You probably know Brennen Taylor as the guy who used to rule Vine or the high-energy YouTuber exploring haunted houses. But honestly, if you look closer at his career, there’s this weirdly persistent gap between the "social media personality" and the actual, legit filmography he’s built over the years. Most people think he just picked up a camera in his bedroom and started screaming at ghosts.
That's not the whole story.
Brennen Taylor has actually been grinding in the traditional acting world for way longer than his YouTube subscribers might realize. We’re talking about a guy who didn’t just stumble into a movie; he fought for roles in everything from indie dramas to big-budget superhero flicks.
The Hollywood Grind: Brennen Taylor Movies and TV Shows You Likely Missed
It's kinda funny how we categorize people. To a certain generation, he’s just "Brennen from the Brennen Taylor Show." To a casting director in 2014, he was just another working actor in Los Angeles trying to book a guest spot.
One of the biggest surprises for casual fans is seeing him pop up in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014). He wasn't the lead, obviously—he played a Ravencroft Guard—but being on a set of that scale is a massive deal for any actor. It’s a far cry from the DIY aesthetics of his early internet sketches.
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Then you’ve got his role in Palo Alto (2013). This wasn't some cheesy teen flick. It was directed by Gia Coppola and based on James Franco’s short stories. It had this gritty, indie vibe that felt very "real" Hollywood. Brennen played the character Luke, and even though it was a supporting role, it placed him in the same orbit as Emma Roberts and Nat Wolff.
Breaking Down the Major Roles
If you’re looking for where he actually gets significant screen time, you have to look at the "influencer era" of film. This was a specific window of time where studios realized YouTubers had massive audiences and tried to pivot them into features.
- Alexander IRL (2017): This is probably his most "mainstream" lead role. He plays Mojo. It’s a classic teen comedy about a house party and trying to become "cool." It’s definitely "of its time," but Brennen’s comedic timing actually carries a lot of the weight.
- Shovel Buddies (2016): This one is actually surprisingly heavy. It’s about a group of friends trying to fulfill a dead friend’s last wish. Brennen played Toby. It premiered at SXSW, which, if you know anything about film festivals, is a pretty prestigious place to land.
- The Commute (2016-2017): A lot of people forget this was a scripted series on AwesomenessTV. He played Eric across multiple episodes. It was basically a long-form drama-comedy that felt like a digital-age version of a TV show.
The Reality of Being a "Hybrid" Actor
The industry is weird. Honestly, it’s harder than it looks to jump between being a "personality" and a "character." When you watch Brennen in something like Fort Brother or The Zeroes 2, you see him trying to shed the "Brennen" persona.
He’s also made the rounds on standard TV procedurals. Did you know he had a guest spot on Numb3rs? Or that he appeared in Veronica Mars? (Technically, there are two actors with very similar names—Brennen Taylor and Brennan Taylor—often confused in credits, but the influencer Brennen Taylor has focused heavily on the digital-native productions and specific indie features).
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Wait, let's clear that up because it's a common mess on IMDB.
The Brennen Taylor we know for "scary videos" and the "Trap House" is the one you'll see in Alexander IRL and Shovel Buddies. There is a New York-based actor named Brennan Taylor who has the Law & Order and The Blacklist credits. If you see a site telling you the YouTuber was in Law & Order, they’re basically just reading a database error. Our Brennen is the West Coast kid who turned Vine stardom into a production company.
Why the Transition to YouTube Happened
Around 2017, the traditional acting world started to feel a bit... slow? If you're an actor, you're always waiting for someone else to say "yes." You wait for the audition, you wait for the callback, you wait for the greenlight.
Brennen basically decided to say "yes" to himself.
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He leaned into the Brennen Taylor Show format. By creating his own content, he became the director, the star, and the editor. This wasn't just about "vlogging." If you watch his more cinematic horror adventures, you can see the acting background. The way he builds tension and reacts to "paranormal" events is very much a performance. It’s immersive.
He even took a swing at the reality-style TV format with Men of West Hollywood. It was a bit of a departure from his usual spooky content, but it showed his versatility—or at least his willingness to experiment with different types of "on-camera" work.
What's Next for Brennen's Film Career?
Lately, he’s been less about the "big screen" and more about the "phone screen." But that’s where the eyes are. The line between a "movie" and a high-budget YouTube series is blurring.
If you want to follow his career path today, don't look at the cinema listings. Look at how he's producing long-form narrative content on his own channels. He’s essentially bypassed the gatekeepers that he was trying to impress back in the Palo Alto days.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans and Researchers
- Verify the Credits: If you're looking him up on IMDB, make sure you aren't confusing him with the NYC-based Brennan Taylor. Look for the projects like Alexander IRL to confirm you have the right guy.
- Watch "Shovel Buddies": If you want to see his best actual acting work, this is the one. It’s a legit movie with heart, not just an "influencer project."
- Analyze the Horror Content: Watch his recent "investigation" videos with a critical eye. Notice the lighting, the pacing, and the "character" work. He’s using his film school-level knowledge to make those videos more engaging than your average vlog.
- Check Out "The Commute": It's still available on various digital platforms and shows his range in a scripted, romantic-comedy setting which is a huge contrast to his current "scary" brand.