Why Hollywood Still Won't Cast Taylor Lautner

Between 2008 and 2012, there was only one pressing entertainment question on the world's mind: are you Team Edward or Team Jacob? Although Taylor Lautner got his acting start at an early age (hello, Sharkboy), it was the "Twilight" franchise that made him an overnight star as the werewolf with the golden abs, er, heart of gold. The massive success of the franchise earned him millions of screaming fans so it was assumed he would go on to make untold millions for himself and Hollywood studios who were more than ready to cash in.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. Immediately after his time in the iconic film series, Lautner had a series of flops that didn't do his career any favors. "I can't recall another teenage star so opaque. If his physiognomy — recessed eyes that don't seem to focus, a wide snub nose and Elvis-y lips — conjure Neanderthal manhood after a cosmetic makeover, his boyish monotone with its utter lack of inflection suggests that he is really an advanced robot simulating human speech without registering emotion or even comprehension," wrote The New York Times' Stephen Holden in his review of "Abduction." Yikes.

In the years that followed, he Lautner nabbed a role in the BBC sitcom "Cuckoo," as well as the second season of "Scream Queens." In 2022, he showed up in the Netflix original flick "Home Team." But beyond that, his acting career has more or less petered out. Let's find out why Hollywood still won't cast Taylor Lautner and how he's been staying busy.

When Twilight hit theaters in the fall of 2008, Taylor Lautner, Kristen Stewart, and Robert Pattinson instantly became household names and the hottest young actors in Hollywood. During the franchise's four-year run, Stewart and Pattinson were looking toward their future and immersing themselves into roles to avoid being typecast. Stewart starred in the indie flicks "Adventureland' and "The Runaways," while Pattinson tried his hand at being a non-vampire, romantic leading man in "Water for Elephants" and "Remember Me," before switching gears and looking for arthouse projects instead of mainstream success.

Since audiences were used to seeing Stewart and Pattinson in other roles, it became easier for them to transition away from "Twilight" immediately. Lautner, on the other hand, only had a bit part in the 2010 ensemble romantic comedy "Valentine's Day" and "Abduction" on his resume between "Twilight" installments. We'll discuss "Abduction" later, but choosing projects wasn't one of Lautner's strong suits.

Three years after the last "Twilight" film hit the big screen there was already talk of Lautner potentially being a one-hit wonder. "It's not easy to move out of the shadow of a hit like 'Twilight,'" a Hollywood agent told The Hollywood Reporter in 2015. "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. Not great.

Although "Abduction" was a bust, studios still thought Taylor Lautner was a big enough office draw, considering he was just three years removed from the "Twilight" franchise. You have to strike while the iron is still hot, right?  Enter the 2015 romantic action thriller "Tracers," a movie where Lautner plays a bike messenger who discovers parkour and a girl while being chased by the Chinese mafia. Sounds exciting.

Unfortunately, Lautner's American fans didn't get to see the film unless they were at a theater on May 10, 2015, the only day of its U.S. theatrical release where it raked in a whopping $2,000. The international box office didn't fare much better, with "Tracers" bringing in a paltry $3.3 million. The reviews? Also bad. The film currently holds a combined 24% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Steve Tilley of the Toronto Sun seemed to have a crystal ball at his desk, 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."

And with that, Lautner's studio career and run as a leading man was over. But let's face it, there are several movie stars who aren't really known for their acting ability, so why was Lautner's career any different? Let's find out. 

After coming off one of the most successful film franchises in movie history, we can't really blame Taylor Lautner and his agent for swinging for the fence when negotiating his salaries post-"Twilight." An anonymous studio production executive told Vulture that Lautner's talent agency did "a brilliant job of convincing Hollywood that he's the next big movie star" and that's all reflected in the numbers. Lautner received $5 million for "Abduction" and was set to take home $7.5 million for the live-action feature about the Hasbro action figure Stretch Armstrong.

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?'" A former studio marketing executive told Vulture, "'Abduction' is [like] selling Tobey Maguire in anything outside of 'Spider-Man'" and predicted "Stretch Armstrong" would fall apart, adding, "If I were sitting on top of 'Stretch Armstrong' now, I'd be terrified."

As if on cue, The Wrap reported that Lautner dropped out of "Stretch Armstrong" because they supposedly couldn't make the scheduling work. Lautner wasn't being offered $7.5 million anywhere else, so we assume this was a convenient excuse for both parties to save face for a project that was dead in the water.

"I read the script and it absolutely terrified me and the role terrified me," Taylor Lautner told Ryan Seacrest about Adam Sandler's "The Ridiculous 6." "My role is pretty out there- he's a total country bumpkin — so I said to myself, if I just go for this and don't hold back, what could go wrong?" While we can't blame Lautner for hitching his wagon to the creator of 'Happy Gilmore' and 'Billy Madison,' he should have trusted his gut instincts. Because, well, the movie was a disaster on and off the screen.

Not only was the movie a critical dumpster fire with a 0% on Rotten Tomatoes, it drew even sharper criticism due to the offensive content that made even some of the cast walk off the project. 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," which used indigenous names as a punchline. 

