Beneath the Surface of JAWS: A Tribute to Valerie Taylor
"Watch this lady who just lets a bunch of sharks attack her… she’s CRAZY!"
Those were the exact words of my eighth-grade science teacher as she prepared to wrap up our marine life unit with a clip from National Geographic’s documentary, The Sharks. A collective gasp swept through the classroom as if everyone anticipated that we were about to be shown an actual horror film.
However, I already knew the scene well as I’d watched the video countless times before: a woman deliberately entices several blue sharks to bite her arm, testing the strength of a chainmail dive suit. One shark shakes her violently before tearing off her protective glove and swallowing it. She resurfaces with a bleeding hand, but appears more upset about losing the glove than the actual injury.
As the clip ended, I sat in the front row, buoyed by the confidence of a young adolescent who’d watched Jaws a dozen times and could recall entire segments of Shark Week. Without hesitation, I informed my teacher that the “crazy” lady she spoke of was actually Valerie Taylor—and this is what she does.
This interjection earned me an exasperated glare, but I remained unfazed. I was, after all, “defending” my childhood hero from a label that seemed to imply this amazing life she led was somehow bizarre or unacceptable.
In the eyes of an American girl growing up on the West Coast, enchanted by lighthouses, sharks, and all things ocean-related, no one was cooler than Valerie Taylor. Three years earlier, I had chosen her as the subject for a class journal entry in response to the prompt, "Who is your hero and why?" Since then, I’d poured over various books and documentaries featuring Valerie and her late husband, Ron—the legendary Australian underwater filmmakers and conservationists who were fixtures on numerous television nature programs. The Taylors were responsible for a multitude of iconic films and photographs of marine animals, many of which were considered dangerous. Most notably, they shot the live great white shark sequences for my all-time favorite movie, Jaws during which, I’d proudly shout out, “Look! That’s a real shark!” to anyone within earshot.
But although she worked extensively in film and television, Valerie wasn’t playing a role—this was her life. Whether saving great whites or making friends with moray eels, she clearly loved her work and was incredibly good at what she did.
In a world that often expects people to eventually grow out of adventurous or unconventional lifestyles, Valerie defied that norm. By the time I discovered her, she was already in her fifties—still diving, exploring, and taking on the bold challenges that defined her career. Looking back, if it weren’t for her influence, I honestly don’t believe I would’ve had the courage to follow my own nontraditional life path that has included more than two decades of international work, travel, and adventure.
That legacy of inspiration reached a poignant milestone last year, when I had the chance to meet Valerie near her home in Sydney—an experience my ten-year-old self could never have imagined. Now in my forties and not easily starstruck, I nonetheless found myself practically tongue-tied, humbled by the unexpected opportunity to tell this remarkable woman how much I admired her and enjoyed her work over the years.
As she tended to her flower garden, graciously indulging my enthusiastic fangirling, she shared vivid memories from her time working on Jaws—receiving galley proofs of the novel from producers David Brown and Richard Zanuck, meeting the cast on Martha’s Vineyard, and filming great whites with a smaller-scale cage in South Australia. Though she had likely recounted these moments numerous times, her enthusiasm and pride remained undiminished, revealing how deeply she still feels about her work and the life she’s led.
But beyond her extraordinary career as a filmmaker and marine conservationist, I was amazed to learn that Valerie is also a talented artist who once worked as a cartoonist—information I’d never been privy to. Even more inspiring, she is a survivor of both polio and cancer, a testament to her resilience that only deepened my admiration for her.
Before I left, she gifted me a signed copy of her memoir, An Adventurous Life, and despite several trips to Australia over the years, it has become the most treasured souvenir from my travels. As it turns out, the widely accepted adage “never meet your heroes” actually isn’t good advice after all.
Fast forward to the present day where I’m sitting in my apartment just outside of Tokyo, sipping green tea from a ceramic Jaws mug and watching the film for what is likely the thousandth time. Nearing the conclusion, I still find myself occasionally muttering, “real shark” under my breath while Hooper struggles to fend off the shark and escape the cage.
As the credits roll and the words Live Shark Footage filmed by Ron and Valerie Taylor appear on screen, my thoughts drift to the multitude of times the Taylors spoke about trying to undo the unintentional damage the film caused by fueling the vilification of sharks and hindering conservation efforts.
Yet, as is the case for most avid Jaws fans, my own reaction stood in stark contrast to the feelings of trepidation it typically evokes in moviegoers. Instead, it became a catalyst, not for fear, but for a lifelong fascination with the franchise, sharks, and the deeper understanding that we all share a responsibility to protect the ocean and its inhabitants, no matter where we live or the careers we choose.
I shall forever be indebted to Valerie, not just for the unforgettable “real shark” scenes in Jaws and Jaws 2 or the exciting chainmail suit testing sequences, but also for the quieter, more whimsical moments, like when she was making sea snakes look adorable on camera or demonstrating how surprisingly handy it is to wear a dive mask while chopping onions. Through a diverse array of film and still photographs, her work throughout the years has served not only as a steady source of entertainment and education in my life, but also as a glimmer of light in a world that, at times, has felt dark and foreboding.
As Jaws marks its 50th anniversary and continues to captivate audiences worldwide, its enduring legacy mirrors Valerie’s lifelong dedication to protecting the sharks it made famous and advocating for the health of our oceans. What some may be inclined to characterize as “crazy” is, in fact, a life driven by purpose and an unwavering commitment to preserving the natural world for future generations. May we honor both the cinematic impact of Jaws and Valerie Taylor’s remarkable, courageous life by embracing a deeper respect for the ocean and a renewed commitment to its preservation.
My heartfelt thanks to Valerie for living a life of purpose and adventure, and for sharing those gifts with the world in ways that continue to inspire and transform so many of us.
Words by Greta Shoop
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