Taylor Lautner on:
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' s "The 50 Sexiest Men of 2010" list, and fourth on ''' s "Most Amazing Bodies" list. Also in the same year, Lautner was named the highest-paid teenage actor in Hollywood.
Initially, director 's sequel, '' The Twilight Saga: New Moon'', due to the major physical changes that occur in Black between the two novels, and have an actor that would accurately portray "the new, larger Jacob Black." Black's role in the novel also increases significantly, with him falling in love with Bella and becoming a
Publications such as '' GQ'', ''' s main talking point, not to mention his calling card." He was named number one on ' s "50 Sexiest Men of 2010 " list. ''Men's Health'' ranked him at third on their list of "Top 10 Summer Bodies." Additionally in 2010, he was ranked fourth on '''s "Most Amazing Bodies" list.
Taylor Daniel Lautner (; born February 11, 1992) is an American actor. He is best known for playing
sitcom ''Cuckoo'' as the son of the titular character. In 2016, he played a leading role, Dr. Cassidy Cascade, in the second season of FOX shapeshifter
In mythology, folklore and speculative fiction, shape-shifting is the ability to physically transform oneself through an inherently superhuman ability, divine intervention, demonic manipulation, sorcery, spells or having inherited the ...
Jacob Black
Jacob Black is a character in the ''Twilight'' book series by Stephenie Meyer. He is described as an attractive Native American of the Quileute tribe in La Push, near Forks, Washington. In the second book of the series, ''New Moon'', he di ...
in '' The Twilight Saga'' film series.
Lautner began his acting career playing bit parts in comedy series such as ''The Bernie Mac Show
''The Bernie Mac Show'' (often shortened to ''Bernie Mac'' in syndication) is an American sitcom television series created by Larry Wilmore, that aired on Fox for five seasons from November 14, 2001 to April 14, 2006. The series featured Bernie ...
'' (2003) and ''My Wife and Kids
''My Wife and Kids'' is an American sitcom that ran on ABC from March 28, 2001, to May 17, 2005. The series was produced by Touchstone Television. It starred Damon Wayans as Michael Kyle, the patriarch of an African-American family. Wayans and v ...
'' (2004), before having voice roles in television series like '' What's New, Scooby-Doo?'' (2005) and '' Danny Phantom'' (2005). In 2005, he appeared in the film ''Cheaper by the Dozen 2
''Cheaper by the Dozen 2'' is a 2005 American family comedy film directed by Adam Shankman. It is a sequel to the 2003 film ''Cheaper by the Dozen'' and stars Steve Martin, Bonnie Hunt, Tom Welling, Piper Perabo, and Hilary Duff, among other child ...
'' and starred in '' The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D''. He also starred in the 2011 action film '' Abduction''.
From 2014 to 2018, Lautner starred in the BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...black comedy
Black comedy, also known as dark comedy, morbid humor, or gallows humor, is a style of comedy that makes light of subject matter that is generally considered taboo, particularly subjects that are normally considered serious or painful to discu ...
series '' Scream Queens''.
The late 2000s saw Lautner become a teen idol
A teen idol is a celebrity with a large teenage fan base. Teen idols are generally young but are not necessarily teenagers. An idol's popularity may be limited to teens, or may extend to all age groups.
By region Asia
East Asia possess ...
and sex symbol, after extensively changing his physique to keep the role of Jacob Black in further ''Twilight'' installments, and generating media attention for his looks. In 2010, he was ranked second on '' Glamour''People
A person ( : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of prope ...
''Early life
Lautner was born on February 11, 1992, inGrand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the second most-populated city in the state after Detroit. Grand Rapids is the ...
, the son of Deborah and Daniel Lautner. His mother works for a software development company, while his father was a Midwest Airlines pilot. He has one younger sister named Makena. Raised as a Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
* Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
* Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...
, Lautner has Dutch
Dutch commonly refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands
* Dutch people ()
* Dutch language ()
Dutch may also refer to:
Places
* Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States
* Pennsylvania Dutch Country
People E ...
