PHOTOGRAPHER DAVID REISS
STYLIST PRUE FISHER
GROOMING LIZ DAXAUER

As Maksim, the fierce, dependable and multifaceted Warder with succulent golden locks (which feels vital to mention) on The Wheel of Time, Taylor Napier is bringing much-needed polyamory and bisexual male visibility to the high fantasy genre.

In Prime Video’s beloved blockbuster series, the buff warrior is in a committed relationship with Alanna (Priyanka Bose), an Aes Sedai of the Green Ajah, and Ihvon (Emmanuel Imani/Anthony Kaye), a fellow Warder, a romance that has been lauded for its refreshing and normalised portrayal of non-traditional love.

“The thing that really makes it stand out for me, especially in a fantasy world like The Wheel of Time, is that we’re treated just the same,” Taylor tells GAY TIMES. “What we’ve done here is pretty cool: we’ve incorporated queer and polyamorous characters without making it a big deal. It’s just who they are, and I think that’s wonderful in a fantasy space.”

On 13 March, Prime Video released the first three episodes of The Wheel of Time’s highly-anticipated third season, which Taylor describes as “messier and darker” with a “pretty big journey of growth for Maksim”.

In this interview, we speak with Taylor about all of the above, from the trailblazing depiction of his character’s queerness to why the fantasy genre should be more inclusive of LGBTQIA+ stories. He also talks Chappell Roan, the sci-fi icon that would be an “incredible” fit on The Wheel of Time and the three f’s: “feasting, f**king and fighting.” So important.

Taylor, I saw you were at Elton John’s Oscars party?

I was. Yeah, it was an amazing concert. Elton John and Chappell Roan doing ‘Pink Pony Club’ together as a duet was pretty awesome, I’ve got to be honest. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. So, it was a fun party for sure. [I] definitely had a little bit of a recovery day yesterday!