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ByJessica SagerANDCarmen Ribecca/Updated: Oct. 6, 2022 11:11 am EST
Taylor Lautner was poised to be the next big thing when The Twilight Saga was at its peak...and then he just wasn't. What went wrong?
Twilight hype died
Lautner's Twilight co-stars Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson were clever with their careers. While still attached to the franchise, they both starred in other films, like Adventureland (2009) and Water For Elephants (2011). As a result, the duo had an easier time transitioning to other roles post-Twilight. Lautner, however, had only a bit part in Valentine's Day (2010) to tide him over until the franchise was over.
A source told The Hollywood Reporter, "It's not easy to move out of the shadow of a hit like Twilight. But he's still very young. There's time for Taylor to become more than just Jacob." Unfortunately, it may be too late now for Lautner to escape the shadow of the supernatural drama.
His first star vehicle bombed
Lautner was the marquee name in 2011's Abduction, but the movie didn't do well at all. The film was critically panned, earning a measly Metascore of 25, and it only scored a 4 percenton Rotten Tomatoes. That wouldn't be so bad if the box office numbers were better, but the flick made only $28 million domestically, not even breaking even on its $35 million budget.
An agent told The Hollywood Reporter, "His first movie just wasn't very good, and it didn't justify what he was asking for at the time." And on that note...
His acting has left much to be desired
For most stars, acting requires emoting, not just the removal of one's shirt. When Lautner was expected to do the former, well, it didn't go over so well. The reviews for Abduction didn't speak highly of Lautner's ability (or lack thereof).
Movieline's Alison Wilmore wrote, "This may be the first film I've ever seen where when an actor goes to put his hand thoughtfully on his chin, it's so awkward I became afraid he'd somehow miss and poke himself in the eye." The Village Voice said Lautner "looks like a stranger in his own performance."
Abduction's flimsy story wouldn't have weighed so heavily on Lautner's resume if his performance wasn't so clearly part of the problem.
He's too expensive
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Studios just don't think Lautner is worth the money he thinks he deserves, and they might be right.
A source told Vulturethat Lautner's talent agency did "a brilliant job of convincing Hollywood that he's the next big movie star" but "didn't convince audiences of the same." Lautner demanded $5 million for Abduction. When that bombed, studios could no longer justify the $7.5 million he asked for to star in Stretch Armstrong (yes, that Stretch Armstrong) and the whopping $10 million to star in the re-telling of the Biblical David and Goliath. Both movies were shelved indefinitely.
Another source told Vulture, "I remember when [Universal co-chairman] Donna Langley cast him in Stretch Armstrong, she said to me, 'He's the real deal!' And I thought, Based on what?! Based on Twilight?"
Tracers never even got a theatrical release
Tracers was Lautner's second attempt at a leading role. It came four years after his dismal first outing as a leading man in Abductionand three years after the conclusion of the Twilight series. That should have been enough time for Lautner to distance himself from the franchise and start establishing a more varied resume. Unfortunately, the film never even got a U.S. theatrical release and only pulled in $2.8 million internationally.
With a combined 26 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the consensus on this flick was not good. In fact, Steve Tilley of theToronto Sun was particularly grating, opening his review with: "At the end of Twilight, poor shirtless werewolf Jacob didn't manage to get the girl. And if he's not careful, Taylor Lautner isn't going to get a career, either."
With Lautner logging exactly zero big studio films and only two short lived TV parts in the two years since Tracers, Tilley seems to have hit the nail on the head.
The Ridiculous 6 was just that
Lautner seems to have gotten in tight with Adam Sandler as of late, landing a bit part in Grown-Ups 2 and a supporting role in the SNL alum's first collaboration with Netflix, The Ridiculous Six. That would be great, except we're long past the Sandler who delivered goofball classicsBilly Madison and Happy Gilmore. This is the Sandler who has now put Little Nicky, Jack & Jill, and Pixels out into the world, so appearing in one of his movies no longer has the clout that it used to.
