Taylor Handley in ‘Mayor of Kingstown.’ Photo Credit: Dennis P. Mong Jr., Paramount+
Actor Taylor Handley chatted about “Mayor of Kingstown” Season 3 on Paramount+, and being a part of “Griselda” on Netflix.
‘Mayor of Kingstown’ Season 3
On being a part of Season 3, he said, “We are very, very proud of it. The team is a well-oiled machine, all the episodes are terrific, and the cast is fantastic.”
“Our crew is incredible, and it is such a joy to work on the show, even though the story is so crazy. We sure do have a lot of fun, and we really enjoy making the premium content,” he elaborated.
Playing Kyle in ‘Mayor of Kingstown’
On playing Kyle, he said with a sweet laugh, “My character, Kyle, seems to have a pretty high body count on the show. We are always joking about it with my family and friends.”
“Kyle sure has a lot of bodies stocking up throughout the seasons, and wherever he goes, someone is dying. This show keeps me on my toes. We have such a great team put together by Taylor Sheridan and Hugh Dillon,” he said.
“Lately, my character has baby Mitch on the show, and it has been a lot of fun working on that storyline,” he noted.
“Mitch is a nice little piece of light in the darkness of Kingstown,” he admitted.
“It gives the audience some time to breathe, and babies are always very hopeful, and hopefully, the characters can step up to be better people. Kyle and his wife are really trying. Babies make you see things through a whole new lens,” he elaborated.
“The caliber of the filmmaking and the caliber of the writing is everything I’ve worked towards my entire career,” he acknowledged. “Getting to perform at the level that is necessary to bring this story to life in the most truthful and authentic way is what I like the most about it.”
“I’ve been a professional actor for 27 years, ever since I was 13. So, being able to actually perform at that level is really what I like the most about playing Kyle,” he added.
Working with Jeremy Renner
Handley portrays Kyle McLusky, who is the youngest McLusky son, and the on-screen brother of Mike McLusky (played by Oscar nominee Jeremy Renner).
“Jeremy is great, and he is a very giving actor. I love working with him; he is a great dude. Jeremy came back a year after his accident, and he really felt the support of the producers, the creators, the cast, and the crew and it was so inspiring to watch his work,” he said.
“Jeremy is so inspiring and very gracious,” Handley expressed. “I’ve really enjoyed working with him the last couple of seasons. He shows up, he is on time, he knows his line and he is nice to everyone. Jeremy wants to elevate the material for the good of the story.”
“I have also enjoyed listening to Jeremy Renner’s songs,” Handley said. “His song ‘Wait’ and the video really hit the heartstrings.”
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, he said, “Expansion.” “This is expansion time,” he admitted.
Future plans and projects
On his future projects, Handley said, “I have a couple of fun things in development right now… everything from writing to directing my own content. Also, producing some unscripted things. My next couple of years are all about expansion.”
Superpower of choice
If he were to have any superpower, it would be “to teleport.” “My superpower never changes,” he said with a sweet laugh. “That would save me time, and it would be fast. I would love to play a character that teleports… Maybe I would write something about that.”
‘Griselda’ on Netflix
Handley also opened up about his role as Billy Jensen in “Griselda” on Netflix.
“What a show! ‘Grisela’ was incredible. It came out this year, and it went No. 1 in 90 countries. I loved it,” he exclaimed.
“Director Andres Baiz was the captain of our ship, and it was led by Sofia Vergara, who did a phenomenal job. Sofia should get an Emmy for that because she was fantastic,” he said.
“Andres shoots gunfights so well, and he puts you in the driver’s seat for those. I love working with Andres; I want to work with him forever,” he noted.
“My scene partner, Juliana Aiden Martinez, was something else too… she really brought some weight to the character! I loved how Andres worked, and it felt very collaborative. The whole process was excellent filmmaking,” he added.
Closing thoughts on ‘Mayor of Kingstown’ Season 3
For fans and viewers, Handley remarked about “Mayor of Kingstown” Season 3, “Just keep watching because it gets better and better, and fingers crossed for a Season 4. So far, things are looking good for it.”
To learn more about Taylor Handley, follow him on Instagram.