Taylor Tomlinson, Temecula's 'Prodigal Daughter,' Returns In Netflix Comedy Special

TEMECULA, CA — Taylor Tomlinson knows who she is and what she wants to say, in her fourth Netflix special set to air Feb. 24. Named "Prodigal Daughter," Tomlinson literally returns to a church stage in the performance, and shared with Rolling Stone that she feels different now from where she started.

"It's a lot of God stuff, and a lot of gay stuff, and my agents are nervous," she says in the Netflix trailer.

"What I love about this special is I feel like it is kind of me in my final form, and that is not something I have ever felt," she told Rolling Stone reporter Alex Morris. "This special, I feel, knows what it is and what it wants to say."

Tomlinson grew up in Temecula, attended Temecula Valley High School, where she studied drama under Derek Heid, as reported by Press Enterprise. He recognized the source of her talent as having a "keen, intuitive perception of people."

She began her career performing on church stages before reaching a national audience at age 25. Tomlinson pokes fun at that, saying, "They call it testimony, but I was getting laughs."

Prodigal Daughter bookends Taylor’s previous Netflix original comedy shows: "Have It All" (2024), "Look At You" (2022), and "Quarter-Life Crisis" (2020).

Tomlinson says that Prodigal Daughter, filmed at Fountain Street Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, takes her "back to church," and though she shares her experiences, her sense of humor on Bible stories like the persecution of Job and Noah's Ark, her narrative follows her own experiences.

In the special, Tomlinson leaves them laughing as she details her journey as a former Christian and openly queer woman, sharing stories she is at long last ready to tell.

In 'Prodigal Daughter,' Tomlinson opens up about processing religious trauma, exploring your sexuality, and confronting personal fears, according to Netflix. Tomlinson also executive-produced the show with Judi Marmel, Rachel Warden, and John Bravakis.

Read the full interview on Rolling Stone.