Tamara Taylor
Encyclopedia
Tamara Taylor is a Canadian
television actress.
Born in Toronto
to a black Canadian
father and a Scottish Canadian
mother, her most famous role is that of Dr. Camille Saroyan, head of the Forensic Division, on the forensic crime drama Bones
. She also appeared in the CBS
medical drama 3 lbs
as Della and the UPN
series Sex, Love & Secrets
in the role of Nina, both of which were short-lived.
Taylor has made guest appearances on NCIS
, Numb3rs
, Lost
, CSI: Miami
, Without a Trace
, Party of Five
and Dawson's Creek
. In her feature film debut, Senseless
, she played Marlon Wayan's
love interest.She portrayed Debrah Simmons in the 2005 romantic-comedy Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Halle Barry's best friend in Introducing Dorothy Dandridge and had a brief role in Serenity
, the movie conclusion of the TV series Firefly
by Joss Whedon
. Through her part in Serenity, Taylor was able to audition for a show with actor David Boreanaz
, who had previously worked with Whedon in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel
. She also appeared in the TV series Lost
, as the former girlfriend of Michael and mother of Walt.
She first appeared in Bones
in the first episode of the second season, "The Titan on the Tracks
," portraying the character Dr. Camille Saroyan
. In the first six episodes of the season, she was credited as a guest star
because creator and writer Hart Hanson
had planned to kill her in episode six when Howard Epps, a recurring serial killer, poisoned her in order to create more tension and drama between the two main characters. However, the response to Cam was so strong that the writers offered her a position as a recurring regular in the show. Thus, in episode 7, "The Girl with the Curl," she was credited as a main character of the series and appeared in the title sequence.
with whom she appeared on Party of Five
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
television actress.
Born in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
to a black Canadian
Black Canadian
'Black Canadians is a designation used for people of Black African descent, who are citizens or permanent residents of Canada. The term specifically refers to Canadians with Sub-Saharan African ancestry. The majority of Black Canadians are of Caribbean origin...
father and a Scottish Canadian
Scottish Canadian
Scottish Canadians are people of Scottish descent or heritage living in Canada. As the third-largest ethnic group in Canada and among the first to settle in Canada, Scottish people have made a large impact on Canadian culture since colonial times...
mother, her most famous role is that of Dr. Camille Saroyan, head of the Forensic Division, on the forensic crime drama Bones
Bones (TV series)
Bones is an American crime drama television series that premiered on the Fox Network on September 13, 2005. The show is based on forensic anthropology and forensic archaeology, with each episode focusing on an FBI case file concerning the mystery behind human remains brought by FBI Special Agent...
. She also appeared in the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
medical drama 3 lbs
3 lbs
3 lbs is a drama that aired on CBS from November 14 to 28, 2006, replacing the cancelled series Smith. The show itself was then canceled three weeks later due to poor ratings....
as Della and the UPN
UPN
United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...
series Sex, Love & Secrets
Sex, Love & Secrets
Sex, Love & Secrets is a television series on UPN. It aired in North America during September and October 2005. The show was created by Michael Gans and Richard Register...
in the role of Nina, both of which were short-lived.
Taylor has made guest appearances on NCIS
NCIS (TV series)
NCIS, formerly known as NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service, is an American police procedural drama television series revolving around a fictional team of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which conducts criminal investigations involving the U.S...
, Numb3rs
NUMB3RS
Numb3rs is an American television drama which premiered on CBS on January 23, 2005, and concluded on March 12, 2010. The series was created by Nicolas Falacci and Cheryl Heuton, and follows FBI Special Agent Don Eppes and his mathematical genius brother, Charlie Eppes , who helps Don solve crimes...
, Lost
Lost (TV series)
Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island...
, CSI: Miami
CSI: Miami
CSI: Miami is an American police procedural television series, which premiered on September 23, 2002 on CBS. The series is a spin-off of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation....
, Without a Trace
Without a Trace
Without a Trace is an American television drama which originally ran on CBS from September 26, 2002 to May 19, 2009. The series was set in New York City and concerned a fictitious FBI Missing Persons Unit.-Premise:...
, Party of Five
Party of Five
Party of Five is an American teen drama television series that aired on Fox for six seasons, from September 12, 1994, until May 3, 2000.Critically acclaimed, the show suffered from low ratings and after its first season was slated for cancellation...
and Dawson's Creek
Dawson's Creek
Dawson's Creek is an American teen drama television series which debuted on January 20, 1998, on The WB Television Network and was produced by Sony Pictures Television. The show is set in the fictional seaside town of Capeside, Massachusetts, and in Boston, Massachusetts, during the later seasons...