, French, and German ancestry, and has stated that he has "distant" Native American ancestry (specifically Odawa and Potawatomi, both Anishinaabe
The Anishinaabeg (adjectival: Anishinaabe) are a group of culturally related Indigenous peoples present in the Great Lakes region of Canada and the United States. They include the Ojibwe (including Saulteaux and Oji-Cree), Odawa, Potawat ...
peoples) through his mother. He grew up in Hudsonville, Michigan
Hudsonville is a city in Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan, and is part of the Grand Rapids metropolitan area. The population was 7,116 at the 2010 census. Hudsonville is nicknamed "Michigan's Salad Bowl."
History
Hudsonville was plat ...
, a town near Grand Rapids. He has stated that he was bullied in school because he was an actor. He commented, "I just had to tell myself 'I can't let this get to me. This is what I love to do. And I'm going to continue doing it.'"
He took his first karate class at the age of six. A year later, he attended the national karate tournament in Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...
, where he met Michael Chaturantabut, the founder of Xtreme Martial Arts. Chaturantabut invited Lautner to a camp he held at University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California S ...
. Lautner trained with Chaturantabut for several years, earning his black belt by the age of eight, and winning several junior world championships. He appeared in an ISKA
The ISKA (originally International Sport Karate Association, later also called the International Sport Kickboxing Association) is one of the major international bodies regulating sport karate and kickboxing matches, and is based in the United ...
karate event televised on ESPN
ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). Th ...
in 2003 that was later lampooned on the sports-comedy show '' Cheap Seats'' that first aired in 2006.
In junior high, Lautner—who was involved in karate, baseball and hip-hop dance—won the award for "Best Smile" and played in the school's Turkey Bowl American Football game. He went to public school at Valencia High School in Santa Clarita, California until his sophomore year. Chaturantabut, who once portrayed the Blue Ranger in ''Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue
''Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue'' is a television series and the eighth season of the ''Power Rangers'' franchise, based on the 23rd ''Super Sentai'' series ''Kyuukyuu Sentai GoGoFive'' (1999).
''Lightspeed Rescue'' had, for the first time, a ...
'', suggested to Lautner that he take up acting. For a few years, the Lautners flew from Michigan to Los Angeles for auditions when his talent agency called, and returned to Grand Rapids for school sometimes the same day. Lautner balanced karate and acting with being on the football and baseball teams at his school, and taking up jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...
and hip-hop dance. After that became tiring, Lautner and his family decided to move to California for a month, to try it out, before moving to Santa Clarita, California, in 2002.
Career
2001–07: Career beginnings
In his first months after moving to Los Angeles, Lautner appeared in small television roles, small film roles, and ads and commercials. In 2001, Lautner first appeared in the made-for-television film, ''Shadow Fury''. He then got a voice-over job in a commercial for ''Rugrats Go Wild
''Rugrats Go Wild'' is a 2003 American animated crossover adventure film based on the Nickelodeon animated television series ''Rugrats'' and ''The Wild Thornberrys''. It is the third and final installment in the ''Rugrats'' film series and the se ...
''. He then appeared in small television roles on ''The Bernie Mac Show
''The Bernie Mac Show'' (often shortened to ''Bernie Mac'' in syndication) is an American sitcom television series created by Larry Wilmore, that aired on Fox for five seasons from November 14, 2001 to April 14, 2006. The series featured Bernie ...
'', ''My Wife and Kids
''My Wife and Kids'' is an American sitcom that ran on ABC from March 28, 2001, to May 17, 2005. The series was produced by Touchstone Television. It starred Damon Wayans as Michael Kyle, the patriarch of an African-American family. Wayans and v ...
'', and '' Summerland''. Lautner then earned voice-over roles in animated series such as '' Danny Phantom'', ''Duck Dodgers
Duck Dodgers is the metafictional star of a series of cartoons produced by Warner Bros., featuring Daffy Duck in the role of a science fiction hero.
He first appeared in the 1953 cartoon short ''Duck Dodgers in the 24½th Century'', directed by ...
'', and '' What's New, Scooby-Doo?''. The same year, he earned his first breakout role, starring in the film, '' The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D''. Lautner spent three months on location in Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the seat and largest city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most-populous city ...
