KNOWN AS 'the girl who can't smile', Tayla Clement is determined to show the world that she can live her life to the fullest despite her condition. The 24-year-old was born with Moebius syndrome, a form of facial paralysis which means she is unable to smile. Although she has dealt with bullying and loneliness, Tayla is brimming with positivity. She has embraced her condition to become a disability advocate and motivational speaker. Since her last appearance on Truly, she was offered a modelling contract and started partnering up with brands as an influencer, proudly showing off her face to more people than she had ever envisioned.
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00:00 I am the model without a smile.
00:02 I knew something was different about me from around the age of going into school.
00:06 People would always look at me funny and I was excluded quite a lot.
00:11 A couple of agents from this one talent agency were following me on Instagram.
00:16 On that same exact day that I reached out to them I had the contract in my hand.
00:20 I just wanted to show people that no matter what they could be, do and achieve anything in life.
00:26 My name is Taylor Clement, I'm 24 years old and we're in Auckland, New Zealand.
00:31 I was born with a really rare neurological disorder called Moebius Syndrome.
00:35 This syndrome is so rare that it only affects one individual in every 3 to 4 million.
00:40 And it affects my 6th and 7th cranial nerves so that means my eyebrows don't move,
00:44 my eyes don't track from left to right and my upper lip doesn't move, which means I can't smile.
00:48 I was diagnosed around 6 or 7 months of age.
00:52 Right when I was born I had issues with breastfeeding with mum and that was obviously a bit of a red flag to her.
00:58 They didn't really think too much of it and it wasn't picked up at birth or anything like that.
01:03 But it got to the point where they knew something was a bit off and so I went to the doctors and got diagnosed that day with the syndrome.
01:10 I wouldn't say I found out, I had to deal with it my whole life.
01:14 I think just growing up and being bullied all the time for being different,
01:19 I think it kind of dawned on me over the years and as the bullying got worse that this was going to be something that
01:24 I was potentially going to have to deal with for the rest of my life.
01:28 I think when I changed my mindset, when I had dealt with all my mental health issues and really was on the road to recovery,
01:35 I kind of switched that mindset and was like, well I'm in a really amazing position here in Spine and Power Islands.
01:41 And I think once that mindset shift happened it kind of just didn't bother me anymore.
01:46 I'd been on social media for a while leading up to the big opportunity with Born Different and I had around 18,000 followers.
01:55 I love not being able to smile, it's what makes me me.
01:58 Doing that already was such a huge, passionate thing for me and to then get the opportunity with Born Different
02:04 and to share my story on such a global and huge platform really sparked something in me to keep going.
02:10 Putting myself out there on social media definitely has its pros and cons.
02:16 One con would definitely be the hate comments.
02:18 Not that it really affects me too much, I kind of just use it as a way of making fun of them for leaving the hateful comments.
02:25 But the pros so, so, so outweigh the cons.
02:29 Like, you know, just first and foremost being able to use my voice and my face to inspire and empower others on such a big scale
02:36 without having to leave the comfort of my home.
02:42 My plan for today is taking a picture in the purple dress that I've been sent by Vigo's, the label, which is really exciting.
02:48 They're a new brand from Australia and they're really championing all different body sizes and different looks.
02:55 So I'm really excited.
02:56 And then making sure the hair goes with the outfit and then picking a location for where we're going to shoot today.
03:07 The modelling started actually after I noticed that a couple of agents from this one talent agency were following me on Instagram.
03:14 For some reason, something came upon them and I was just like, you know what, let's just reach out to them.
03:21 On that same exact day that I reached out to them, I had the contract in my hand to sign.
03:26 I would definitely say the modelling industry today is a lot more inclusive than it was a few years ago even.
03:33 I think there is so much more room to improve in terms of looking models with more inclusivity in mind.
03:39 To be able to be a part of that is amazing and I can't wait to be able to be on my first job and to kind of experience it all.
03:47 Usually I'll come down to some of my local areas.
03:52 I'll usually do maybe a drive by and, you know, scout some locations beforehand.
03:57 I love being in front and behind the camera.
04:00 I love being able to set up the shot and see what looks good.
04:03 I'd be lying if I said I didn't have any worries about going into the modelling and entertainment industry
04:09 just because it is so heavily focused on outward appearances.
04:13 But it was only like a very small part of me.
04:16 I'm just so, again, so grateful to be able to be in an industry where I know that I can make such a huge and positive change along with so many other models.
04:29 The sort of style I'm going for in this outfit is more of a black slayed back kind of shot.
04:34 I like to try and put as little effort into the shot as possible because I feel like it looks the best.
04:39 And it's moving around and seeing what looks good.
04:41 I don't really get nervous at all. I just know what kind of looks good.
04:45 I've been doing this for a while now so I know what my angles are and what will look good on the camera.
04:49 When I was growing up I had no one to look up to in these industries.
04:56 And because it's always in our face and there are billboards everywhere and magazines everywhere and we're constantly watching TV and movies.
05:02 I think it's so important to have inclusivity in these areas because there are all these different people in the world that are watching the screen and watching these magazines and runways and whatever and not seeing themselves represented.
05:20 For me as I've been growing up to not have anyone like me it's really hurt me in a lot of ways because I've not had anyone to be like well I've grown up with this and if I can do it then you can do it.
05:31 So to now be in a position where I can do that for other people is really amazing to me.
05:36 It's really easy to get caught up in all the glitz and glamour of whatever industry you go into.
05:42 But I want to go into this industry because I'm passionate about it and I know in my heart that I'm meant to be doing this.
05:48 My advice for getting into the modelling industry would just be to go for it.
05:52 Forget what anyone else says as long as you believe in yourself and you know that this is what you want to do and you're passionate about it then go for it.
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