. In her feature film debut, Senseless
Senseless
Senseless is a 1998 American comedy film directed by Penelope Spheeris and written by Greg Erb and Craig Mazin. The film stars Marlon Wayans, David Spade, and Matthew Lillard as college students.-Plot:...
, she played Marlon Wayan's
Marlon Wayans
Marlon L. Wayans is an American actor, model producer, comedian, writer, and director of movies, beginning with his role as a pedestrian in I'm Gonna Git You Sucka in 1988...
love interest.She portrayed Debrah Simmons in the 2005 romantic-comedy Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Halle Barry's best friend in Introducing Dorothy Dandridge and had a brief role in Serenity
Serenity (film)
Serenity is a 2005 space western film written and directed by Joss Whedon. It is a continuation of the short-lived 2002 Fox science fiction television series Firefly, taking place after the events of the final episode. Set in 2518, Serenity is the story of the captain and crew of a cargo ship...
, the movie conclusion of the TV series Firefly
Firefly (TV series)
Firefly is an American space western television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon, under his Mutant Enemy Productions label. Whedon served as executive producer, along with Tim Minear....
by Joss Whedon
Joss Whedon
Joseph Hill "Joss" Whedon is an American screenwriter, executive producer, director, comic book writer, occasional composer and actor, founder of Mutant Enemy Productions and co-creator of Bellwether Pictures...
. Through her part in Serenity, Taylor was able to audition for a show with actor David Boreanaz
David Boreanaz
David Boreanaz is an American actor, television producer, and director, known for his role as Angel on the supernatural drama series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, and as Special Agent Seeley Booth on the television crime drama Bones....
, who had previously worked with Whedon in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel
Angel (TV series)
Angel is an American television series, a spin-off of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The series was created by Buffys creator, Joss Whedon, in collaboration with David Greenwalt, and first aired on October 5, 1999...
. She also appeared in the TV series Lost
Lost (TV series)
Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island...
, as the former girlfriend of Michael and mother of Walt.
She first appeared in Bones
Bones (TV series)
Bones is an American crime drama television series that premiered on the Fox Network on September 13, 2005. The show is based on forensic anthropology and forensic archaeology, with each episode focusing on an FBI case file concerning the mystery behind human remains brought by FBI Special Agent...
in the first episode of the second season, "The Titan on the Tracks
The Titan on the Tracks
"The Titan on the Tracks" is the 23rd episode and the second season premiere of the American television series, Bones. Written by series creator Hart Hanson and directed by Tony Wharmby, the episode was first aired on August 30, 2006 on the FOX Network. The plot features the investigation of FBI...
," portraying the character Dr. Camille Saroyan
Camille Saroyan
Dr. Camille Saroyan, M.D. is a fictional character in the American television series, Bones. She is portrayed by Tamara Taylor. Camille was introduced as a forensic pathologist in The Titan on the Tracks, Season 2, Episode 1, as the head of the Forensic Division, a new division formed during the...
. In the first six episodes of the season, she was credited as a guest star
Guest appearance
In show business , a guest appearance is a participation of an outsider performer , usually called guest artist , in an event , i.e., the participation of a performer which does not belong to the regular crew In performance...
because creator and writer Hart Hanson
Hart Hanson
Hart Hanson is an American television writer and producer. Hanson's family moved to Canada when he was a child. He received a B.A. from the University of Toronto and a MFA from the University of British Columbia, where he taught briefly...
had planned to kill her in episode six when Howard Epps, a recurring serial killer, poisoned her in order to create more tension and drama between the two main characters. However, the response to Cam was so strong that the writers offered her a position as a recurring regular in the show. Thus, in episode 7, "The Girl with the Curl," she was credited as a main character of the series and appeared in the title sequence.
Trivia
Tamara is a second cousin to Neve CampbellNeve Campbell
Neve Adrianne Campbell is a Canadian actress. After beginning her career on stage, and on numerous commercials, she starred on the Canadian television series Catwalk. She then rose to international fame on the Golden Globe-winning 1990s television series Party of Five, playing the role of teenager...
with whom she appeared on Party of Five
Party of Five
Party of Five is an American teen drama television series that aired on Fox for six seasons, from September 12, 1994, until May 3, 2000.Critically acclaimed, the show suffered from low ratings and after its first season was slated for cancellation...
.