This is especially true of The Ridiculous Six, Sandler's parody of The Magnificent Seven, which not only has the distinction of pulling a whopping 0 percent on Rotten Tomatoesbut also happened to stir up a lot of controversy over perceived racist jokes. According to the Indian Country Today Media Network (via Variety,) several Native American actors left the set after taking offense to "racially charged jokes and inaccuracies during the filming of the movie," including costume inaccuracies and characters allegedly named "Beaver's Breath" and "No Bra."
Sandler later chalked the whole thing up to being "taken out of context" and said that the film was "a pro-Indian movie." Critics thought otherwise, labeling the film "horrid," "a multifaceted bomb," and "replete with lazy, racist jokes." Yeesh. Lautner would probably do well to just leave that one off of his reel.
Lautner's passion project was met with apathy
In 2016, Lautner took on the film Run the Tide, an indie drama with no budget and no big studio backing. It couldn't have been farther from his Twilight roots or his attempts at becoming an action hero. Lautner described the film in aMetrointerview as "a passion project for everyone involved." Unfortunately, it was a risk that didn't pan out.
Reviews were dismal.The A.V. Clublabeled it "bargain-basement schmaltz, too blandly folksy even for Sundance."The Young Folksclaimed "the emotion felt forced and it lacked authenticity," and that the film "is best as a Lifetime movie special of the week." The review even zeroed in specifically on Lautner's performance, saying "he just doesn't fit" in such a dramatic role, and that "he just isn't very believable, as much as he tries to be."
Is it any surprise that Lautner seems to take a sabbatical after this?
He's been linked to lots of fauxmances
Lautner has had a lot of famous girlfriends with suspiciously convenient timing. He "dated" Lily Collins when they were promoting Abduction in 2011. When that didn't generate quite enough buzz, they made headlines when Us Weekly reported that they broke up a week before the premiere. When he had a cameo in Grown Ups 2 in 2013, theDaily Mail noted that he was dating actress Maika Monroe shortly before the movie hit theaters. He dated his Tracers co-star Marie Avgeropoulos, but E! Online reports that they split shortly after the film debuted.
Lautner's most famous flame was Taylor Swift, who he dated for a few months from late 2009 to 2010. What makes that pairing suspicious? Well, they broke up after their movie,Valentine's Day,hit theaters in 2010, and he seems to be one of the few exes that Swift hasn't penned a bitter song about. In fact, the Taylors were actually friendly post-split, per MTV News. That's very unlike her, especially if the relationship was real.
Another werewolf replaced him
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Twilight fans who were "Team Jacob" have likely moved on to other hot lycanthropes. Dylan O'Brien looks a bit like Lautner and stars in MTV's Teen Wolf series, and his acting chops receive much better reviews. Additionally, O'Brien found success in an action franchise, starring in 2014's The Maze Runner and its sequels.
He's not career-focused right now
While promoting Run the Tide, Lautner expressed his desire to expand his professional resume, which includes him being pickier about the roles he'll choose moving forward. When asked by ABC Newsif he was worried about being "pigeonholed" by his Twilight role, Lautner said, "That's kind of why I want to choose things that are different."
While he considers his career's direction, Lautner's really not in any hurry to get back on a movie set. He even spelled out his intentional slowdown in even more specific terms to Reuters in November 2016, saying "For me the biggest thing is just surrounding myself with people that I love, just spending time, it doesn't matter what I'm doing as long as I'm with my friends and my family. Ya know, I could be sitting in a cardboard box and that's where I'm happiest."
Did he pause his career for love?
Lautner and Billie Lourd met on the set of Scream Queens, and their onscreen romance spilled over into real life. According to People, Lourd and Lautner's rumored relationship began in December 2016, just before Lourd tragically lost both her mother, Star Wars actress Carrie Fisher, and grandmother, iconic actress Debbie Reynolds, just one day apart.
Lautner attended the joint funeral for the screen legends, and from there, their whirlwind romance was well documented on Instagram, with Lautner posting photos of the couple jet-setting all over the world. According to Lourd's uncle, Todd Fisher, the relationship was as serious as it was adorable. "The truth of the matter is, the guy is pretty spectacular," Todd toldE! News. "He's a really deep person, and he has supported her amazingly. He's stepped up and acted like a husband would act. Not that that's what's going on, but it's just an amazing support system for her, and I'm glad he's in her life. That's not easy for me to say, if you think about it!"
