Femi Taylor

{{short description|Nigerian-born British dancer and actress (born 1961)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox person | name = Femi Taylor | image = Feminew.jpg | caption = Taylor in 2018 | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1961|4|8|df=y}} | birth_place = Nigeria | death_date = | death_place = | occupation = Actress, dancer | years_active = 1979–present | spouse = Claus Skytte | children = 2 | relatives = }} '''Femi Taylor''' {{Audio|Yo-Femi Taylor.ogg|Listen|help=no}} (born 8 April 1961) is a Nigerian-born British dancer and actress, best known for portraying Jabba the Hutt's Twi'lek slave dancer Oola in the 1983 motion picture ''Return of the Jedi''.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/starwarsvsstartr0000forb |url-access=registration|quote=Femi Taylor actress.|title=Star Wars vs. Star Trek: Could the Empire kick the Federation's ass? And other galaxy-shaking enigmas|author=Matt Forbeck|publisher=Adams Media|year=2011|isbn=9781440525773|page=[https://archive.org/details/starwarsvsstartr0000forb/page/34 34]}}</ref>

She is the sister of Benedict Taylor.

==Career==

Taylor portrayed the slave dancer Oola in ''Return of the Jedi'', the last film of the original trilogy. She reprised the part fourteen years later, filming new scenes for the 1997 Special Edition release, and was the only performer from the original to do so. Because of this role, she appears at science fiction and ''Star Wars'' conventions around the world.

Taylor was cast as Tantomile in the 1981 original London production of the musical ''Cats'', during which she learned she had been cast as Oola for ''Return of the Jedi.'' She appeared in the 1998 TV movie version of ''Cats'' as Exotica, a character that was created specially for her and exclusively for the film.

==Personal life== Taylor lives in Odense, Denmark, has two children and is married to Claus Skytte.<ref>{{cite web |title=Star Wars-stjerne bor i Odense: - Det er utroligt, at rollen har ført mig til Japan, Hawaii, Rusland og Europa |url=https://ugeavisen.dk/skibhusavisen/artikel/star-wars-stjerne-bor-i-odense-det-er-utroligt-hvor-det-har-taget-mig-hen-japan-hawaii-moskva-europa |website=ugeavisen.dk |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20211102043723/https://ugeavisen.dk/skibhusavisen/artikel/star-wars-stjerne-bor-i-odense-det-er-utroligt-hvor-det-har-taget-mig-hen-japan-hawaii-moskva-europa |archive-date=2 November 2021 |language=da |date=1 November 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref>

==Filmography== ===Film=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year !! Title !! Role !! Notes |- | 1980 || ''The Apple'' || Dancer || |- | 1983 || ''Return of the Jedi'' || Oola || |- | 1987 || ''Playing Away'' || Masie || |- | 1990 || ''A Kink in the Picasso'' || Nadia || |- | 1991 || ''Flirting'' || Letitia Adjewa || |- |1997 |''Return of the Jedi: Special Edition'' |Oola | Featuring newly recorded footage specifically for this version. |- | 1998 || ''Cats'' || Exotica || |- |}

===Television=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year !! Title !! Role !! Notes |- | 1984 || ''Miracles Take Longer'' || Tracy Benedict || 2 episodes |- | rowspan="2"| 1986 | ''The Bill'' || Nurse || Episode: ''Loan Shark'' |- | ''ScreenPlay'' || Linda || Episode: ''Drums Along Balmoral Drive'' |- |}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{wikiquote}} *{{IMDb name|id=0852361|name=Femi Taylor}} *[http://www.theforce.net/jedicouncil/interview/femitaylor.asp TheForce.Net] - Interview with Femi Taylor *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4abWmV_3Ic&vl=da 2021 interview]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Taylor, Femi}} Category:1961 births Category:Living people Category:British film actresses Category:English female dancers Category:Nigerian female dancers Category:Nigerian dancers Category:Place of birth missing (living people) Category:Nigerian emigrants to the United Kingdom Category:British expatriate dancers in Denmark Category:British emigrants to Denmark Category:Yoruba actresses Category:20th-century British actresses Category:Black British actresses Category:20th-century English women Category:20th-century English people Category:Nigerian film actresses