Good News, Jacobites: Taylor Lautner WILL Be in the 'Twilight' Sequel
Filed under: Casting, Deals, RumorMonger, Fandom
That's good news if you loved him as Jacob in Twilight, anyway. If you didn't, well, I guess it sucks to be you, because he ain't going anywhere. Taylor Lautner was one of the youngest Twilight cast members, not quite 16 years old when the film was shot (he turns 17 next month), making him essentially the same age as his character -- a rarity in teen films. His character, Jacob Black, is the Native American boy whose forefathers' anti-vampire streak, coupled with his own fondness for Bella (Kristen Stewart), made him wary of dreamy teenpire Edward (Robert Pattinson), and while Jacob played only a minor part in Twilight's story, he becomes much more important in the sequel, New Moon. I haven't read it, but evidently (and this is no spoiler) he goes through some physical transformations befitting a lad of his werewolfy ancestry.
Lautner's youth and baby-facedness made some people question whether he'd be the right choice to continue playing a beefed up Jacob. At 5'9", Lautner is taller than lots of Hollywood leading men -- but most Hollywood leading men aren't required to play 6'7" lycanthropes. Rumors swirled that he would be replaced, and a representative for New Moon director Chris Weitz confirmed back in December that "the casting decision in regards to the character Jacob Black has yet to be made." Actor Michael Copon, a 26-year-old Lautner lookalike, was being considered at one point, going so far as to say on his Facebook page that he had been locked to take over the role.
But not so fast, Michael Copon, whoever you are! We now have confirmation from Weitz and Twilight creator Stephenie Meyer that Lautner has been signed to play Jacob in New Moon. Weitz says it was his "first instinct" that this should be the case; apparently the brief flirtation with Michael Copon and goodness knows who else was just a momentary lapse. Always trust your gut, kids! If your instinct tells you the apple-cheeked 17-year-old should play the hirsute hypoteneuse in a teenage love triangle, go with it!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1-07-2009 @ 9:49PM
Paige said...
I think that keeping Taylor was a great decision! He looks just like i pictured him and he was really good in twilight! I was hoping he would still be Jacob the whole time! :)
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1-08-2009 @ 1:27PM
Shelby said...
ahh!
im soo happy that they decided to keep him for the second movie. It wouldnt be the same without him. He embodies Jacob Black.
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1-18-2009 @ 9:00AM
Alysha said...
I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER!!!!!!!!!! WHEN I FIRST SAW THE NEWS ON HISGOLDENEYES.COM ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF AGO I ALMOST FAINTED!!!! THAT MADE MY WHOLE LIFE!!!! HAHA I AM SOOOOOOO EXCITED HE BETTER BE JACOB IN THE OTHER MOVIES 2!!!! AHHHHH NOW I CAN GO SEE THE MOVIE!!! i planned on not seeing it if taylor wasn't going to be jacob!!! BUT NOW I CAN YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY YAY!!!!!!! I LOVE TAYLOR LAUTNER!!!!!!! HE IS THE MOST PERFECT JACOB!!!!! HE IS EXACTLY HOW I PICTURED HIM!!!!!!
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1-07-2009 @ 10:09PM
MCW said...
From the perspective of a normal person, it's good that they are keeping the actors the same, even if they changed the director. Jacob wasn't a big part of Twilight (I'm pretty sure that the people who fawn after him don't do so because of his acting ability... he didn't have that many lines in the 1st movie of the series to go off of), but he is a huge part of New Moon.
This has been discussed to no end (On noes, suddenly that girl decides she doesn't want to act anymore... it's totally dreadful) with the Harry Potter series, and look how big of a mistake it would have been to change any of the main actors of that series.
Copon isn't that bad, for anyone who's wondering. I enjoyed The Scorpion King 2 a lot.
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1-08-2009 @ 3:36AM
AJ Wiley said...
"Hirsute hypotenuse"...excellent.
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1-08-2009 @ 9:16AM
Wray said...
I agree - best alliteration I've heard in a while.
Also, good news for Taylor Lautner. It's always distracting when an actor is changed for a sequel when all other cast members remain.
1-08-2009 @ 5:23AM
EmilyCullen said...
YES MA'AM.
I LOVE YOU TAYLOR
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1-12-2009 @ 9:41PM
jade eyes said...
michael copon was never considered for the role since the insider stated that they never looked at any actor for Jacob except Taylor. Michael Crap-on just thought he could bag the deal without going to an audition ahahahh!
and will you please compare the two actor's acting abilities? even with the help of technologies in Scorpion King 2, i fell asleep within 15 mins of sitting in front of it. it was that bad.. sorry.. I tried watching bring it on: in it to win it because i thought it was just a fluke, but nothing has changed. michael should have stick in modeling career.. again, sorry
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1-08-2009 @ 11:56AM
NCNative said...
Still think they should have cast a real Native person to play the role. Sheesh.
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