However, by July 2017, Lourd and Lautner were over as a couple, although they "are still friendly," according to a source forPeople. Is it possible that Lautner pressed the pause button on acting for this reverse May-December romance?
He might work with Greg Davies of Cuckoo again
One of the brighter spots in Lautner's career has been the gamble he took replacing Andy Samberg's character on the BBC comedyCuckoo. Playing completely against type, Lautner stepped into a role that had him navigating the tricky waters of dry British humor, but he apparently nailed it. According to The Telegraph, Lautner was "very good indeed."
Series co-star Greg Davies also had nothing but praise for Lautner, telling Metro in November 2017, that he's kept in touch with Lautner since the series ended. Davies hinted that they may work together in the future. "It's an unlikely friendship. We're doing two more series next year. I get on really well with him. He's a thoroughly decent chap."
Granted, that's not a confirmation that Lautner is on board, but it sure seems like he's got an open invitation and a critically-lauded avenue to pursue should he choose to accept it.
FAQs
Why Hollywood stop casting Taylor Lautner? ›
Not receiving the paycheck he wanted may have been another catalyst causing him to abandon Hollywood. Looper reports that Lautner requested a $7.5 million salary for the film Stretch Armstrong, highlighting that this is a very large salary for an actor who has never opened a film before.
What happened between Taylor Lautner and Taylor Swift? ›Swift and Lautner dated for several months in the fall of 2009, calling it quits that December. “He liked her more than she liked him. He went everywhere he could to see her, but she didn't travel much to see him,” a source told Us Weekly at the time. “They decided they were better as friends.”
Did Taylor Lautner date Taylor Swift? ›Dome pointed out that Lautner and Swift, who briefly dated in 2009, had just gone public with their then relationship.
Who did Taylor Lautner marry? ›Taylor Lautner and Taylor Dome Married at Sunset on a Vineyard Estate in California | Vogue.
Why are so many actors leaving the Hollywood? ›Why are so many actors leaving Hollywood? Many celebrities have quit Hollywood after they became successful, citing overwhelming attention and a desire for something new as their reasons. One of show business' most iconic faces Cameron Diaz temporarily left the industry after her final film performance in 2014's Annie.
Does Taylor Lautner still make money from Twilight? ›Taylor Lautner: US$40 million
Lautner, 30, raked in US$45 million from the Twilight Saga, increasing his US$1 million salary from the first movie to earning a 2.5 per cent cut of earnings on the third flick and US$12.5 million for each of the final two instalments, Breaking Dawn – Part One and Breaking Dawn – Part Two.
Joe Alwyn and Taylor Swift after the BAFTAs afterparty. Taylor Swift is currently dating English actor Joe Alwyn, beginning in November of 2016, and has been Taylor's longest relationship as of December 2022. They have been together for a little more than 6 years.
What songs did Taylor Swift wrote about Taylor Lautner? ›Actor Taylor Lautner, an ex-boyfriend of Swift, told the press in 2016 that he was the inspiration of "Back to December".
What did John Mayer say about Taylor Swift? ›John previously faced backlash for making degrading sexual comments about his ex Jessica Simpson and for calling Taylor Swift's songwriting “cheap” in a now-infamous interview.
Who did Taylor Swift date at 19? ›Taylor dated John Mayer when she was 19. While they were dating, the pair never vocally commented on their relationship.
What year did Selena Gomez date Taylor Lautner? ›
TAYLOR LAUTNER: 2009
Selena briefly dated Taylor after they met while she was filming Ramona and Beezus and he was filming Twilight: New Moon. But public interest in the relationship ended up killing their vibe. Here's what Selena told Seventeen: “Kristen [Stewart] was staying in my hotel.
Without including the ones who have not been confirmed to have been dating her, Taylor Swift has had 9 boyfriends.
Who dated Taylor Lautner first? ›Sara Hicks
Sara was reportedly Taylor's first-ever girlfriend from before he was famous.
