Inside Taylor Lautner's Life Today
For those who were firmly Team Jacob during all five installments of "The Twilight Saga," it's one of the great questions of our time: Why did Taylor Lautner disappear from Hollywood? The heartthrob was practically inescapable at the turn of the 2010s. Not only was he the highest-paid teenage actor in Hollywood thanks to his turn as shapeshifting werewolf Jacob Black, but he'd also enjoyed a high-profile romance with his "Valentine's Day" co-star, Taylor Swift, featured regularly in various sexiest men in the world polls, and was about to take center stage in an action movie all his own, 2011's "Abduction."
Sadly, the disappointing box office returns for the flick appeared to put an end to Lautner's leading man ambitions. After the supernatural franchise that launched him to A-list status ended a year later, the Michigan native's career seemed to stall completely. Indeed, whereas Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart have since been busy flitting between blockbuster hits and critically acclaimed arthouse fare, Lautner has seemingly not been pulling in the hits either way.
So how has the once-ubiquitous former teen idol been spending his days now that he's away from the glare of Tinseltown? Let's take a look inside Taylor Lautner's life today.
Taylor Lautner dated his Scream Queens co-star
Taylor Lautner's last small screen appearance in an American TV show came when he played Dr. Cassidy Cascade in Ryan Murphy's other horror anthology, "Scream Queens." And a paycheck wasn't the only thing that the actor took away from the set of the 2016 second season. Shortly after the series wrapped up, news emerged that Lautner was dating co-star Billie Lourd, a.k.a. Sadie "Chanel #3" Swenson.
The pair then appeared to make it official with countless loved-up snaps on Instagram, while Lautner was soon given the familial seal of approval by Lourd's uncle. Indeed, he was praised heavily by Todd Fisher in a 2017 chat with E! for the comfort he'd provided during a difficult time. Lourd tragically lost her mother, Carrie Fisher, at the end of 2016, just 24 hours before her equally famous grandmother, Debbie Reynolds, passed away. Fisher said of Lautner, "The truth of the matter is, the guy is pretty spectacular. He's a really deep person, and he has supported her amazingly. He's stepped up and acted like a husband would act."
Sadly, in July 2017, People magazine revealed that the couple had gone their separate ways. Three years later, Lourd announced her engagement to producer Austen Rydell, and she surprised everyone when she revealed she'd given birth to a baby boy, Kingston Fisher. By 2022, the couple were married.
He made it official with a social media star
Less than 18 months after splitting with Billie Lourd, Taylor Lautner proved he'd moved on himself with the news that he was dating a social media influencer. In October 2018, he disclosed this important information in a post on Instagram. The "Twilight" star could be seen kneeling down and planting a smooch on nursing student, Taylor Dome in the Halloween pic, in which they both sported outfits from the mid-'90s basketball classic "Space Jam."
Dome first got tongues wagging with a series of posts on her own Instagram account, which appeared to imply she and Lautner were a couple. She posted a supportive message to the actor's sister in the wake of her second round of heart surgery, tagged his name in a since-deleted post captioned with, "Missin my Darlin" (via E!), and uploaded a pic of the pair looking loved-up at a wedding ceremony.
Soon enough, the two were planning their own wedding, with Lautner and Dome getting engaged in 2022. As he jokingly noted to "Access Hollywood," the two Taylors would soon be sharing a surname after marriage. "It's going to get very confusing," he shared. "... The narcissism is incredible."
He waved goodbye to Cuckoo
In 2014, Taylor Lautner surprised everyone when he replaced Andy Samberg as the American oddball in the suburban British sitcom, "Cuckoo." The "Twilight" star may be widely regarded as sexy, brooding, and very well-paid — but was he actually funny? Well, suggesting that we'd all perhaps underestimated his talents, Lautner proved to have great comic timing while playing the nice but dim, Dale in the BBC3 hit.
The Michigander assumed the role from the second season up until the end of the fourth when his character left Lichfield for Sierra Leone with girlfriend Rachel in tow. However, when his traveling partner returned home, Dale was nowhere to be found. Instead, the token Statesider for the fifth season was Andie MacDowell, the gold-digging long-lost sister of the family patriarch, Ken.
