive summers at the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, DC. In 2001, she became a student of choreographer Debbie Allen, and auditioned for her musical Pearl.

Paige attended St. Bernard Catholic High School in Playa del Rey, graduating in 2008.

She became a Los Angeles Laker Girl in 2010 and spent three months with the professional cheerleading squad before leaving to finish college and pursue her acting career. As a Laker Girl, she was featured in a special by Fox Sports on the making of the 2011 Laker Girls Calendar.

She is a graduate of Loyola Marymount University.

Career

Paige has been featured in commercials and advertising campaigns for Transamerica, Best Buy, McDonald's, Adidas and Just Dance 3 following her stint as a Laker Girl. Her first film role was in High School Musical 3: Senior Year (2008), where she was a featured dancer.

After appearing in small roles in several short films, Paige starred as Ahsha Hayes in the sports drama television series Hit the Floor (2013–2018). She left the show in 2016 after three seasons. Also in 2016, Paige starred as the eponymous character in Canadian filmmaker Stella Meghie's directorial debut Jean of the Joneses, which was met with positive reviews. She had a supporting role as Cathy Volsan-Curry in the crime drama film White Boy Rick (2018), which was met with mixed reviews. During this time, Paige made guest appearances in the thirteenth season of Grey's Anatomy and Ballers.

Paige had her breakthrough role as the titular character in the black comedy crime film Zola (2020). The film and her performance earned rave reviews, and earned Paige the Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead. That same year, Paige had a supporting role as Dussie Mae in the drama film Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, which was met with critical acclaim and earned her an NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture.

In May 2022, Paige made her music debut by contributing to rapper Kendrick Lamar's fifth studio album Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers on the critically-acclaimed track "We Cry Together", earning a Grammy Award nomination. She then co-starred alongside Lamar on its short film adaptation in September. In November, Paige was featured in Barbadian singer Rihanna's fourth installment of her Savage X Fenty Show.

Paige landed the female lead opposite Peter Dinklage and Jacob Tremblay in the superhero film The Toxic Avenger for Legendary Entertainment, released in 2023. She joined the cast of the action comedy film Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, starring alongside Eddie Murphy and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, which was released in 2024. Also in 2024, she starred in the comedy film Brothers and the dark comedy film The Trainer.

Paige stars in the HBO supernatural horror television series It: Welcome to Derry, which is based on Stephen King's novel It (1986), and serves as a prequel to the films It (2017) and It Chapter Two (2019).

In 2026, she starred in the Boots Riley-helmed, science fiction comedy film I Love Boosters. Paige said: "It was so much fun to make. I laughed so much. It was long days, sometimes 16, 17-hour days. I was pregnant as hell, and I was having the time of my life. It’s funny, but it’s also got a very, very specific sociopolitical, economical—I mean, there’s so much commentary, but it’s fed to you in the most entertaining, fashionable, cunty way... Boots is just brilliant. Talk about a mind. We’re really lucky to be alive at the same time as Boots."Taylour Paige Had “Time Of My Life” Filming ‘I Love Boosters’ While “Pregnant As Hell”: “Lucky To Be Alive At The Same Time As Boots Riley”

Personal life From May 2019 to August 2021, Paige was in a relationship with actor Jesse Williams. On October 5, 2022, she married fashion designer Gary "Rivington Starchild" Angulo after sharing their engagement two weeks prior. She has one son, born in 2025.

Filmography Film YearTitleRoleNotes2008High School Musical 3: Senior YearDancer 2010Alex in Wonderland: Rehearsing WonderlandSchool GirlShort filmAlex in Wonderland: Interview with Debbie AllenShort film2011MousetrapMousetrap Keeper #4Short film2015TouchedGina2016Jean of the JonesesJean Jones2018White Boy RickCathy Volsan 2020Zola A'Ziah "Zola" King Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Dussie Mae 2021 Boogie Eleanor 2022 Sharp Stick Treina Also executive producer Another Country Mother Short film Mack & Rita Carla We Cry Together Whitney Alford Short film2023 Magazine Dreams Pink Coat Released theatrically in 2025 The Toxic Avenger J.J. Doherty 2024 Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F Jane Saunders Brothers Abby Munger-Jacobson The Trainer Bianca Slater 2026 I Love Boosters Mariah

Television YearTitleRoleNotes2004 That’s So RavenDancerCameo; episode: "The Road to Audition"2010Making of the Laker Girls Calendar 2011HerselfDocumentary20132013 Do Something AwardsHerselfTelevision special2013–2016Hit the FloorAhsha HayesMain role2013Hit the Floor AfterBuzz TVPanelistUnknown episodes2015BallersTheresa2 episodes2016Grey's AnatomyEmmaEpisode: "Falling Slowly" 2024 The Baxters Angela Manning 4 episodes 2025It: Welcome to DerryCharlotte Hanlon Main role

Music videos YearTitleRoleNotes2014"She Came to Give It to You"DancerUsher ft. Nicki Minaj2022"We Cry Together"Whitney AlfordKendrick Lamar ft. Paige

Discography Singles +List of singles, with year released, selected chart positions, and album name shown Title Year Peak chart positions Album US AUS CAN SWE WW "We Cry Together"(with Kendrick Lamar) 2022 16 19 22 96 20 Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Title Result 2021 Critics' Choice Movie Awards Best Acting Ensemble Ma Rainey's Black Bottom NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture Gotham Awards Outstanding Lead Performance Zola 2022 Black Reel Awards Outstanding Actress Outstanding Breakthrough Performance, Female Independent Spirit Awards Best Female Lead 2023 Grammy Awards Album of the Year (as featured artist) Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers 2026 Critics' Choice Super Awards Best Actress in a Horror Series It: Welcome to Derry

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