Doc Star of the Month: Valerie Taylor, 'Playing with Sharks'

Valerie Taylor has lived a life rife with unintended consequences, contradictions and double-edged swords. A pioneer in both shark research and underwater filmmaking, the champion spearfisher-turned-apex-predator-protector often made headlines as much for her bikinis and “Bond girl” looks as she did for her fearless talent. Which allowed the intrepid Australian to bring more attention to her emergence as a sort of Jane Goodall of the seas. Taylor likewise became a media sensation — along with her husband and lifelong collaborator, Ron — for having created the work that inspired both the book Jaws and the 1975 Spielberg film for which she and Ron were brought on to shoot the live shark scenes. That summer blockbuster subsequently sparked a nationwide panic over great white sharks, as well as a near-genocidal slaughter of the species, forcing the conservationist, now an octogenarian who still dives, on a shark redemption crusade that she continues to lead. Luckily for Documentary, the indefatigable star of Sally Aitken’s Playing with Sharks (acquired by National Geographic at this year’s Sundance and premiering July 23 on Disney+) took time out of the water and away from her advocacy activities to graciously serve as July's Doc Star of the Month.

To read my interview visit Documentary magazine.