, to film the movie, which was received with negative reviews from critics, and was a minor international success. However, Lautner was nominated at the 2006 Young Artist Awards for Best Performance in a Feature Film by a Leading Actor. For the film, Lautner choreographed all of his fight scenes after director Robert Rodríguez learned of his extensive martial arts training. Months later, he played Eliot Murtaugh in ''Cheaper by the Dozen 2
''Cheaper by the Dozen 2'' is a 2005 American family comedy film directed by Adam Shankman. It is a sequel to the 2003 film ''Cheaper by the Dozen'' and stars Steve Martin, Bonnie Hunt, Tom Welling, Piper Perabo, and Hilary Duff, among other child ...
'', which was panned by critics, being named one of the "Worst Films of the 2000s" by Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
. After returning from Canada filming the latter movie, Lautner said he realized his newfound fame, from ''Sharkboy and Lavagirl''. In 2006 he appeared in the show '' Love Inc.'' and the TV special '' He's a Bully, Charlie Brown''. Two years later, Lautner appeared in a lead role in the short-lived NBC drama '' My Own Worst Enemy'', portraying Christian Slater
Christian Michael Leonard Slater (born August 18, 1969) is an American actor and producer. He made his film debut with a leading role in ''The Legend of Billie Jean'' (1985) and gained wider recognition for his breakthrough role as Jason "J.D." D ...
's son, Jack Spivey. ''Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' coined his early roles as either "the popular kid, jock, or bully."
2008–09: Breakthrough and ''The Twilight Series''
In 2007, filmmakers began a search for actors to portrayJacob Black
Jacob Black is a character in the ''Twilight'' book series by Stephenie Meyer. He is described as an attractive Native American of the Quileute tribe in La Push, near Forks, Washington. In the second book of the series, ''New Moon'', he di ...
, a Native American friend of lead character Bella Swan
Isabella Marie Swan-Cullen (née Swan) is the protagonist character of the ''Twilight'' book series by Stephenie Meyer. She is initially an ordinary teenage girl, but during the series, Bella marries vampire Edward Cullen, with whom she has a hu ...
in ''Twilight
Twilight is light produced by sunlight scattering in the upper atmosphere, when the Sun is below the horizon, which illuminates the lower atmosphere and the Earth's surface. The word twilight can also refer to the periods of time when this i ...
'', the first film in The ''Twilight'' Saga film series. In January 2008, an open casting call was held in Portland, Oregon
Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the list of cities in Oregon, largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, Columbia rivers, Portland is ...
. Lautner had not heard of the ''Twilight'' series before, but was urged by his agent to audition. At his audition, he read lines with Kristen Stewart
Kristen Jaymes Stewart (born April 9, 1990) is an American actress. The world's highest-paid actress in 2012, she has received various accolades, including a British Academy Film Award and a César Award, in addition to nominations for an Aca ...
, who had already been cast as Bella, and they acted out scenes from '' The Twilight Saga: New Moon'' and '' The Twilight Saga: Eclipse''. The film was a commercial success, earning $69 million its opening weekend, and has grossed $392 million worldwide. It received mixed reviews from critics, having a "Rotten" rating with a weighted average
The weighted arithmetic mean is similar to an ordinary arithmetic mean (the most common type of average), except that instead of each of the data points contributing equally to the final average, some data points contribute more than others. The ...
of 5.5/10. In describing the critical consensus, it stated: "Having lost much of its bite transitioning to the big screen, ''Twilight'' will please its devoted fans, but do little for the uninitiated." On Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...
, which assigns a weighted mean
The weighted arithmetic mean is similar to an ordinary arithmetic mean (the most common type of average), except that instead of each of the data points contributing equally to the final average, some data points contribute more than others. The ...
rating out of 100 reviews from film critics, it has an average score of 56 from the 37 reviews. At the 2009 MTV Movie Awards
The 2009 MTV Movie Awards were presented on Sunday, May 31, 2009, at the Universal Amphitheatre, Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, California. Andy Samberg served as host for the 18th annual ceremony.
