Taj Cross, a name that has gained meaning and acknowledgment in the world of showbiz, was born on 11th February 2004 in Venice, California, USA. He was born to Christena Karras, an interior designer and stage artist, and Jake Cross. Taj had the privilege of growing up with his elder sister Camille Cross and was always surrounded by art, which influenced his decision to become an artist.
His mother, Christena, established Studio Karras, an interior design studio situated in Venice, California. Taj’s parents separated when he was a young boy, and his mother later remarried CJ Bonura. However, in spite of the changes in his family environment, Taj Cross remained very attached to his family: he resided with his mother, stepfather, and sister in Venice, California.
Discovering a Passion for Acting
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The transformation of Taj Cross as an actor was not something that began with a clear and straight path. At first, he was more into sports and he was engaged in three different sports in a day and many leagues. Yet, a string of injuries prevented him from engaging in sports any further.
At some point in this break, a friend took him to a musical theater class that became a significant moment in his life. And that is when Taj immediately got hooked on acting and wanted to do it more seriously. By the time he had reached the fifth grade of his school, he had become more and more inclined to the field of performing arts.
Education and Training
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Taj Cross decided to take professional acting training and professional dance training. He took his acting classes in various esteemed places like Grey Studios, Second City, Margie Haber Studio, Ruskin Group Theatre Company, DC Dance Centre, and many more.
These exposures not only helped him enhance his knowledge and expertise but also offered him opportunities to attain professional contacts and exposure. Finally, in June 2019, Taj was officially released from high school, equipped with essential theoretical knowledge and practical skills to start her acting career in a professional environment.
Breakthrough Role in PEN15
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Taj Cross began his acting career in 2019 at the young age of fifteen, when he was cast as Sam in Hulu’s Comedy series PEN15. Developed by Maya Erskine, Anna Konkle, and Sam Zvibleman, the show represents a cringe comedy that portrays the crazy adventures of middle school teenagers.
Taj Cross got a warm reception for his portrayal of Sam, the youthful student struggling to understand the rough phase of adolescence. He was able to explore the qualities of the character as being harmless and helpless, and this endeared him to a lot of people.
Further Success in Young Rock
After PEN15, Taj was cast in the NBC adaptation series Young Rock, where he portrayed Gabe, the high school companion to a young Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson actor Bradley Constant. The chance to present the real-life story of Dwayne Johnson from childhood to the level of superstar allowed Taj to reveal different facets of his acting talent.
This was successfully portrayed through Gabe and showed new facets of his acting career by displaying both charm and relatability in his character.
Influences and Inspirations
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The passion that Taj had for superheroes cannot be underestimated when considering his progression as an actor. When he was growing up, he used to like Spiderman and Batman as his favorite superheroes. He imagined having powers like Spiderman, leaping from building to building and putting on the suit in style. However, it was Heath Ledger in the recently released The Dark Knight as the Joker who made Taj decide to be an actor.
He was enthralled by Ledger and thought that the role was this generation’s pinnacle of method acting. Another actor who has inspired Taj is Timothée Chalamet, performances of whom Taj calls inspiring and motivating at the same time.
Hobbies and Personal Interests
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Taj Cross has an active profile outside of acting, and he has many hobbies that he enjoys and that help him stay sane. He has mentioned that skateboarding is one of his favorite activities. To him, skateboarding is always a kind of emancipating activity that enables him to release the bad energy and be free.
Either way, whether he is with friends or alone, he tends to make those moments and leave them with him. Moreover, Taj loves music. He is a big fan of music and listens to his favourite tracks 24/7 or finds new tracks and new singers. He has a total of 16 playlists on Spotify and a list of songs that are more than 10 hours long that he listens to often.
Memorable Experiences and Fun Facts
However, Taj’s name has a more interesting origin than many people’s since it is a name that is not simply given in most countries. He was named after the singer Taj Mahal, with whom his parents listened a lot. Looking at his childhood memories, Taj has several memorable events that had an impact on his personality and preferences. For example, when he was six, he got a Harry Potter wand and used to believe he was a real wizard. He and a friend once tried to practice the wizard ability for the whole day but never achieved success at any point. Self-creativity, free-thinking, and an adventurous attitude are some things that Taj has taken with him in his acting profession.
During his time in Australia filming Young Rock, Taj Cross and his castmates Bradley Constant and Lexi Duncan watched the entire Harry Potter series together. They used the last movie they watched during the last night in Australia as a symbol of the end of working on the show, which gave a rather emotional note to their performance. Taj also admitted that the first and only experience he had when encountering celebrities was with none other than Tom Hanks at a diner when Taj was just seven years old. He and his sister went up to Hanks and asked him to do his Woody voice from Toy Story, to which Hanks laughed and said, “I AM doing my Woody impression.”
Dream Roles and Future Aspirations
Taj Cross now has specific concepts regarding the directions he wants to follow as an actor in the future. He dreams of doing roles quite in a contrary to his personality to test his versatility and to explore beyond his talent. He also stated that he would love to join the “Breaking Bad” show, but he knows that it’s no longer possible, as the show has already ended. Also, Taj is a big fan of “The Mandalorian” series and dreams of becoming a part of the Star Wars series one day.
Favorite Shows, Movies, and More
As with the previous points, Taj Cross does not limit herself to any specific genre when it comes to entertainment. The comfort-binge show he enjoys is “That ’70s Show.” Taj claimed he watched all seasons of the show four times each consecutively before the show was pulled from Netflix. He assumed that if it had not been taken away, he would sit in front of it for the remainder of his time.
His favorite movie is ‘Ice Age’, and he thinks it is a fabulous movie that everyone should watch. His likes include books, with his favorite one being “Catcher in the Rye,” and his musical favorite is “Hamilton”. In music, Taj Cross has quite an array of artists that he likes, including Surf Curse, which is a punk rock band, rap artist, MF Doom, Post Malone, Minnow Mac Miller, Frank Ocean, and A$AP Rocky.
Current Projects and Ongoing Career
Taj Cross is currently enjoying a successful career and is still working on new projects as well as experimenting with different aspects of his profession as an actor. The opportunity to play Gabe in Young Rock has actually added value to his potential as an actor with the ability to undertake different characters.
Despite the type of role he has been getting over the years, Taj has not relented in the desire to get better and serve the industry at his best by taking risky characters that challenge his acting prowess. The commitment he has shown towards his work, as well as his passion for acting, is reflected well in his every single performance; it makes him a prospective actor to look forward to in the next few years.
Conclusion
Taj Cross’s transformation from a sport-loving youth to a talented actor in the entertainment sector shows the spirit, ability, and love he acquired for the performing arts. In an incredibly competitive industry, Taj has built a fulfilling career in acting and dancing, backed by strong technique, world-renowned role models, and family encouragement.
His specific experiences and hobbies, combined with his passion for acting, make him a role model for young actors and ordinary viewers. While Taj Cross is still pursuing his career and searching for new opportunities, he will always make his contribution to the entertainment industry as a dedicated actor and master of various roles.
