Taylor Olson is a Canadian actor, writer and filmmaker from Halifax, Nova Scotia.Morgan Mullin, "Trapped inside a Bone Cage" . The Coast, September 22, 2020. He is best known as the director, writer and lead actor of the 2020 film Bone Cage, for which he was a Canadian Screen Award nominee for Best Adapted Screenplay at the 9th Canadian Screen Awards.Brent Furdyk, "Canadian Screen Awards Announces 2021 Film Nominations". ET Canada, March 30, 2021.
Early life and education
Before moving to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Taylor Olson was born in Masset, British Columbia. Olson attended Dalhousie University's Fountain School of Performing Arts. He graduated in 2014, with a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Theatre (Acting). While at the Fountain School, Olson was one of two recipients of the 2012 Andrew and David Stitt Memorial Prize.
Career
Olson has appeared in over 70 films and television shows, and has had supporting or guest roles in the television series Pure, Sex & Violence, Mr. D, Diggstown, Trailer Park Boys, and This Hour Has 22 Minutes, as well as films including Black Cop, Hopeless Romantic, Spinster, Tin Can and Dawn, Her Dad and the Tractor, and the web series I Am Syd Stone.
He has also performed in stage roles in Halifax, including in a 2017 production of Catherine Banks's original theatrical version of Bone Cage, Neptune Theatre's world premiere of Controlled Damage, and Daniel MacIvor's solo play Monster, for which he was nominated for a Theatre Nova Scotia Robert Merritt Awards for Outstanding Lead Performance, 2020, as well as won Best Actor, Best Drama, EFT's Upstage Award and Best Solo Show at the Halifax Fringe Festival, 2019.
In 2022, Olson co-created, co-wrote, and directed the comedy series King & Pawn for BellFibeTV1.Mark Robins, "Finding Family at King & Pawn". Halifax Presents, July 19, 2022. In 2023, the series was renewed for a second season.Morgan Mullin, "Trailer Park Boys wrap and pawnshop guy comes back in this week's film news". The Coast, May 3, 2023. In 2023, Olson was cast in the comedy series O'Don's, also for FibeTV1. He plays Matt, one of the chefs at the titular Irish pub. The series premiered on January 15, 2024 with a five-episode first season. A second season was renewed, with production starting in January 2025.
His sophomore feature film Look at Me had its premiere at the 2024 Slamdance Film Festival.Taimur Sikander Mirza, "Taylor Olson’s Look At Me to world premiere at Slamdance". Playback, December 5, 2023.
His third feature film, What We Dreamed of Then, is slated to premiere at the 2025 Atlantic International Film Festival.Kelly Townsend, "AIFF unveils four Atlantic features as world premieres for 45th festival". Playback, July 23, 2025. In the same year he debuted the short-run TV1 comedy series Hey Halifax, Hello! Today!.Katie Kelly, "‘Hey Halifax Hello! Today!’: New comedy series leans heavily into ‘so bad it’s good’ humour". CTV Atlantic, September 3, 2025.
Awards
Year Award Category Film/play Result2017ACTRA Maritime AwardsOutstanding Male Actor in a Leading RoleHustle & Heart2017ACTRA Maritime AwardsOutstanding Male Actor in a Leading RoleAriyah & Tristan's Inevitable Break-Up2018ACTRA Maritime AwardsOutstanding Male Actor in a Leading RoleCut2019ACTRA Maritime Awards Outstanding Male Actor in a Supporting RoleHopeless Romantic2020ACTRA Maritime Awards Outstanding Male Actor in a Leading RoleMasc2020ACTRA Maritime Awards Outstanding Male Actor in a Leading RoleYou Too, Chuckles2020ACTRA Maritime Awards Outstanding Male Actor in a Leading RoleBad Morning2021ACTRA Maritime AwardsOutstanding Performance Bone Cage2021ACTRA Maritime AwardsOutstanding Performance Inceldom20219th Canadian Screen AwardsBest Adapted ScreenplayBone Cage2022ACTRA Maritime AwardsOutstanding Performance I Hate You2023ACTRA Maritime AwardsOutstanding Performance Bystanders202513th Canadian Screen AwardsBest Lead Performance in a Comedy Film Look at Me202614th Canadian Screen AwardsCanadian Screen Award for Best Sketch Comedy Series & Ensemble Performance Hey Halifax, Hello! Today!202614th Canadian Screen AwardsCanadian Screen Award for Best Direction, Variety or Sketch Comedy Hey Halifax, Hello! Today!
References
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