The actor's been linked to her since late 2018 and proposed November 2021.
What is Taylor Lautner nationality? ›Taylor Daniel Lautner (/ˈlaʊtnər/; born February 11, 1992) is an American actor.
Who has turned down a Hollywood star? ›Bruce Springsteen
While the music legend accepted having his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, he actually never received it. In fact, he simply didn't show up for the public ceremony where it would be awarded.
Carlisle Cullen Is The Wealthiest Fictional Character
In Twilight, Carlisle has been amassing wealth for an exceptionally long time. According to Consumerist, Carlisle Cullen's estimated real-life net worth is believed to be $34.1 billion.
His salary for “Twilight” was $2.5 million, Parade magazine reported, and he earned $12 million for “The Twilight Saga: New Moon.” Thanks to the success of the franchise, he'd earned over $40 million by the time “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2” was wrapped up, including 7.5% of the gross from the two “ ...
Who has the highest net worth in Twilight? ›The richest Twilight star is not an actor at all, though she had two cameo appearances in the franchise. Stephenie Meyer, the author of the Twilight Saga, received over $40 million in book and movie royalties in 2010 and 2011 alone. The novelist's net worth is $120 million.
Who did Taylor Swift date for 7 years? ›- JOE JONAS: JULY 2008 TO OCTOBER 2008.
- LUCAS TILL: MARCH 2009 TO APRIL 2009.
- TAYLOR LAUTNER: FALL 2009.
- JOHN MAYER: DECEMBER 2009 TO FEBRUARY 2010.
- JAKE GYLLENHAAL: OCTOBER 2010 TO JANUARY 2011.
- CONNOR KENNEDY: JULY 2012 TO OCTOBER 2012.
- HARRY STYLES: NOVEMBER 2012 TO JANUARY 2013.
- CALVIN HARRIS: FEBRUARY 2015 TO MAY 2016.
What did Ellen do to Taylor Swift? ›
She told Swift that she would show pictures of her rumoured ex-boyfriends on the screen, and asked her to ring a bell to confirm if they had actually dated. Swift immediately protested, but DeGeneres powered on regardless. “I don't know if I'm gonna do this,” Swift said.
How old was Harry Styles when he dated Taylor Swift? ›Harry and Taylor dated for over a year, when he was 18 and she was 22. Their relationship and eventual separation apparently inspired songs from both singers.
What is Taylor Swift's favorite song that she has written? ›Taylor Swift Says This 'Midnights' Track Is One of Her 'Favorite Songs' She's Ever Written.
How old was Jake Gyllenhaal when he dated Taylor Swift? ›Swift and Gyllenhaal began dating when she was 19 and he was 28. When they broke up, she was 20 to his 29. The age difference matches that of Dylan O'Brienand Sadie Sink, who star in the short film for "All Too Well."
What is the most listened to Taylor Swift song? ›- Blank Space [1989] – 1,706,000.
- I Don't Wanna Live Forever [Orphan] – 1,678,000.
- Shake It Off [1989] – 1,610,000.
- Love Story [Fearless] – 1,528,000.
- Look What You Made Me Do [Reputation] – 1,185,000.
- Wildest Dreams [1989] – 1,177,000.
- You Belong with Me [Fearless] – 1,091,000.
Speaking about 'Who Cares' during a BBC interview, McCartney explained how the track was influenced by Taylor Swift and her fans: “I was actually thinking about Taylor Swift and her relationship to her young fans and how it's sort of a sisterly thing,” he began.
Why did Karlie Kloss and Taylor Swift stop being friends? ›Perhaps the final blow to the best friendship between Kloss and Swift came when the model was seen on Instagram with her manager, Scooter Braun. Braun recently acquired all of the rights to Swift's first six albums, much to the singer's public dismay. Swift has said that she will re-record all of the music Braun owns.
What did Adele say about Taylor Swift? ›Adele Calls Taylor Swift 'One of the Greatest Songwriters of Our Generation' Even though the superstar hasn't had time to give Midnights a listen quite yet.
