Taylor Lautner

Michael Martin
ALASDAIR McLELLAN

When rumors surfaced last year that 17-year-old Taylor Lautner would not appear in the Twilight sequel because he was too physically slight to portray a bookworm-turned-werewolf, a great shriek rose from Fangirl Island. “Noooooo!!” wrote one obsessive on a Twilight discussion board. “omg. Pleezze let Taylor come back,” implored another. Some were more militant: “If they don’t put him in . . . there will be a massive Twilight fan attack!”

Watch Interview's exclusive video:

The producers opted not to mess with their core constituency. While Twilight was ringing up $380 million at the box office and becoming one of the top pop-culture phenomena of the past year, Lautner was busy packing on 30 pounds of -muscle at the gym. His character, Jacob Black, the platonic best friend of heroine Bella Swan (played by Kristen Stewart), transforms in New Moon from a likable klutz into a member of a wolf pack. Likewise, the film gives Lautner a chance to bust out of more than his shirts, challenging co-star Robert Pattinson’s dominance of both the teen mags and the movie’s monster love-story narrative.

After an unusually chaotic post-release period that saw Pattinson shear off his -vampire hair (noooooo!), Stewart photographed on the steps of her L.A. apartment smoking what appeared to be weed, and director Catherine Hardwicke replaced by American Pie helmer Chris Weitz, the cast reunited—a lot more famous—in Vancouver last March to begin -filming New Moon. The sequel shakes up the central trio—teen vampire Edward (Pattinson), his devoted Bella, and her best friend Jacob—sending Edward packing, turning Jacob into a werewolf, and heating up the love--triangle element as Jacob makes a play for Bella in Edward’s absence. Frost/Nixon’s Michael Sheen joins the fray as a vampire leader, and the sequel’s scoreboard reads werewolves vs. vampires.

Lautner grew up in Michigan and L.A., a youthful karate star who transitioned at the age of 12 from martial arts to acting in benign cinematic family fare like The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl. He was excited to talk about shooting New Moon, dirt biking, his new set of muscles, and playing up the sexual tension.

Email
Add a Comment
View All Comments

Add a Comment

aqua123

12/05/09 10:01am

i dasagree i think dat jus because he's german, french, dutch and nativedont mean he dont count. so wat if he has found a great grand whatevers is nativ. it's stil in his blood. plus he played the part really well and he's cute so i didnt really care as long as the part was played well
Flag This

_twistedx0

11/27/09 9:24pm

yes. i agree.
if you knew anything about TAYLOR LAUTNER; you'd know that he IS INFACT native american. so NO they didn't just give the part to some WHITE guy who doesn't deserve it. seriously?! i don't get how some people can be so down right rude about a person. taylor is by far one of the best actors i've ever seen.. he deserved this part.
Flag This

idared

08/06/09 4:12pm

first of all, where on earth do you get the idea that taylor is white? if you knew anything at all about him then you would know that he is dutch, french, german AND native american, specifically ottawa and potawatomi. second of all, what difference does it make? i think he did an ecxellant job as jacob in twilight, for the brief time he was in it , and i look forward to seeing him in new moon. he looks the part, he plays the part well, leave him alone.
Flag This

shelbug817

07/28/09 12:35pm

excuse me lindy226 but i think the role of jacob black was played very well by taylor lautner and that ur just being mad because u want it 2 go 2 a REAL native american as u say. but taylor lautner may b WHITE but he still did a damn good job at his role.and FYI they r having native american actors playing the wolf pack in new moon so get over yourself and live w/ it
Flag This
Showing 4 of 5 Comments
Subscribe today. 18 Issues, just $9.97
Current Cover

February 2010
FEATURING:
Jay-Z
Tim Burton
Nicolas Ghesquiere
Ashley Greene

Get updates from Interview on the latest fashion, film and art news