Performers
* Eminem — "We Made You" ...
, Lautner was nominated for Male Breakthrough Performance, which was won by co-star Robert Pattinson.
Initially, director Chris Weitz
Christopher John Weitz (born November 30, 1969) is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He is best known for his work with his brother Paul on the comedy films '' American Pie'' and '' About a Boy''; the latter earned the Weit ...
wanted to recast the role of Jacob Black for ''Twilight''shapeshifter
In mythology, folklore and speculative fiction, shape-shifting is the ability to physically transform oneself through an inherently superhuman ability, divine intervention, demonic manipulation, sorcery, spells or having inherited the ...
, putting the actor in a starring role. Representatives for Weitz had stated that they would make a full effort to recast the "high-profile gig," and MTV News confirmed that Weitz was looking at Michael Copon to take on the role; however, Summit Entertainment
Summit Entertainment is an American film production and distribution company. It is a label of Lionsgate Films, owned by Lionsgate Entertainment and is headquartered in Santa Monica, California.
History Independent era (1991–2012)
Summit ...
said a decision had not been made. In an attempt to keep the role, Lautner weight-trained extensively and gained approximately 30 pounds of muscle. In January 2009, Weitz and Summit Entertainment announced that Lautner would continue to play the role of Jacob in the sequel. In an interview, fellow cast member Kristen Stewart talked about Lautner's transformation saying, "He's an entirely different person physically." Stewart later said, "He gets a lot of attention because he's buff, but I think as soon as the movie comes out, people are going to realize that's not why he got the job." Co-star Robert Pattinson said after seeing Lautner's body, "I saw him and thought 'Jesus, I'm going to get fired.'" In an interview with ''The Wrap
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
'', Weitz said Lautner deserved a lot of credit for the movie's box office, stating, "If you look at the movie, it should have been the weakest in the franchise, because Robert Pattinson doesn't play as big a role." Weitz said Lautner had to "pick up that slack, and if his character hadn't been emotionally, not just physically, appealing, the movie wouldn't have been as big a hit." The commercial performance of the film outpaced the first film, setting several box office records including the biggest midnight opening in the United States and Canada and the biggest single-day opening. The opening weekend of ''New Moon'' is the third highest opening weekend in domestic history with $142,839,137. ''The Twilight Saga: New Moon'' also has the sixth highest worldwide opening weekend with $274.9 million total. Critical reception was less favorable, with the movie getting a 4.6/10 average from Rotten Tomatoes, and a 44 on Metacritic. Lautner won Favorite Breakout Movie Actor at the 35th People's Choice Awards.
Although it began after the release of the first film, upon release of ''New Moon'', Lautner and his co-stars Stewart and Pattinson transitioned to teen idol
A teen idol is a celebrity with a large teenage fan base. Teen idols are generally young but are not necessarily teenagers. An idol's popularity may be limited to teens, or may extend to all age groups.
By region Asia
East Asia possess ...
status, with Lautner particularly admired by teens for his new physical characteristics, becoming a sex symbol. The trio appeared on many covers and televised appearances together. In between the second and third films in the ''Twilight'' series, Lautner was a part of the ensemble cast in the movie ''Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day, also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated annually on February 14. It originated as a Christian feast day honoring one or two early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine and, thr ...
'' as Willy Harrington, acting alongside his rumored girlfriend at the time, American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift
Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bor ...
. The duo was nominated at the 2010 MTV Movie Awards for Best Kiss. Although it received generally negative reviews, the film grossed $213 million and had the second biggest opening in the United States for a romantic comedy film. Lautner presented at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards
The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, honoring the best music videos from the previous year between June 2008 to June 2009, were presented on September 13, 2009, at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City, and televised by MTV. The ceremony was h ...
and the 82nd Academy Awards
The 82nd Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 2009 and took place on March 7, 2010, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m ...
. Lautner hosted ''Saturday Night Live
''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock (streaming service), Peacock. ...
'' on December 12, 2009, making him one of the youngest celebrity hosts in the show's history.
