Allison Taylor

Allison Taylor is a fictional character portrayed by Cherry Jones on the TV series 24. The first female President of the United States within the 24 universe and a Republican, she took office in the TV movie, 24: Redemption and served in Season 7 and Season 8. Concept and creation Jones was the first major casting addition to the seventh season. Jones was cast as Taylor when the program's producers contacted her agent; she had no prior experience of 24; she said in an interview that the role "was the last thing in the world [she] saw coming". "It’s time to go back to an idealized president—a well-articulated and idealized president," said Howard Gordon. "[Her] greatest flaw is her idealism. And I think that's a fun part to play. What happens when somebody's idealism butts up against the realpolitik of the world? But she's a very human character, and I think a very strong president and aspirational in the kind of way David Palmer was." "It is an heroic administration. Cherry Jones plays the president brilliantly," he continued. Jones described her character as nothing like Hillary Clinton, and instead described her as a combination of Lyndon Johnson, Eleanor Roosevelt, Golda Meir, and John Wayne; however, she would have similar opinions to Barack Obama. Jones said her portrayal of Taylor made her look exhausted, commenting that the job of President has a way of sucking the life out of people. She hopes that her portrayal of Taylor might convince the American public that a woman can be president, similar to the way that Dennis Haysbert's portrayal of David Palmer apparently helped Obama's election.