Teyana Taylor Transitions to Feature Film Directing With Upcoming Project Get Lite
Multi-hyphenate artist Teyana Taylor is currently directing her first feature-length film, Get Lite, following a period of significant critical acclaim in Hollywood. According to Allure, the 35-year-old actor-singer is leveraging her experience from previous music video production and culinary education to lead her own production company, The Aunties, through the 2027 theatrical release.
Context from Industry Pulse
Taylor’s transition into directing reflects a broader industry movement where established performers leverage critical accolades to secure creative autonomy. Her recent Oscar nomination and Golden Globe win provided the necessary industry capital to move from self-directed music videos to feature-length narratives. This shift coincides with a period of intense productivity for the artist, including a 2025 Grammy-nominated album and recurring television roles. By establishing her own production company, Taylor joins a growing segment of talent who prioritize ownership and cross-disciplinary skills, such as her culinary training, to differentiate their leadership style in a competitive Hollywood landscape.
Taylor is currently filming on location in Manhattan for her directorial debut, a project centered on a dance student in New York City. The production marks a significant shift for the artist, who established her production company The Aunties to manage her creative output. According to Allure, the film has been in development since 2022, following Taylor’s departure from her music career and her transition into high-profile dramatic acting roles.
Her move behind the camera follows a series of professional milestones, including a Golden Globe win for Best Supporting Actress and an Oscar nomination for her work in the film One Battle After Another. Allure reports that Taylor utilized her time on previous film sets to study the technical aspects of production, observing assistant directors and directors of photography to prepare for her own transition into leadership. This education was supplemented by her 2025 enrollment in culinary school, where she adopted a management philosophy focused on being a collaborative leader rather than a traditional boss.
The director's current schedule includes finishing the second season of a legal drama series and promoting a 2025 Grammy-nominated album titled Escape Room. Despite the heavy workload, Taylor remains focused on maintaining total creative control over her projects. Allure notes that her approach involves being present for every administrative and artistic approval, from early morning setup to late-night wrap calls.
Taylor’s creative roots trace back to her childhood in Harlem, where she initially practiced performance by mimicking Michael Jackson videos. Her professional evolution from a performer to a director is described as a natural progression of her innate hustle and a longstanding desire to oversee the visual execution of her work. The upcoming film is expected to reach theaters in 2027, representing the culmination of her multi-decade career in the entertainment industry.
The Industry Pulse Bottom Line
Teyana Taylor’s move into feature directing highlights the value of multi-hyphenate versatility, as she uses critical acting success to pivot toward production ownership and long-term creative control.