“Twilight” Star Taylor Lautner Left Hollywood at the Height of His Career, Married a Nurse and Loves His Ordinary Life
Everyone wants to conquer Hollywood. At the very least, according to one of Madonna’s hits. But those who, on the contrary, would like to get away from the dream factory and lead a quiet, sensible life are few and far between. Twilight star Taylor Lautner, however, happens to be one of those people. Once he’d made it to the top, he decided to quit his life of superstardom and disappear from the public eye. And, you know, judging by how happy the actor is today, he must have done the right thing.
Twilight and crazy fame
Taylor grew up in a family that had absolutely no connection to the world of show business. His mom worked at a software company and his dad was a pilot. But the boy knew he wanted to be an actor from an early age. His parents supported their son’s dream and took him to all possible auditions. And so he started appearing on screen, first in cameo roles, then voicing various characters, and finally, Lautner got cast in movies.
However, this didn’t help the boy with his peers. Other students mocked Taylor’s passion, but he didn’t care. He firmly set a goal for himself and worked towards it. In 2007, the creators of the movie Twilight were looking for a young man to play the role of shapeshifter Jacob. Lautner had never heard of Meyer’s book, but his agent persuaded him to go to the audition.
After the first part of Twilight, the saga required Lautner to change almost beyond recognition. The director’s plan was to make the character much more muscular. A likely solution to this would have been to get another actor to play the role, but Taylor convinced the filmmakers that he was able to change his appearance in a very short amount of time. He started working out tirelessly. As a result, the star managed to gain about 30 pounds of muscle mass.
His colleagues in the saga were shocked at how much Lautner had changed. The actress who played Bella, Kristen Stewart, said, “He’s an entirely different person physically.” And Robert Pattinson shared, “I saw him and thought, ’I’m going to get fired.’” After the release of the second film, the trio became idols for countless young people, but it was the “shapeshifted” Taylor who drew the most attention.
As well as gaining the title of “sex symbol,” he also became “the highest-paid teenage actor in Hollywood.” However, the joy of success didn’t last long. Lautner got stuck with the role of an attractive jock. And even though he dreamed of developing his acting skills and trying out other roles, he hardly got any offers for parts where his shirt would stay buttoned.
The need to get away from Hollywood
After Twilight, Taylor only appeared in four films before disappearing off the Hollywood radar. According to the media, he had several reasons for doing so. Firstly, he couldn’t get away from the role of Jacob Black in the eyes of the public. No matter what projects he took on, everyone expected to see that same shapeshifter from the saga.
Secondly, he wanted to distance himself from Hollywood and start living a more normal life: “I wanted to take a step back and enjoy life and spend some time with my family and friends.”
It was at this time that the actor met his true love. One day, Taylor got a call from his sister, who said that she’d found his future wife and that he absolutely had to come and meet her. Funnily enough, these words really did turn out to be prophetic. Lautner met the girl, and they ended up getting together. Her name is also Taylor. At the beginning of their romance, she was studying medicine and now works as a nurse.
Family happiness away from the cameras
Just a few years ago, he regularly appeared on the red carpet, was considered a sex symbol, and was featured on magazine covers. Now a very different Taylor, enjoying life in the middle of nowhere with his partner, writes: “I’ve never been more surprised in my life.” The actor describes his beloved as the kindest soul he has ever known. And he’s decided to spend the rest of his life with her. In November 2021, the couple got engaged, and a year later, they got married.
Taylor Lautner with his wife and nephew
“It felt right with Taylor from the very beginning. I feel so lucky. I married my best friend,” says Lautner. They organized the wedding in their own style — away from prying eyes. They only invited the people closest to them. The best man was the actor’s friend, TV presenter Jason Kennedy. And so, in sun-drenched vineyards, the lovers exchanged their handwritten vows.
It seems that the actor has finally found the perfect work-life balance. He returned to the screens in 2022, starring in the comedy Home Team. But on his Instagram page, there are still more pictures of other things: get-togethers with friends, romantic evenings, cute play-times with his baby nephew. After all, that’s exactly what the guy who left Hollywood at the peak of his career was dreaming of — living a real life.