Taylor Lautner is opening up about almost getting recast in the “Twilight” films.
The Jacob Black actor, in an appearance on Alex Cooper’s “Call Her Daddy” podcast, explained that his character in Stephenie Meyer’s first book is a “little scrawny” 16-year-old before he morphs into a “25-year-old looking built, muscular man” in the middle of the “Twilight” follow-up “New Moon.”
“So their plan just all along was to cast a 16-year-old, which they did. I was 16 at the time. And then they were going to cast like a mid-20s guy to carry on and be Jacob for the rest of the franchise,” said Lautner.
“So yeah, I had to fight for my role back.”
“New Moon” director Chris Weitz was reportedly eyeing “several actors” for the part at the time including Michael Copon, according to MTV News.
The recasting talk led to Lautner hitting the gym, an effort that caused fellow “Twilight” actor Ashley Greene to remark that he was “not a little kid anymore” due to his build.
Lautner had prepared by “drinking protein shakes, eating every two hours” and working out until he added muscle after filming wrapped on the first movie, according to Rolling Stone magazine.
“I was ready, so when we got that call, my team was like, ‘Have you seen him recently?’” Lautner told Cooper, adding that he was “hardcore working out for about nine months.”
The actor said he nonetheless had to audition for the role again.
Lautner, later in the podcast, revealed that the “Twilight” films sparked a lot of body image issues in recent years because he was “not wearing that many clothes” in the franchise.
“And I also was 17, 18, 19 years old, and it was a lot easier to have a body like that, but that’s what people – what most of the world knows me as,” he said.
He told Cooper that his body image is “much better but certainly not perfect” now before thanking loved ones including his wife, Taylor Dome, for helping him in his journey over the years.
“I’m much better at it now, but there’s good days and bad days still,” he said.