Taylor Napier is heating up more than just the screen lately, thanks to a sultry new photoshoot and his game-changing role in The Wheel of Time.
The 35-year-old actor posed for a steamy black-and-white spread in Behind the Blinds, captured by photographer Dean Ryan McDaid.
The shoot showcases Napier in a series of smoldering shots, including him lounging in a chair with an unbuttoned jumpsuit and cowboy boots, and flexing his muscles in a snug cardigan and boxers.
Needless to say, fans were quick to flood his Instagram with flirty compliments, calling him “the sexiest Warder” and praising everything from his hair to his grooming game.
But thirst aside, Napier is also making waves with his work in The Wheel of Time, which recently returned to Prime Video for its third season.
He plays Maksim, a devoted and layered Warder in a polyamorous relationship with Alanna (played by Priyanka Bose) and Ihvon (played by Emmanuel Imani and Anthony Kaye).
In an interview with Gay Times, Napier opened up about how groundbreaking this representation is, especially in a fantasy genre that often erases or distorts queer stories.
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“I haven’t seen this type of relationship in fantasy before,” he said, emphasizing how intentional the writing has been since he joined the show in 2019.
What sets this portrayal apart is its normalcy — queer and polyamorous characters exist in the world of The Wheel of Time without their identities being tokenized or dramatized.
“It’s just who they are,” Napier explained, “and I think that’s wonderful in a fantasy space.”
He also noted the long-standing issues high fantasy has had with queer inclusion, especially with queer men, who have too often been depicted through extremes — or not depicted at all.
Napier’s work, both in front of the camera and behind the scenes in advocating for thoughtful representation, is helping to reshape that narrative.
With his on-screen chemistry, real-world impact, and smoldering photoshoots to match, Taylor Napier might just be the fantasy we’ve all been waiting for.
The Wheel of Time is streaming now on Amazon Prime Video.