Netflix attempted to come to the defense of its original product. "The movie has ridiculous in the title for a reason: because it is ridiculous," an executive said, claiming the film was a "a broad satire of Western movies and the stereotypes they popularized, featuring a diverse cast that is not only part of — but in on — the joke." Really, though? Lautner could've avoided this controversy — and another critical bomb — by realizing he was terrified for a reason.

Although Taylor Lautner's acting career isn't as bustling as it once was, don't rule him out just yet. That's because it's possible he might work with comedian Greg Davies again, his co-star in the BBC Three's "Cuckoo." Lautner received high praise for his work playing Dale on the comedy series, with The Telegraph's Gerard O'Donovan referring to his delivery as "very good indeed." And this was no small feat, as Lautner had big shoes to fill when he replaced one of the show's main stars, "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" actor Andy Samberg, in 2014. 

Lautner eventually left the show in December 2018, with actor Andie MacDowell stepping in as his replacement. And though he might not be on the series anymore, his work has left a lasting impression on the cast. Just ask Davies, who said he's open to working with Lautner again down the line. "It's an unlikely friendship," Davies told Metro in November 2017. "We're doing two more series next year. I get on really well with him. He's a thoroughly decent chap."

Sounds promising, right? We'd be pumped to see Lautner back in action, so here's hoping he can make this happen.

Taylor Lautner might not be lighting up the big screen and starring in must-see blockbusters like he used to earlier in his career, but it seems safe to say he's doing fine financially. Turns out, being part of a huge franchise like "The Twilight Saga" can be rather good to an actor's piggy bank. Once upon a time, the former teen wolf was pulling in major bank for his work on the silver screen. So much so, he even made Forbes' top ten highest-paid actors in Hollywood in 2012. That same year, the then-19-year-old star treated himself by purchasing a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, which set him back a cool $200,000. 

And don't worry, the funds have not dried up. Lautner's made some impressive real estate moves in recent years, including selling an Agoura Hills mansion for over $5 million in 2022 and scooping up a different Agoura Hills mansion for $4 million. 

Taylor Lautner and Taylor Dome didn't waste any time in getting married. The pair decided to wed exactly one year after their engagement, making their wedding date November 11, 2022. Lautner and Dome tied the knot at Epoch Estate Winery near Paso Robles, surrounded by 100 friends and family members. "It couldn't have been more perfect," Lautner told British Vogue. "I could've been anywhere marrying my best friend and the love of my life, but the setting of the ceremony definitely made the whole thing feel surreal."

Adorably, there were signature cocktails inspired by the couple's dogs, and the Lautners' first dance was to "Lifetime" by Justin Bieber. Importantly, the pair wanted their special day to be intimate and meaningful, with Lautner telling People, "We just wanted the day to feel celebratory, no pressure or anxiety. Everybody there meant so much to us and we wanted all of them to be part of the day." While Dome wore a jaw-dropping gown by Winnie Couture, Lautner wore a custom Dolce and Gabbana suit. Both Dome and Lautner were equally involved in planning the special event. As Dome said in People, "[W]e had high expectations, but it exceeded them for sure." They followed up their big day with a romantic beach honeymoon in Mexico.

During "The Twilight Saga" era, Taylor Lautner was subjected to an unfathomable amount of body shaming, which must have been incredibly overwhelming at such a young age. Speaking to Access Hollywood in February 2023, Lautner shared, "It was tough, when you start putting on a little weight and don't look like you did in this huge franchise when you were 17 and cut. It was embarrassing seeing all the photos and having people trash you."

During the interview, the "Cuckoo" actor also revealed that he started experiencing shame over the way he looked, and the changes his body underwent once "The Twilight Saga" was over. "But it also made me feel kind of guilty, having so many people tell me how inspiring I was to them and looking at myself in the mirror and not looking like that anymore," he told Access Hollywood. Fortunately, it sounds like Lautner has found a way to heal and move on from the unfair criticism and pressure he experienced after playing a character who was objectified to an unrealistic degree, especially as he was just a teenager at the time. "I've gotten healthy again, but in order to get my body physically healthy, it took my mind getting healthy first," he shared on an episode of "The Squeeze." "Don't find happiness in what you want your body to look like."

Playing Jacob Black in the "Twilight" movie series was not without its negatives, but that's not to say Taylor Lautner is totally opposed to returning to the franchise. Rather, if the opportunity presented itself, he would seriously consider once again shapeshifting into the character that helped him become a worldwide star. While promoting the Clear the Shelters campaign in August 2022, Lautner told E! News, "He's a good character that is easy to love, so I would never say no to that." As for where he thinks his character ended up after the events of "Breaking Dawn – Part 2," Lautner theorized, "Happy ever after with Renesmee because that's where I left off ... he's a pretty loyal dude."

However, Lautner was also quick to note that the grueling training regime required to play Jacob isn't something he'd want to repeat. "The body was great for the role—but the amount of the working out and discipline and food that went into it, not fond memories," he told E! News. "It's tough because when I was 17, 18, 19 years old, I couldn't do any cardio because I had to just put on as much muscle as possible." If he were to return to the franchise in the future, Lautner would take a different route. "I would prefer just to be trim and healthy, you know?" he said. "Definitely not a Jacob Black body."