It's not known why exactly Lautner decided to leave a role that many critics felt he was born to play in 2019. However, in an official statement published by Chortle, he wished his successor well. "I'm so happy I get to pass my 'Cuckoo' baton to someone as talented as Andie," he said. "She'll do a great job keeping the Thompson family on their toes! I'll miss everyone on the show — not least Chief Ken. But not all goodbyes are forever."
Taylor Lautner lost his canine best friend
Animal lovers may well need some tissues after this heartbreaking yarn. In 2004, a young Taylor Lautner was enjoying filming his first starring role in "The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl" when he was gifted on set with a new canine friend he named Roxy. Thankfully, the teen realized that a dog is for life and not just for working on a 3D kids' superhero flick. In fact, the Maltese barely left the actor's side for over a decade.
Understandably, Lautner was left devastated when his beloved pooch passed away in February 2018. The "Twilight" star then informed his Instagram followers of her death with an adorable photo of himself kissing Roxy, shared alongside a highly emotional post that confirmed just how much she meant to him. "You have brought so much joy into my life for the past 13 1/2 years," he wrote. "I'll miss you every day but I'll take those memories with me everywhere I go. I love you." Lautner's fans didn't have to wait too long for some new super sweet canine content on his feed. In the summer of 2020, Lautner posted a picture of a new adorable puppy on Instagram. The pet was posed upright with his belly exposed, along with the caption, "Got a new meerkat today."
He has thrown his hat into the superhero ring
Robert Pattinson surprised everyone in May 2019, when he landed the eponymous leading role in "The Batman," yet another big screen adventure based on the crime-fighting antics of the Caped Crusader. But should producers need to recast Bruce Wayne in the near future, they could do worse than to look toward Pattinson's own "Twilight" co-star.
Nearly a year after Pattinson's casting announcement, Taylor Lautner put his hat into the superhero ring with a tongue-in-cheek video uploaded to Instagram. In the short clip, the actor springs out from a green garbage bin while sporting a flimsy sumo wrestling costume and a knock-off Batman mask. After the bin tips over, Lautner brushes himself off, offers a wave, and pops open an umbrella before sprinting off. Oh, and the whole thing, rather confusingly, is sound-tracked by the iconic theme to "Mission Impossible."
It was all very random, as Lautner appeared to recognize in the clip's caption. "I'm sorry this had to live on your feed," the star remarked. However, the unusual audition went down well with most of his followers and has since racked up over an impressive 1.2 million views. Of course, Lautner had technically already beaten Team Edward to the superhero punch, having starred as the titular shark-human hybrid in 2005's "The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl."
Taylor Lautner enjoyed a mini-Twilight reunion
Taylor Lautner and Kristen Stewart almost broke the internet — well, the "Twilight"-obsessed part of it anyway — in January 2019, when they made a public appearance together at a surprise party. The artists formerly known as Jacob and Bella enjoyed each other's company while the former celebrated his 27th birthday at a swanky bash organized by girlfriend Tay Dome.
Several photos of the pair ended up on Instagram during the night, including one posted by celebrity hairdresser CJ Romero, captioned, "Damn K looks sexy. T is a pretty little liar. And I look like I'm ready for bed." Lautner also uploaded a handful of pics to Instagram alongside a thank you message to his nursing student boo, in which he noted, "I've never been more surprised in my life."
Of course, this wasn't the first time that Lautner and Stewart had reunited since the "Twilight" series wrapped. In 2015, the former showed up at the premiere of the latter's action drama, "American Ultra," just months after they both enjoyed hanging out at a Sam Smith gig. Two years later, the pair were spotted attending a Los Angeles afterparty staged by Moschino. However, fans shouldn't expect to see them sharing the screen in another "Twilight" installment any time soon. When asked about the possibility of returning to the franchise at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival by ET Canada, Stewart sarcastically replied, "Oh, yeah, sure ... Yes, absolutely. Honestly, start sending scripts my way. Let's start building this. Let's really explore."
