Taylor Zakhar Perez Responded To Jacob Elordi's Criticism Of "The Kissing Booth" Trilogy

These two Kissing Booth actors are doing a lot of kiss-and-tell lately.

Taylor's character sitting in a school cafeteria
Marcos Cruz / Marcos Cruz/NETFLIX

Recently, Jacob Elordi, 26, was critical of the Netflix rom-com, and now his costar, Taylor Zakhar Perez, 31, has responded to the criticism.

  Steve Granitz / FilmMagic, Frazer Harrison / Getty Images
Steve Granitz / FilmMagic, Frazer Harrison / Getty Images

The Kissing Booth trilogy was based on Beth Reekles' teen romance novel of the same name and starred Joey King and Joel Courtney alongside Jacob. Taylor joined the cast in the second installment.

  Marcos Cruz / Marcos Cruz/NETFLIX,  / ©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection
Marcos Cruz / Marcos Cruz/NETFLIX, / ©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection

Jacob made headlines when the GQ Man of the Year told the publication what he really thought about his breakout role in the franchise, and Taylor was taken aback.

closeup of jacob
Nbc / Nathan Congleton / NBC via Getty Images

"I didn't want to make those movies before I made those movies," the Euphoria actor said. "Those movies are ridiculous. They're not universal. They're an escape."

jacob taking a selfie with fans
Raymond Hall / GC Images

Jacob shared that he starred as the "bad-boy jock with washboard abs" because he, more or less, needed a job. He pushed back when Gabriella Paiella of GQ referenced that The Kissing Booth fell into the "one for them, one for me" category.

jacob at the premiere for his movie saltburn

"That one's a trap as well. Because it can become 15 for them, none for you. You have no original ideas, and you're dead inside. So it's a fine dance," Jacob responded. "My 'one for them,' I've done it."

Variety / Variety via Getty Images

While Jacob transitions into an auteur, currently starring in films like Sofia Coppola's Priscilla and Emerald Fennell's Saltburn, he's searching to set himself apart from his streaming rom-com past — but that's not true for Taylor.

jacob as elvis with a crowd gambling in a casino
/ Courtesy Everett Collection, MGM / Courtesy Everett Collection

Talking to Variety, Taylor shared his thoughts on Jacob's comments about their Kissing Booth days.

closeup of taylor
Mike Marsland / Mike Marsland / WireImage

"I thought it was a shame because, to my knowledge, everybody else had such a wonderful experience," he said. "It's a shame that was his experience on the set. Especially when those movies came out, it was a time when we really needed something like that."

taylor on a rooftop with a city behind him
Lexie Moreland / WWD via Getty Images

Taylor recently starred in Red, White, & Royal Blue, another rom-com based on a book, alongside Nicholas Galitzine — so he's on a different page than Jacob.

taylor and nicholas holding hands sitting in a regal room in the film
Jonathan Prime / © Amazon Studios /Courtesy Everett Collection

Talking about his experience in the rom-com trilogy, he said, "I know from our fan interactions, getting stopped everywhere I go, what Kissing Booth means to people and what it brought them during such a dark time. I guess the silver lining is he still made people laugh and feel good."

taylor taking a selfie with fans
Dia Dipasupil / Getty Images for SCAD

Since Kissing Booth, Taylor has appeared in the comedy 1Up and as Shane Brody, the racy nudie mag cover boy in Minx.

his character in a fireman uniform
Katrina Marcinowski / HBO Max

Before his two films, now in theaters, Jacob starred as the problematic Nate Jacobs in Euphoria and the doomed sidepiece in Deep Water.

  Nbc / Weiss Eubanks / NBCUniversal via Getty Images
Nbc / Weiss Eubanks / NBCUniversal via Getty Images

While it seems unlikely that another Kissing Booth film will be made, these two young leading men may cross paths on the silver screen.

I'm crossing my fingers.