2010–present: Continuing ''Twilight'' and later projects
Lautner returned for the third ''Twilight'' film, '' The Twilight Saga: Eclipse'', in 2010. Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics, the film surpassed its predecessor to become the highest-grossing film of thefranchise
Franchise may refer to:
Business and law
* Franchising, a business method that involves licensing of trademarks and methods of doing business to franchisees
* Franchise, a privilege to operate a type of business such as a cable television p ...
and the highest-grossing romantic fantasy, shapeshifter and vampire movie of all time at the American and Canadian box office. It ranks as the 36th highest-grossing film of all-time in the U.S. and Canada. The popularity of Lautner and his cast members continued to summit, especially via the "Team Edward vs. Team Jacob" campaign that promoted the film. Lautner's fanbase also began to expand to older audiences. Lautner won Best Fantasy Actor at the 2010 Scream Awards, and he is nominated for Favorite Movie Actor for his role in ''Eclipse'' at the 37th People's Choice Awards
The 37th People's Choice Awards, honoring the best in popular culture for 2010, were held on January 5, 2011 at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, California, and were broadcast live on CBS at 9:00 pm ET. Queen Latifah was the host for the fift ...
. In November 2010 ''The Hollywood Reporter
''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Hollywood film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade paper, and in 2010 switched to a weekly larg ...
'' named Lautner as one of the young male actors who are "pushing – or being pushed" into taking over Hollywood as the new "A-List".
Lautner was initially supposed to be in two films, ''Northern Lights'' and a movie based on Max Steel
Max Steel is a line of action figures produced and owned by the toy company Mattel since 1999. The original figures based on the first TV series were similar to the original 12-inch G.I. Joe toys, consisting almost entirely of different versi ...
, but pulled out of both films due to scheduling conflicts and better offers. Other planned projects were the lead in a movie about Stretch Armstrong and a hostage thriller, ''Cancun''. Lautner filmed a '' Bourne Identity''-esque spy film with Lily Collins
Lily Jane Collins (born 18 March 1989) is a British and American actress and model who is known for her work in several films, including ''Stuck in Love'' (2012), ''The English Teacher'' (2013), and '' Love, Rosie'' (2014), comedy ''Rules Do ...
, entitled '' Abduction''. It was released in September 2011 to universally negative reviews from critics and Lautner's performance was heavily criticised. He appeared in the remaining parts of the ''Twilight'' series, ''The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn'' films, which were released over a two-year period from 2011–2012. Lautner then filmed '' Grown Ups 2'' alongside Adam Sandler and Chris Rock. It was released in September 2013.
In 2010, Lautner was considered to be the highest-paid teen actor in Hollywood. In February 2014, it was confirmed that Lautner would be joining the BBC Three
BBC Three is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It was first launched on 9 February 2003 with programmes targeting 16 to 34-year-olds, covering all genres including animation, comedy, cur ...
comedy series ''Cuckoo
Cuckoos are birds in the Cuculidae family, the sole taxon in the order Cuculiformes . The cuckoo family includes the common or European cuckoo, roadrunners, koels, malkohas, couas, coucals and anis. The coucals and anis are sometimes separ ...
'', replacing Andy Samberg
Andy Samberg (born David A. J. Samberg; August 18, 1978) is an American actor, comedian, musician, producer and screenwriter. He is a member of the comedy music group The Lonely Island and was a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' from 2005 ...
. Lautner has continued in this role, co-starring in the BBC comedy for three series. From September to December 2016, Lautner co-starred on the Ryan Murphy comedy horror series '' Scream Queens''.
Public image
Publications such as '' GQ'', ''Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'', and ''People
A person ( : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of prope ...
'' have referred to Lautner as a sex symbol, with the latter publication calling the actor a future epitome of pop culture. He has been called the new young adult star that can "both woo the girls with his intensity and impress the boys with his rugged agility." According to Mickey Rapkin of ''GQ'', the use of Lautner's physique in films has been compared to Megan Fox
Megan Denise Fox (born May 16, 1986) is an American actress. She made her acting debut in the family film '' Holiday in the Sun'' (2001), which was followed by numerous supporting roles in film and television, such as the teen musical comedy ...
in her work. After his massive physical change following ''Twilight
Twilight is light produced by sunlight scattering in the upper atmosphere, when the Sun is below the horizon, which illuminates the lower atmosphere and the Earth's surface. The word twilight can also refer to the periods of time when this i ...
