Image Credit: Courtesy of Raid®
Taryn Delanie Smith demonstrates versatility. As an actress, author, and content creator, the 29-year-old social media personality has embodied well-known characters on her own platform, such as Denise, the “heavenly receptionist.” However, her most recent role is sure to spark interest. Taryn portrays the dramatic cockroach “Filthina” in collaboration with Raid and the brand’s reality TV-style series, *The Other Tenants*, a project she discussed in an exclusive conversation with Hollywood Life.
“I had an immense amount of enjoyment bringing [Filthina] to life,” she shared with Hollywood Life, noting that her character was created using stop-motion animation, not AI. “I believe what appealed to me was the chance to finally act in this capacity. I have a profound love for voice acting, and this presented another avenue for that.”
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Given that Filthina is a repulsive, scurrying insect, Taryn indicated that this character is not the kind of housemate she would ever desire—nor are the other personified bugs featured in Raid’s four-part series.
“While we were developing Filthina’s character, we were reminiscing about our most memorable cockroach encounters,” the comedian recalled. “Everyone in the room who had resided in New York possessed a notable cockroach anecdote, and mine involved residing in a dreadful apartment on the Upper East Side that has since been demolished. … A framed picture unexpectedly fell, and upon looking up, I saw a cockroach perched atop it. The sheer weight of the insect caused the picture frame to dislodge from the mantle. It was unbelievable; it was the largest cockroach I had ever encountered, and I must say, out of all the repulsive creatures I’ve come across in this home—centipedes, stink bugs, beetles—nothing compares to a cockroach.”
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Relocating to New York’s Hudson Valley also presented its challenges. Taryn mentioned that she and her spouse, Alec Castillo, “were completely unaware of the bat colony residing in the attic and the significant expense” involved in managing them.
Consequently, homeownership is not as “glamorous” as commonly perceived; Taryn had to adapt to new types of pests. “If you relocate to the countryside, you will encounter numerous vermin: including mice, rats, ants, and stink bugs — particularly in the Hudson Valley, stink bugs are a significant issue,” she added.
Courtesy of Raid®
Despite the difficulties associated with property ownership, Taryn recognized that Upstate New York was the ideal location for her. Offering her the best of both worlds, she can “travel into the city whenever desired” while finally having the opportunity to care for animals. In fact, Taryn and Alec are “planning on acquiring numerous cows.”
“Honestly, the primary reason I reside out here is my desire to own more animals,” the Seattle, Washington, native explained. “You come to terms with the reality that you acknowledge, ‘I aspired to be a homeowner; this is something I valued and wanted to fully commit to,’ so you simply accept all that accompanies it.”
Courtesy of Raid®
Taryn is part of the contemporary movement of Gen-Z women who have purchased homes. Speaking from her experience as a female homeowner, she shared with Hollywood Life how she is challenging the prevalent belief that women cannot “achieve everything.”
“We are often told, particularly women, that you must make a choice. You need to select a path, decide who you want to be, and then pursue that identity,” the multi-talented individual remarked. “I believe the recurring question, ‘Can women have it all?’ persists. My approach is to explore the possibilities, asking, ‘Why not?’ ‘Why shouldn’t I?’ ‘Why can’t I pursue both?’ ‘Why can’t I genuinely embrace a life that reflects all my aspirations?’”
Witness Taryn transform into a cockroach for Raid’s stop-motion web series, *The Other Tenants*, available on the brand’s Instagram channels.