How old was Taylor Swift when she dated Tom Hiddleston? ›The video features a waxwork of Taylor and a whole host of other celebs. We like to think Tom, 35, was a shoulder to cry on for 26-year-old Taylor.
Who was Taylor Swift's first love? ›Lucas Till (March 2009-April 2009)
What Taylor Swift song is about Tom Hiddleston? ›
"Midnight Rain": Swift's track "Midnight Rain" appears to be a track about the demise of her 2016 relationship with Hiddleston and how both sides wanted different things at the time.
How much older is Taylor Swift than Taylor Lautner? ›Additionally, Taylor dated Taylor Lautner when he was 17 and she was 20, and she dated Harry Styles when she was 23 and he was 18. So it turns out that, yes, Taylor did date a 17-year-old, although she was only 20 at the time and the relationship didn't last very long.
Who is Taylor Lautner with right now? ›Taylor Dome and Taylor Lautner were first linked in 2018, and they wed in November 2022. Taylor Lautner has his sister, Makena Moore, to thank for his relationship. Moore first introduced Lautner to his now-wife, Taylor Dome, while he was on a hiatus from acting.
Who did Selena Gomez date after Justin Bieber? ›Following their split, the Same Old Love singer went on to date Justin Bieber on and off over the course of the next eight years until their romance eventually ended for good in 2018. Gomez was then linked to fellow stars like Zedd, Charlie Puth and The Weeknd over the next few years.
Who is the bestfriend of Taylor Swift? ›As Swifties know all too well, Abigail is one of Taylor's oldest friends and closest confidants. In fact, she was even name-dropped in the singer's 2008 smash hit "Fifteen" as the "redhead" Taylor sat next to during her first day of class. "And soon enough you're best friends," Taylor sang on the track.
What is Taylor Swift's biggest single? ›Popular on Variety. “Anti-Hero” has officially become Taylor Swift's biggest single to date by at least one metric: It's topped the Billboard Hot 100 now for eight non-consecutive weeks. That's one more than the seven weeks her previous leader in that ranking, “Blank Space,” managed back in 2014-15.
Did Taylor Swift and Zac Efron date? ›Zac Efron. Alright, so even though they have always denied dating, Taylor and Zac Efron did write a song together about the romance rumors, and she also gave him his first guitar lesson.
What happened with Taylor Swift and Taylor Lautner? ›Towards the end of December, sources told PEOPLE that Swift and Lautner had broken up. "It was never a big deal to begin with. The media made way more out of it than it is," a source close to Swift told PEOPLE at the time. "They went out on a few dates and realized this was just not going anywhere."
Why did Taylor Swift apologize to Taylor Lautner? ›The singer admits that she's sorry for the way she ended a certain relationship. The tale of the two Taylors began in love and ended in friendship – or so the story goes. But it looks like the brief romance between Taylor Swift and Taylor Lautner may have not ended so smoothly.
How long was Taylor Swift with Taylor Lautner? ›Though the relationship lasted only a few months, Lautner was the inspiration behind Swift's 2010 hit song “Back to December.” As one TikTok user replied to the podcast clip, “She goes back to December all the time but he goes back to the 2009 VMAS all the time.”
Was Tom Hiddleston going to propose to Taylor Swift? ›
'She would say yes': Tom Hiddleston is 'planning to propose' to Taylor Swift as friends say romance is the real deal.
Is Taylor Lautner still Native American? ›Taylor Lautner, a non-Native actor, was cast as Jacob Black, who lives on a Quileute reservation. Lautner told MTV in 2008 that he met with Quileute tribe members and discovered some distant Native American ancestry on his mother's side through preparing for the role, but that he is French, Dutch, and German.
Did Taylor Lautner quit acting? ›According to Looper, there are several reasons why Lautner is no longer actively making movies. One of the most unsurprising is that he felt Twilight defined him, and he couldn't get away from the role of Jacob Black. No matter what other projects he took on, people just saw him as Jacob Black.
