You remember the screaming. It was 2009, and the cultural fever pitch around the second Twilight film was basically deafening. When people search for the Jacob New Moon actor, they’re usually looking for one of two things: the workout secrets that turned a scrawny teenager into a tank, or the drama behind how he almost lost the role entirely.
Honestly, it’s wild to think about now, but Taylor Lautner was nearly fired from the franchise that made him a household name.
The producers weren't convinced he could pull off the physical "growth spurt" described in Stephenie Meyer’s books. In the novels, Jacob Black doesn't just get older; he basically becomes a different species, hitting a massive height and muscle increase that's supposed to be intimidating. Lautner was only sixteen at the time. He was a martial artist, sure, but he was thin. The studio was looking at older, "manlier" actors to replace him.
But Lautner didn't just sit around waiting for the phone to ring. He hit the gym like a man possessed.
The Transformation That Saved His Career
The Jacob New Moon actor famously packed on about 30 pounds of muscle in a remarkably short window—roughly eight months between films. It wasn’t just "working out a lot." It was a grueling, borderline miserable lifestyle. Lautner has since opened up about how he had to consume over 3,200 calories a day just to maintain the weight while training six days a week.
"I carry around a baggie and it has meat patties in it," he told Entertainment Weekly back in the day. Imagine being a teenager and having to eat cold burger patties every two hours just to keep your job. It’s kinda intense.
His routine was focused on heavy lifting and almost zero cardio. Why? Because cardio burns the very calories he was struggling to keep on his frame. He used "negatives" (lowering weights heavier than he could actually lift) and resistance bands to trick his muscles into growing faster. When he showed up for the New Moon auditions, the director, Chris Weitz, couldn't believe it. The "scrawny kid" was gone.
What Most People Get Wrong About the "Wolf" Body
There’s this misconception that the body we saw on screen was just "good genetics" or "puberty."
It wasn't. It was a manufactured physique.
Recently, Taylor has been very transparent about the mental toll that body took on him. When you're known globally as the "shirtless werewolf guy," your self-worth starts to get tied to your abs. He’s talked on his podcast, The Squeeze, about how he struggled with body image issues for years after the franchise ended. When he stopped working out for five hours a day and his body returned to a "normal" human state, the internet was, unfortunately, pretty cruel about it.
It's a reminder that the Hollywood "superhero" look isn't sustainable—or even healthy—for most people in the long run.
Where Is the Jacob New Moon Actor Now?
If you haven't seen Lautner in a blockbuster lately, that's actually by choice. After a string of action movies like Abduction and Tracers didn't quite hit the same heights as Twilight, he took a step back. He wanted to "enjoy life" and spend time with family.
Basically, he grew up.
- He’s happily married: In 2022, he married Taylor Dome (now also Taylor Lautner, which is hilarious and they know it).
- He’s a mental health advocate: He and his wife run a podcast focused on well-being and the pressures of fame.
- He’s still acting, but on his terms: You might have caught him in the Netflix movie Home Team or his surprisingly funny run on the BBC show Cuckoo.
Actionable Insights from the Taylor Lautner Era
If you’re looking at the Jacob New Moon actor as inspiration for your own fitness or career, here are some real-world takeaways that aren't just fluff:
1. Consistency beats "intensity" long-term. Lautner’s 30-pound gain was a sprint, and it caused him years of body dysmorphia. If you’re training, aim for a "normal body" you can actually maintain without eating cold meat out of a Ziploc bag.
2. Rejection isn't the end. Lautner was told he was being replaced. Instead of complaining, he used the physical description of the character as a blueprint to prove he was the only person for the job.
3. It’s okay to pivot. Lautner was the highest-paid teen actor in the world for a minute. Stepping away from that "A-list" pressure to focus on his marriage and mental health is arguably his most successful move yet.
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The story of the Jacob New Moon actor isn't just about a guy who got ripped for a movie. It's about a kid who fought for a role, survived the most intense fame imaginable, and came out the other side as a seemingly well-adjusted adult. That's a lot harder than hitting a bench press PR.
If you’re curious about his latest work, check out The Squeeze podcast. It’s a genuine look at the person behind the "Team Jacob" posters, and it's far more interesting than the tabloids ever were.