He couldn't be prouder of his sister
In April 2019, Taylor Lautner witnessed his younger sister, Makena Lautner, getting engaged to her partner, Jacob Moore. It was an occasion the "Twilight" star seemed more enthusiastic about than perhaps even the bride-to-be herself, as the actor took to Instagram the morning after to express his joy that there would soon be a wedding in the family.
Taylor wrote, "Last night was one of the biggest moments of my life. My best friend, also known as my baby sister, got engaged to the love of her life." He added, "I could not be more proud of the woman that you have grown to become and I don't know where in this world I would be without you. The love that you two have is truly one of a kind and I cannot wait to watch the rest of your guys love story play out. Congratulations Jake and Makena! I love you both more than you know." Aww.
Makena's engagement came just a year after she underwent heart surgery for a second time. She suffers from tachycardia, a condition that can lead to a heart rate of more than 300 beats per minute. Unsurprisingly, Taylor shared his pride as she recovered from the operation, posting on Instagram, "Couldn't possibly look up to this little/not so little girl any more. You are much braver than I Makena Lautner. Love you so." When Makena and Jacob married in May 2020, her big bro shared a slideshow of photos from the big day alongside a sweet caption.
He is a prudent property investor
So it seems like Taylor Lautner is quite the shrewd investor. In 2012, he reportedly purchased a 10,000-square-foot mansion in the San Fernando Valley neighborhood of Chatsworth for just $1.86 million, over $300,000 less than former San Diego Charger Marcellus Wiley had apparently paid seven years previously. When the "Twilight" star put it back on the market in July 2020, the property was worth roughly $4.2 million, per Dirt.
Interestingly, the buyer this time around was another NFL star, Atlanta Falcons running back Todd Gurley. Lautner had supposedly given the building's exterior a fresh lick of paint, as well as installing a new large swimming pool complete with a bar. But for the most part, the luxurious pad remained in the same state, meaning the heartthrob had more than doubled his investment.
In 2022, the star then sold his Agoura Hills mansion to Kayley Cuoco, making a cool quarter of a million on the sale, according to Dirt. The "Big Bang Theory" actor reportedly spent $5.25 million on the stylish abode, which boasts give bedrooms and four bathrooms, along with luxury details like an infinity pool and spa. Lautner didn't spend too long in the joint, considering he only bought it two years earlier. Proving that playing a therianthrope pays well, the actor also has a 10-acre home in the secluded community of Castaic, which reportedly cost him $2 million back in 2011, per the outlet.
He cleared out his wardrobe for global relief efforts
Ever fancied getting your mitts on a used Loewe Madrid leather bomber jacket once worn by the 2010 Nickelodeon Australian Kids' Choice Awards' Hottest Hottie? Well, you had your chance in May 2020, thanks to a charitable bit of wheeling and dealing from the one and only Taylor Lautner.
The "Twilight" star decided to clear out his wardrobe to raise funds for relief efforts relating to the global coronavirus pandemic. "Spring cleaning!! Selling tons of new and used clothes from my closet!" the actor announced in a since-deleted Instagram post, according to ET Canada. "Proceeds to support those affected by COVID-19 [sic]."
Lautner was selling everything from tank tops and trousers, to shorts and sportswear through the online marketplace, Poshmark, including outfits he'd sported on the likes of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" and "Scream Queens." But you may have needed a small fortune to fork out for your favorite item. Indeed, while some of Lautner's sartorial choices were going for as low as 10 dollars, others were priced at nearly $2,000, according to Metro. The former teen idol was following in the footsteps of One Direction's biggest solo success, Harry Styles, who sold "Stay at Home" t-shirts for approximately $26 on his website.
He still has a net worth fit for a teen idol
Taylor Lautner might not have graced a film set since 2016, but he's hardly short of a dollar or two. In fact, according to Celebrity Net Worth, as of 2022 he reportedly still has a mighty $40 million to his name. It turns out that the actor's various multi-million dollar swanky pads and $200,000 Mercedes have barely made a dent in the bank balance he largely accrued from his performances as Jacob Black.