How much did Taylor Lautner get paid for Twilight? ›Taylor Lautner: US$40 million
Lautner, 30, raked in US$45 million from the Twilight Saga, increasing his US$1 million salary from the first movie to earning a 2.5 per cent cut of earnings on the third flick and US$12.5 million for each of the final two instalments, Breaking Dawn – Part One and Breaking Dawn – Part Two.
In an interview with People, Lautner explains why he chose to take a step back from acting. “I don't think it was a conscious decision, but it made sense for me at that time in my life,” he explained. “I started acting from when I was a child, and it was kind of nonstop until I was in my early to mid-twenties.”
Who was going to replace Taylor Lautner? ›It's been almost 15 years since Twilight premiered, and it's pretty hard to picture anyone other than Taylor Lautner playing werewolf Jacob Black. But the role almost went to another actor: none other than Teen Wolf star Tyler Posey.
Why did Cameron Diaz leave Hollywood? ›Since then, she has turned to family life. “I couldn't imagine being a mom now where I'm at as a mother with my child at her first year to have to be on a movie set that takes 14 hours, 16 hours of my day away from my child,” she said on the SiriusXM show Quarantined with Bruce.
Why did Cameron Diaz leave acting? ›Diaz on why she quit acting, citing mental health struggles
In March, Diaz spoke to "RuPaul's Drag Race" judge Michelle Visage on the podcast "Rule Breakers" and opened up about the mental health struggles that came with her career and fame.
"Because I was an actor, when I was in school there was a little bullying going on. Not physical bullying but people making fun of what I do … I just had to tell myself I can't let this get to me. This is what love to do.
What is Taylor Lautner salary? ›| Net Worth: | $45 Million |
|---|---|
| Salary: | $0.3 Million + |
| Monthly Income: | $4 Million + |
| Date of Birth: | February 11, 1992 |
| Gender: | Male |
Where does Taylor Lautner live now? ›
Taylor Lautner
Who was almost casted in Twilight? ›Some soon-to-be-major actresses (including some who would become faces of their own respective franchises) that auditioned for Bella Swan included Emily Browning (Meyer's early first choice), Michelle Trachtenberg, Lily Collins and Jennifer Lawrence.
Why was Taylor Lautner almost recast? ›According to the report, director Chris Weitz was not sure that Taylor Lautner could bulk up properly to portray the transformation of Jacob from a human to werewolf in New Moon. He wanted someone who could play a "new, larger Jacob Black" as he admitted in the interview with the portal.
Who got recast in Twilight? ›Why Twilight Replaced Rachelle Lefevre With Bryce Dallas Howard. Prior to playing the original Victoria in Twilight, Lefevre had worked in various TV shows, though she was mostly cast for minor roles. As for her work on the big screen, she appeared in Confessions of a Dangerous Mind as Tuvia, among other projects.
Why did Antonio Banderas leave Hollywood? ›His Hollywood exit came after his ex-wife Melanie Griffith filed for divorce in May 2014, citing irreconcilable differences. Banderas stars alongside Penelope Cruz in Pain & Glory, a semi-autobiographical drama by long-time collaborator Pedro Almodovar, the director behind Volver and Julieta.
Are Cameron Diaz and Drew Barrymore still friends? ›Drew Barrymore and Cameron Diaz truly have the best friendship, and it's beautiful to see. The stars were friends even before they filmed cult movie Charlie's Angels together in 2000, according to People, and their bond endures to this day.
Is Cameron Diaz godmother to? ›Cameron Diaz is the godmother to Drew Barrymore's daughter, Frankie.
Did Justin Timberlake and Cameron Diaz go out? ›Though Diaz and Timberlake are both now married and have been for years, neither was always eager when it came to commitment. During a visit to the Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2006, the host asked Timberlake about the engagement rumors that long circled the pair.
Was Knight and Day a flop? ›Knight and Day made just over $260 million worldwide (with only $76 million in the United States) on a production budget of $117 million. It would be considered a flop when taking into account marketing expenses and the dues paid to theater owners.
Why did Eva Mendes retire? ›“I got tired of fighting for the good roles,” Mendes said. “There just was a point where I thought, 'I'm going to create my own opportunities and become a producer on things and create my own material,' but it just didn't feel worth it to me.”