If you thought a long-distance relationship between Elle and Noah was already going to be complicated, it's getting even messier in The Kissing Booth 2 [1] when new student Marco enters the picture. Played by Taylor Zakhar Perez, Marco shows up as the cute new guy at school who Lee and Elle work to secure for their latest edition of the kissing booth [2].
Will Noah and Elle make it work while he's off at Harvard [3]? Will Elle fall for their latest kissing booth recruit? You'll have to watch the Netflix sequel to find out just what happens with the new love triangle [4], but in the meantime, read on to get to know more about Perez!
He Started His Career in Modelling and Musical Theatre
Before he pursued his acting career in Los Angeles, Perez started out in the industry by modelling and performing in community theatre while growing up in Indiana.
He's Had Guest-Starring Roles on Scandal and Young & Hungry
After working in modelling and community theatre in the Midwest, Taylor headed to Los Angeles to attend UCLA. While playing Marco in The Kissing Booth [6] 2 is his first starring role, he's had a few guest-starring spots on American TV shows like Young & Hungry (opposite Hannah Montana star Emily Osment), the limited series Embeds, CBS' Code Black series, and Scandal.
He Really Can Sing
Throughout the sequel, we're lucky enough to be serenaded by Perez's beautiful voice. And if you're wondering if that really was him singing and playing the guitar [7], the answer is yes! Perez grew up singing in musical theatre, and in an interview with POPSUGAR, the actor revealed that he learned how to play guitar for the role. "I practiced my butt off," he said. "Looking at those strings, I was very confused the first couple of weeks. And then it just kind of became like muscle memory."
He Was on a Nationally Ranked Swim Team
Before jumping into acting, Perez was an accomplished swimmer, competing throughout high school and even landing a scholarship for swimming at Fordham (which he turned down to focus on acting! [8]).
He Has an Adorable Dog Named Jack
In between photos of travelling to some incredibly beautiful destinations like Switzerland and Yosemite, Taylor's Instagram also features his extremely cute dog, Jack.