However, Lautner took a while to reach the highest-paid Hollywood teen status in the early 2010s. He allegedly received a relatively average $1 million for his first appearance in the "Twilight" franchise. That figure then went up to $4 million for the sequel, and then $7.5 million for the third chapter, with the actor also receiving a 2.5 percent cut of the latter's profits. Lautner's biggest payday came with the two parts of "Breaking Dawn," for which he earned a whopping $25 million.
Lautner's super-sized paychecks didn't end there, either. He also raked in an impressive $7.5 million for his first post-"Twilight" venture, "Abduction." It's perhaps little wonder then that the actor has been more than happy to spend his post-acting years enjoying the fruits of his labor.
Why didn't he play Sharkboy again?
Before Taylor Lautner prowled about on our screens as a hunky werewolf, he was saving planet Drool with his superhero sidekick, Lavagirl. Since Lautner's Sharkboy was such a beloved character, fans were hoping to see him all grown up in Robert Rodriguez's "We Can Be Heroes," a Netflix original film featuring the popular Sharkboy and Lavagirl duo.
Although Taylor Dooney returned to reprise her role of Lavagirl, Lautner was replaced by JJ Dashnaw in the movie. The actor hasn't had a lot of acting gigs after the final installment of "The Twilight Saga," so fans wondered if Hollywood was done casting him in movies altogether. However, the actor revealed that the real reason why he didn't reprise his role as Sharkboy was that he was more focused on his personal life rather than his career (via Screenrant).
As Rodriguez explained to Decider, he had indeed spoken to Lautner about the film. However, his role featured no dialogue and it also required that his face be covered up. "There wasn't a big enough role for him to do," he explained. "... He became such a big star after 'Twilight' that he would have an expectation ... It'd certainly look like a demerit against him, and I wouldn't want that." The filmmaker added that there was always the potential for him to reprise the character in a larger role in the future.
No, Taylor Lautner hasn't quit acting
While it may seem as though Taylor Lautner hasn't done much since "The Twilight Saga" ended, he's actually managed to maintain a consistent acting career. Over the years, the actor has enjoyed some time on the small screen in the second season of "Scream Queens" and the hit British sitcom, "Cuckoo." He also made appearances in Adam Sandler movies like "Grown Ups 2" and "The Ridiculous 6." In January 2022, Lautner continued his comedy trajectory by playing football team coach, Troy Lambert, alongside Kevin James in the Netflix film, "Home Team."
The biographical comedy, inspired by former NFL coach, Sean Payton, also happened to be produced by Sandler's production company, Happy Madison. As Lautner told ComingSoon.net, he was delighted to work on the movie because he and the "Uncut Gems" actor had been friends for a while. "I love Happy Madison, Sandler, the entire family. None of their projects feel like work. It's like summer camp and everyone involved in them are just such great people, and I'll say yes to a Happy Madison project for the rest of my life. But this one, this one was a blast." Here's hoping the two continue to collaborate with each other!
He loves his low-key life
Just because Taylor Lautner isn't acting much these days doesn't mean he isn't still living like a Hollywood star — after all, in April 2022 he bought a spectacular 7,000-square-foot mansion, just down the road from his former home. While his impressive net worth may suit him fine, he's sadly experienced some serious fallout from fame.
In a 2022 episode of "Today," Lautner explained that he was a teenage boy thrust into the limelight when "Twilight" blew up. Right away, he lost his right to privacy, and was followed by screaming fans and paparazzi wherever he went, and whatever he did. "In the moment, it got frustrating because you just wanted to live a normal life," he explained. "But then, when that's taken away from you at all, you start to question yourself and start to be like, 'Oh, do people not care about me anymore?'"
For a decade, Lautner experienced chronic anxiety at the thought of going out in public, but the fame waned with time. His dimming presence in Hollywood made him question his self-worth. "When it goes away a little bit, you notice it, and that's the dangerous part because that can mess with your mind." Lautner initially struggled to come to terms with his new normal but loves his low-key life now, telling CNN that he loves living like a regular person. As for his acting career? He added he will only be taking projects that are meaningful to him.
If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.