'', Lautner became a tabloid teen idol
A teen idol is a celebrity with a large teenage fan base. Teen idols are generally young but are not necessarily teenagers. An idol's popularity may be limited to teens, or may extend to all age groups.
By region Asia
East Asia possess ...
with his co-stars Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart
Kristen Jaymes Stewart (born April 9, 1990) is an American actress. The world's highest-paid actress in 2012, she has received various accolades, including a British Academy Film Award and a César Award, in addition to nominations for an Aca ...
. Lautner, determined to stay in the series, worked out every day and gained over of muscle in order to bulk up for the role of Jacob Black
Jacob Black is a character in the ''Twilight'' book series by Stephenie Meyer. He is described as an attractive Native American of the Quileute tribe in La Push, near Forks, Washington. In the second book of the series, ''New Moon'', he di ...
in the remaining films in '' The Twilight Saga''. Michelle Lanz of MSN Wonderwall said that Lautner's change may have saved his career. Several critics credit Lautner's physical characteristics for much of the success of the ''Twilight'' series, with critic Sharon Waxman
Sharon I. Waxman (born c.1963) is an American author, journalist, and blogger who has been a correspondent for '' The Washington Post'' and '' The New York Times'', and founded the Hollywood and media business news site ''TheWrap'' in early 2009. ...
stating, "as a tabloid teen idol, he certainly deserves some credit for ''New Moon's'' $700 million worldwide gross." Lautner's abs in particular have been subject to media attention, with ''The Wrap
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
'' stating that companies bidding for the actor in movies in 2011 would "shell out for the young actor's much-on-display though mostly untried abs." Mickey Rapkin of '' GQ'' said, "the film's marketing issues were solved when Lautner's "abdominal muscles became ''New Moon''Access Hollywood
''Access Hollywood'', formerly known as ''Access'' from 2017 to 2019, is an American weekday television entertainment news program that premiered on September 9, 1996. It covers events and celebrities in the entertainment industry. It was create ...
's "Top 5 Hollywood Abs" list.
Before the actor turned 18, his sexualized image was often critiqued, and subject to controversy. In December 2009, Lautner appeared on the cover of ''Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' in a wet T-shirt. Jennifer Cady of E! Online
E! (an initialism for Entertainment Television) is an American basic cable channel which primarily focuses on pop culture, celebrity focused reality shows, and movies, owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of NBCUniver ...
said to wait a few months when Lautner would "be of age, which will make this whole operation you got going on completely legal." In his interview with the magazine, after declining to talk about whether he was dating Taylor Swift
Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bor ...
, the magazine pressed Lautner on rumors of him being gay
''Gay'' is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. The term originally meant 'carefree', 'cheerful', or 'bright and showy'.
While scant usage referring to male homosexuality dates to the late 1 ...
, which he brushed off. Brent Hartinger, a columnist for AfterElton
TheBacklot.com (TheBacklot), founded in January 2005 as AfterElton.com (AfterElton), was a culture website that focused on the portrayal of gay and bisexual men in the media and was the companion site of AfterEllen.com (AfterEllen). TheBacklot wa ...
, blasted the magazine, calling the questioning "unimaginably irresponsible," commenting that Lautner was just "a 17-year old kid" and that while the rumors were baseless and speculation from certain blogs and fans, it was disappointing that a "legitimate media outlet" would print gossip. Hartinger said the magazine reached a "new low" and did not have common decency, noting that the line between child and adult "is there for a good reason".
Lautner has stated that he does not want to be just known for his looks, as some have attributed his popularity to that and not his actual acting skill. In an interview, the actor revealed that he was originally supposed to have a baring scene in the movie ''Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day, also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated annually on February 14. It originated as a Christian feast day honoring one or two early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine and, thr ...
