Robert Taylor was born in 1963 in Melbourne, Australia, and grew up in a Western Australia mining town. Before taking to a life onscreen, Taylor went through many occupations, including mining, lifeguarding, bouncing, and working on an oil rig-during which period he narrowly averted death during a shipwreck in the Indian Ocean. At the age of 24, Taylor enrolled in the Western Australia Academy of Dramatic Arts, committing himself to an acting career from there on out. He made his screen debut shortly afterward with an appearance on an episode of the drama series "The Flying Doctors" (Nine Network 1986-1993), and landed his first regular television role just one year later. Taylor joined the Australian soap opera "Home and Away" (Seven Network 1988-) for a 20-episode stint, playing the scheming romancer Nicholas Walsh. Additional recurring roles followed, including a starring position in the crime drama miniseries "The Feds" (Nine Network 1993-96) as Superintendant Dave Griffin. Taylor soon found success on the big screen, appearing in major films like "The Matrix" (1999), "Vertical Limit" (2001), and "Ned Kelly" (2003). After batting around a handful of smaller parts on film and television, Taylor returned to center stage as the star of the crime drama series "Longmire" (A&E 2012-), playing the titular Wyoming sheriff who returns to law enforcement following the death of his wife.