What happened to Taylor Lautner, the rugged Jacob in the Twilight saga?

Taylor Lautner (Grand Rapids, Michigan; February 11, 1992) became famous around the world in 2008, when he first played werewolf Jacob Black in the movie adaptation of 'Twilight,' one of the most successful YA book series to date.

Unlike his costars Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner saw his acting career go downhill. What has he been doing since 'Twilight'? How did he become famous in the first place?

Taylor Lautner began his movie career very early, in the 2001 action film 'Shadow Fury'. He then continued acting in movies like 'The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D' and TV shows such as 'The Nick And Jessica Variety Hour'.

Just before his big break in 'Twilight', Taylor Lautner starred in the TV drama 'My Own Worst Enemy', along with Christian Slater. It was canceled after four episodes. It was Lautner's first flop.

After the worldwide phenomenon of the Twilight saga, the teenage fanbase was divided between Edward, the vampire played by Pattinson, or Jacob, the werewolf played by Taylor Lautner as the romantic interest for protagonist Bella Swan. Lautner quickly became one of the heartthrobs of a new generation.

However, he wasn't exactly praised by the movie critics. Lautner was nominated twice for the Razzie Award as Worst Actor: In 2010 for 'Valentine's Day' and in 2011 for 'Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 1'. Despite the criticism, he was one of Hollywood's highest-paid actors.

Any place he went, fans would follow him around. He was the "it" boy in the early 2010s.

The 'Twilight' star had a stunning physique, thanks to sports and a diet that was, as he revealed in one interview, meat-focused. No surprise for a werewolf!

In his prime, Taylor Lautner was dating some of the "it" girls of the moment. He had a relationship with singer Taylor Swift from October to December 2009. Some say that Swift's single 'Back to December' is inspired by her relationship with Lautner.

Lautner briefly dated Selena Gomez around the same time. Their relationship was short but intense, Selena said in an interview with Seventeen magazine.

They met in Vancouver, Canada, while Taylor was visiting Kristen Stewart. Selena Gomez, who was shooting the movie 'Ramona and Beezus' at the time, stayed in the same hotel as Stewart.

"He is so sweet. Taylor has made me so happy. I didn't know I could be that happy. You probably see it in the pictures! I'm like smiling so big", she told Seventeen magazine. However, the relationship didn't last long, probably due to the harassment of the paparazzi.

Not long afterwards, Taylor Lautner fell in love with Lily Collins. They met while starring in the movie 'Abduction' (2011) and would have a relationship for most of 2011.

'Abduction' was a failure in the box office and got bad reviews. It seems this project was the beginning of the end for his acting career, though Lautner made a few more movies.

There were 'Grown-Ups 2' (2013) and 'The Ridiculous 6' (2015), both with Adam Sandler. The latter was yet another flop. In 2016, he starred in the forgettable film 'Run The Tide'.

Lautner shifted his career to television. He was part of the cast of 'Screen Queens' (2016) and from 2014 to 2018 he starred in the sitcom 'Cuckoo', his last credit to date.

Despite his professional setbacks, Lautner has had more luck in love. He dated actress Marie Avgeropoulos from 2013 to 2015 (they met on the set of 'Tracers') and Billie Lourd, his co-star from 'Screen Queens' (image), from 2016 through 2017.

Currently, he's with a woman who, unlike his former partners, is not an actress. Her name is Taylor Dome and she's a nurse whom Lautner met through his sister Makena. The two have been dating since 2018.

Dome's Instagram photos show just how happy they are together. The couple have two dogs: Lily and Remi.

Taylor proposed to Taylor on November 11, 2021. "And just like that, all of my wishes came true", he wrote on Instagram, along with the pictures of the magical event.

Image: Taylor Lautner / Instagram.

Also, things seem to start improving for Lautner's career. His latest movie, 'Home Team', will be released on Netflix in 2022.

‘Home Team’ is a comedy based on the real-life experiences of New Orleans Saints football coach Sean Payton.

One of his latest public appearances was from his home, in The Pink Agenda's Virtual Gala in 2021. His hair is thinning, compared to the wild, wolf-like mane from his 'Twilight' years. Time does not stand still...

Taylor Lautner is young and still can do a lot in the years to come. Though it's true that his career has taken a dive, the public could see him do a comeback at any moment.