''. He stated, "The script said we were walking into school and Willy takes off his shirt. I said, 'Whoa, whoa, whoa. Time out. He's gonna take off his shirt in the middle of school? No, no, no. The reason I took off my shirt for ''New Moon'' is because it's written in the book that way. And there's reasons behind it." Lautner later said he would not bare his chest for any role that did not call for it. In June 2010, Lautner covered '' GQ'' magazine. The actor was lampooned in conservative writer Laura Ingraham
Laura Anne Ingraham (born June 19, 1963) is an American conservative television host. Gale Biography In Context. She has been the host of '' The Ingraham Angle'' on Fox News Channel since October 2017, and is the editor-in-chief of LifeZette ...
's satirical ''The Obama Diaries
''The Obama Diaries'' is a book written by Laura Ingraham and published by Simon & Schuster on July 13, 2010. It reached the number 1 position on the ''New York Times'' Best Seller list published August 1, 2010, staying at number 2 for approxima ...
'', commenting to have Lautner as a mascot for the White House Easter Egg Roll, to fit their health-conscious theme, and have Lautner don a furry bunny head and appear shirtless. In 2010, Lautner was ranked number two on '' Glamour''People
A person ( : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of prope ...
''Personal life
Lautner has an intricate workout plan, which was covered by ''Men's Health
''Men's Health'' (''MH''), published by Hearst, is the world's largest men's magazine brand, with 35 editions in 59 countries. It is also the best-selling men's magazine on U.S. newsstands.
Started as a men's health magazine by Rodale, Inc. ...
'', and has a specific diet after developing his body for '' The Twilight Saga: New Moon''. In addition, he still practices and trains in martial arts regularly. He has stated that he is drug- and alcohol-free.
While filming ''Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day, also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated annually on February 14. It originated as a Christian feast day honoring one or two early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine and, thr ...
'' in October 2009, Lautner began a romantic relationship with co-star Taylor Swift
Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bor ...
; they broke up later that year. After filming '' Abduction'' with Lily Collins
Lily Jane Collins (born 18 March 1989) is a British and American actress and model who is known for her work in several films, including ''Stuck in Love'' (2012), ''The English Teacher'' (2013), and '' Love, Rosie'' (2014), comedy ''Rules Do ...
, he began dating her in November 2010. They split in September 2011. From 2013 to 2015 he was in a relationship with Canadian actress and '' Tracers'' co-star Marie Avgeropoulos. Lautner began dating actress and '' Scream Queens'' co-star Billie Lourd
Billie Catherine Lourd (born July 17, 1992) is an American actress. She is known for starring as Chanel #3 in the Fox horror comedy series '' Scream Queens'' (2015–2016) and for her roles in the FX horror anthology series '' American Horror ...
in December 2016; the two split in July 2017. Since 2018, he has been publicly dating Taylor "Tay" Dome, a nurse from California. On November 13, 2021, Lautner announced via Instagram that he and Dome were engaged. The pair married on November 11, 2022, in California. Lautner previously stated Dome would take his last name upon marriage, making her name "Taylor Lautner".
On the '' Late Show with David Letterman'', Lautner said that if he does not have work, he would like to go back to school; in 2010 he stated, "I finished high school and enrolled in my local community college". In 2020, he bought a home in Agoura Hills
Agoura Hills () is a city in the Santa Monica Mountains region of Los Angeles County, California, United States. Its population was 20,330 at the 2010 census, which decreased to
20,299 in 2020. It is in the eastern Conejo Valley between the S ...
, while retaining his estate in Castaic.
Filmography
Film
Television
Awards and nominations
References
External links
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lautner, Taylor 1992 births American male child actors American male film actors American male karateka American people of Dutch descent American people of French descent American people of German descent American people of Potawatomi descent American male television actors American male voice actors Living people Male actors from Grand Rapids, Michigan People from Hudsonville, Michigan 21st-century American male actors American people of Austrian descent American people of Irish descent American people of English descent American people of Swiss descent American people who self-identify as being of Native American descent People from Valencia, Santa Clarita, California Catholics from Michigan Catholics from California