Atlanta Film and TV is grateful to honor our friend and colleague, Ben Taylor aka The Commercial King as our Honorary Atlanta Mover and Shaker. Below are a few quotes from those who shared in his memory.
“I am so grateful I got to know Ben Taylor. He and I became self-tape buddies in 202, and he helped me get my studio room operational, by showing me how to get a full body shot. Ben was a true gem of a man. Kind, dependable, resourceful, smart, and fun. I’m sure going to miss you friend. Rest in Peace.” #TheCommercialKing - Thea Johnson
“I was honored to work with Ben once this year, just a few months ago. What an amazing human being. So genuine and supportive! We must have laughed the entire time of filming. I will miss him so much!” - Robin Piacine
“I would like to say something about Ben Taylor. I not only worked with Ben but went to the same gym to work out. Ben was a reserved man who sat and watched people he worked with staying to himself until he had assessed that they were there to work and give it their all. He didn't associate with people who talked on set or goofed off. He put a great distance between himself and those type of people. He would watch quietly while they were setting up for another shot. If you tried to talk to him on set he would sush you because he understood from the beginning that was what production needed. His work ethic was impeccable!
Another really good quality is he didn't gossip or talk bad about anyone. If he thought bad things you never knew it. I have a great amount of respect for anyone who doesn't get caught up in the BS of it all and excels with his type of work ethic.
I wish I had a chance to work one more time with Ben to tell him his ways were the ways I try to mirror on set. Unfortunately for me since I spend so much time at home alone I tend to be too in the mix and overly excited on set but Ben would let me if that started to happen.”
-Tameko Wood
“I met Ben when we were cast in Fatal Attraction Season 9 Episode 18 together. He had a smile that lit up every room and was a joy to work with. Even after that day, he was a major encourager, very professional and talented guy. I'm mad I never got to partake in Ben's Bistro.
I'll miss you my friend. Rest well #Commercial King - Connie McCracklin
“My husband and I had the opportunity to sit with Ben and his wife, Mary at an Oscars viewing party in 2015. Ben was the life of the party, and it was a joy watching him enjoy life.”
- Mandisa A. Johnson, Atlanta Film and TV
“Ben always had a smile that no one could ever not smile back at. Was a man that stood for the good things in life and respected all people in the film world. I will truly miss our talks, hugs, and being able to stand beside him.” - Andrea Maiuro
“I had the privilege of working with Ben Taylor on NUMEROUS movies & TV Shows. He was one of the finest men I’ve worked with in all the years I’ve been in the film industry.”
- Sharon Frank
“ I was blessed to be a background actor with Ben on several projects. He was definitely a very kind, helpful and spiritual person.” - Sophia Johnson
“I am so heartbroken for the loss of my friend Ben. He was my commercial lifestyle husband and we were inseparable. Ben was truly a remarkable person so full of life. He would be aesthetic about being honored as an Atlanta Mover and Shaker in the movie industry. I will miss him and his smile.” - Shawn Polite Bledsoe
“My film comrade, Ben Taylor…..
I’ve known & worked with him for 5 years. We began as fellow background actors on the set of Bounce TV’s “Saints & Sinners.” We were cast as inmates placed in a lineup along with main character Rex Fisher (Clifton Powell) in the 1st season of OWN’s series “Greenleaf”. We’ve worked on numerous films, tv shows and a few commercials and music videos since. Last project we worked together on was a music video for a local Trap music rap group “EarthGang” ….. we both declared that from that point on, we were gonna step out on faith by drifting away from background extra work and elevate ourselves into principal actor work.
He and I took classes together from actor & coach Michael H. Cole. Funny story. Ben, the other students and I were all given a scene to act out in an audition training exercises..... the script had profanity words in it...... dude was so disciplined how he carried himself as a Christian he REFUSED to utter those words..... so on his video audition homework assignment.....he replaced words that were on the script like damn for "darn", f$#ing for "frickin" hell for "heck" s*$t for "shoot" ......he was the only one in the class who did this on his practice audition tape.....we were all in tears crackin up watching his audition tape..... but what's crazy is ..... it was a great audition tape...... I mean you still felt the presence of the character he portrayed.
Another fun memory is for two straight years (2018 & 2019) he, fellow actor Greg Lockett and I all shared grilling duties at our annual Colorful Backgrounders ‘Stone Soul Cookout’….. he was on the chicken, Greg and I were on the ribs and we all shared responsibility of tbs beef and vegan burgers. Super fun times!
One of his last written messages to me last January for my birthday epitomizes the kind a person he was (as all of us who knew and worked with him identified him as)
B - Believer
E - Encourager
N - Nurturer
We all as actors & friends of Ben have pledged to embrace a hashtag we created in his honor & memory ….#BeLikeBEN” - M.V. Oliphant
“Ben’s energy was immeasurable. Ben was more than a blessing to me. And I am so saddened I won’t be able to connect with him in this physical realm anymore. I am grateful to have encountered his light every time. To say he will be missed is an understatement.”
- Olethia Flowers
“I was one of Ben’s set wives. He called me wife number 2. See, Ben was a shining star and there were many lady’s within a particular age group who wanted to have an opportunity to work on set with Ben. So, it was an honor to be his second set wife.
Thank you so much from the bottom of my broken heart for honoring such an amazing soul. He was always helping other fellow actors developing their craft and was an awesome human being. I always told him that he had a million dollar smile. Ben is a soul gone too soon. He was making his way up in the commercial and print space. His name is The Commercial King.” - Chandra Gaines
“Ben was just an all around amazing guy and a beautiful soul. He will truly be missed.”
- Kim Johnson
“Ben will be missed so much because he was just everything to us.”
- Shermaine Marshall