Taylor Lautner's acting template: Tom Cruise?
Taylor Lautner is currently shooting the final two films in the franchise that made him the most famous teen werewolf since Michael J. Fox put on a basketball uniform.
But despite no shortage of jokes about Lautner's abs and his lines as Jacob Black, the "Twilight" star has a more ambitious career, one filled with meaty and dramatic roles, on his mind.
To achieve that, he's looking at someone else who made the jump from teen pin-up to serious actor: Tom Cruise.
In 2011, Lautner will appear in his first major lead role with "Abduction," a film that, though a commercial thriller, gave the 18-year-old a chance to work with an auteur director, John Singleton of "Boyz N the Hood" fame.
Lautner already had admired Cruise, and Singleton coached him on how to follow in the A-lister's path (professionally). "I told him to watch the transition from 'Top Gun' to 'Rain Man' to 'Born on the Fourth of July,' " Singleton told 24 Frames of his sessions with Lautner. "To think about what he did as a young man and what he did later on. And then think about what you want to do."
Hollywood is rife with fresh faces who never become anything more. That's the far more common route, in fact. Can Lautner take the other path?
" 'Twilight' is a great stepping stone for his career. It's like, 'Wow, he's an icon already,' " Singleton said. "But now that you have this stature, it's a question of what you do with it. And that's what he's been working hard on." (Singleton is no stranger to developing performers famous for less actorly pursuits, having done that for Tupac Shakur in 1993's "Poetic Justice.")
For "Abduction," Singleton had Lautner watch "Minority Report" (as well as "The Fugitive") to show the actor the ways one can bring nuance to a traditional man-on-the-run part. Even though "Abduction" is a commercial thriller (premise: a teenager goes on the lam when he finds out the people he thought were his parents are something else entirely), that doesn't mean that Lautner didn't or couldn't flash chops, Singleton said.
"I think when people see this film they'll see a more mature Taylor," Singleton said of the movie he recently finished shooting that's set for release next fall. "He's doing this [thing] he's never done before. He's funny and charismatic. He has room to breathe that he's never had before."
--Steven Zeitchik
Photo: Taylor Lautner at GQ's Men of the Year party. Credit: Chris Pizzello/AP
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Wow! I seriously can't wait to go and see this.
Posted by: Charlene | 01/03/2011 at 07:13 PM
Thanks for the article, very interesting. Not really a fan of Tom Cruise, but glad to hear Taylor's thinking about his future, and cool to hear Singleton was like a mentor to him. Looking forward to 'Abduction' and all his projects, I'm a fan.
Posted by: Olivia | 01/03/2011 at 07:35 PM
Can't wait to see Taylor in Abduction and both Breaking Dawn movies. Just can't get enough of TL. Wish he would do a romance comedy with Kristen, they have such chemistry together.
Posted by: Gina | 01/03/2011 at 07:39 PM
Love Taylor, and am very excited for this movie:)
Posted by: Jenny | 01/03/2011 at 07:43 PM
I think Taylor will do fine. I hope they release the trailer or a sneak peek soon.
Posted by: CM | 01/03/2011 at 08:05 PM
I am excited to see his career evolve. Reading the Twilight books, I was team Edward. But Lautner stole the show in the movies to the point that you don't even remember who Edward is. It will be great to see him in more serious roles, I am sure he will be in demand! And Tom Cruise may be a little nutty in real life, but he is a good actor. I have not seen a movie with him in it that I didn't like, so he would be a good actor to follow.
Posted by: Kristy | 01/03/2011 at 09:24 PM
Taylor has shown he has discipline and focus (Karate Champion, adding 30 pounds to clinch role). I think he will be a major actor for years to come. Looking forward to Abduction!
Posted by: ChrisN | 01/04/2011 at 08:33 AM
Are you kidding?!! Tom Cruise is a serious actor? In what universe? Tom Cruise is incapable of any kind of realistic portrayal. If he is in a film it guarantees that the film is not worth watching and that the character that he plays is unbelievable and barely one dimensional. Its a crime when someone like Cruise can make a living acting when so many actors with talent wait tables.
Posted by: Dave | 01/04/2011 at 08:43 AM
The bed-wetters in the studio corporate offices would NEVER ever promote someone who was not a pretty boy. They have no courage; their ideas & creativity are paper thin and engineered entirely of cowardice.
If you reading this have any influence to reinvent Hollywood, please step up. Now is your time.
Posted by: innercity | 01/04/2011 at 07:57 PM
I know they both do the same thing to be taller-they wear LiftKits insoles!
Posted by: matt | 01/05/2011 at 08:02 AM
SO HAPPY TAYLORS MOVIE IS COMING OUT IN SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR ! THAT TOO BEFORE THE PENULTIMATE INSTALMENT OF TWILIGHT
IT WILL SHOW HIS WIDE RANGE OF ACTING AND HOPEFULLY TAYLOR HAS TWO HITS UNDER HIS BELT BY THE END OF THE YEAR !! LOOKING FORWARD TO HIS OTHER WORK TOO LIKE STRETCH ARMSTRONG AND CANCUN AND INCARCERON !!
Posted by: misscecile | 01/08/2011 at 05:32 PM
2 Kristy
Are you kidding? LOL just LOL...
Lautner can`t act... Its just script, wrote for him
Posted by: Zara | 01/15/2011 at 10:55 PM
He is a promising star. Its sounds great that he become more mature and invasion the future. A good career path is now open for him. Keep it up.
Posted by: Sherman Unkefer | 01/16/2011 at 12:18 AM
I love Taylor!
Posted by: Lisa | 01/20/2011 at 08:30 AM