Taylor Ball is "Standing" Taller

Cute Texas-born actor Taylor Ball of TV's popular sitcom "Still Standing" just turned seventeen and he's lovin' it. He started out three seasons ago playing teen son Brian Miller, a geekish computer nerd on the show but is emerging as a hottie. He's been spreading his acting wings doing improv on George Clooney's HBO series "Unscripted" which is about a group of acting students. We learned that the actor spends spare time listening to any kind of music "with a badass guitar!" and would love to find time to form a band of his own.

We caught up with Tay or "Tay Tay" as some of his friends call him, right before he had to go to the "Still Standing" set one morning. Tune in....

TeenHollywood: You just had a birthday. What did you do?

Taylor: I went back to Texas for a couple weeks. We actually moved into a new house which has 21 acres. It's a huge house. I love it.

TeenHollywood: So you spend part of your year back there?

Taylor: Yeah, I still consider that home. Almost every break I get I usually go back there.

TeenHollywood: What are the differences between the more laid back Texas lifestyle and Hollywood?

Taylor: I think the people are somewhat nicer down south, and it's a lot less crowded. I grew up in a town called Akton which is 4,000 people max and now it's grown so much it's probably about 10,000 people in 3 years. So all the people in Dallas and Fort Worth are moving down there.

TeenHollywood: Are your parents anything like the parents you have on the show "Still Standing", kind of still trying to be cool?

Taylor: Well, they weren't radicals. I guess my Mom was a little wild like that but I'm not really sure about my Dad. My parents got divorced when I was two.

TeenHollywood: A lot of teens can relate to that. Do you have any secrets on how to deal with your parents, or your Mom?

Taylor: I would honestly say be honest about absolutely everything because there's really no use lying. I can talk to her about absolutely anything so it makes it a lot easier to talk to her about really difficult stuff and there's really no reason not to have a relationship with your Mom. All my friends are like, "Dude why'd you tell your Mom that?" But it's really the smartest thing to do because....

TeenHollywood: They're going to find out?

Taylor: Yeah. They're going to find out anyways.

TeenHollywood: Are you a computer nut like your character?

Taylor: I do own a computer, but I'm definitely not a computer nerd. I'm definitely an X-box and Playstation 2 nerd.

TeenHollywood: Talk about your part on "Unscripted". Is that finished, or still going on?

Taylor: I think I've only done four episodes now, and it's the easiest job I've ever done because it's all improv. I can literally go there and finish all the stuff I need to do in an hour and then leave.

TeenHollywood: Do you find that "Unscripted" is more fun as compared to your other show? Doesn't doing improv make you nervous?

Taylor: Yeah, yeah. I guess it made me kind of nervous but it's something that I have always wanted to do. It's really easy to adapt to because when you're doing a sitcom and you stray away from the lines they are like "no, no". it's very strictly scripted. When I went and did the "Unscripted" thing with George Clooney, I could say anything I wanted and it was kind of nice.

TeenHollywood: You went to New Zealand earlier in your career for a part in the Disney TV movie called "Eddie's Million Dollar Cook Off". Was New Zealand really cool? Did you get to interact with any of the teens down there?

Taylor: Yeah, there was a bunch of kids in the movie because it was about an entire baseball team. And I actually made some friends down there too.

TeenHollywood: Do you still talk to them?

Taylor: Yeah but only by the Internet because to call them is like three dollars a minute. There's like a twenty-eight hour difference. That could of quite possibly been one of the coolest trips that I've ever been on.

TeenHollywood: Talk me through a typical day for you on the set.

Taylor: I wake up around 7:30, get ready by about 8:30, then I go to the set at 9. I do school usually from 9 to 12, and then we rehearse and I do school in between scenes. We usually get done around four and then I do more school from 4 to 6 and then I go home and do tutoring from 7 to 9 on different subjects. Then I basically go to bed. I basically have no life. I actually have tutoring on Saturday and Sunday too.

TeenHollywood: Do you think that you will regret it?

Taylor: No but it would be nice to be able to socialize somewhat.

TeenHollywood: So do you still like techno music?

Taylor: I listen to everything. I'll go out and buy a rap CD or a techno CD but my favorite thing to listen to right now is anything with badass guitar. I started taking lessons last year but I've been playing for four years. I think it's better to learn things yourself, then the lessons will be so much easier.

TeenHollywood: So do you compose your own riffs on that? Do you have a band or want to get a band together?

Taylor: I think that would probably be my dream to be in a band. I really don't know anyone else who is a musician down here. The only people I can meet are the ones that are on my show.

TeenHollywood: What's on your playlist?

Taylor: I have everything. I love System of a Down and I love Every Time I Die. I love Meshuga. I love Lamb of God.

TeenHollywood: Do you want to direct TV one day?

Taylor: I think everyone should at least try. I would rather direct than act I think. Directing is my dream. There are other people to help you do your job, so as long as you focus on making something good that will come through.

TeenHollywood: You used to practice Aikido in Texas. Do you think that you would like to play a superhero in one of these cartoon action films?

Taylor: Oh Yeah! That'd be pretty cool.

TeenHollywood: What qualities does a girl have to have, if you are going to date her?

Taylor: They have to know when I'm joking and have a really good sense of humor. I joke around a lot. I've had so many girls get mad at me because they think I'm offending them and I'm like "oh no, I didn't mean that." and they've gotta be hot.

TeenHollywood: What would be your ideal date?

Taylor: Can I tell you an actual date?

TeenHollywood: Sure, that would be great.

Taylor: Last Valentine's Day me, and my ex-girlfriend now, rented a limo. I bought her two dozen pink roses, because they were her favorite, and we went to Maru Sushi. Then we went to some chocolate factory because a couple of her friends worked there and she wanted to visit them. Then we went back home and watched Just Married because that was her favorite movie and then I dropped her off.

TeenHollywood: Cool! So is there someone that your seeing right now?

Taylor: Well, I'm not seeing anyone but there's probably a hundred girls that I'd like to go out with.

TeenHollywood: What was the best advice you ever got and who gave it to you?

Taylor: My Mom. She said that you just can't care what other people think because then they're running your life.

Taylor: How do you and Renee (Olstead) from your show get along? Like brother and sister?

Taylor: The first year it was kind of weird meeting everybody because you're really not sure who they really are. But now I get along with everybody on set. They've seen me laugh, they've seen me cry, they know more about me than most of my friends.

TeenHollywood: What is your favorite movie of all time?

Taylor: It might not be my favorite movie but I think that it is the most brilliantly directed movie and the score and everything, I think Requiem for a Dream.

TeenHollywood: What is your favorite movie from just this past year?

Taylor: Maybe The Life Aquatic, that was the funniest movie I've ever seen.

TeenHollywood: What would you like to say to your fans?

Taylor: Thank you for supporting me. I know that everyone says that it wouldn't be possible without you but it really wouldn't. If no one liked you then you wouldn't be on TV.

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Lynn Barker is a Hollywood-based entertainment journalist and produced screenwriter.