Taylor Lautner Biography

Actor. Born Taylor Daniel Lautner on February 11, 1992, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He has one sibling: a sister named Makena. Lautner is best known as an actor in the role of Jacob Black in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight movie series.

Lautner began studying karate at the age of six, and began winning tournaments within a year. After, Lautner began training with seven-time world karate champion Mike Chat. In 2004, at the age of 12, Taylor represented the United States in the 12 years and under division in the World Karate Association. Lautner went on to win the Junior World Forms and Weapons championship during the competition, as well as three gold medals. In 2003, Taylor Lautner was ranked No. 1 in the world for NASKA's Black Belt Open Forms, Musical Weapons, Traditional Weapons and Traditional Forms. By the age of 12, Lautner had won three Junior World Championships.

Lautner got his show business start at the age of seven, when he auditioned for a part in a Burger King advertisement in Los Angeles, which he did not get. He would continue to audition, unsuccessfully, for other roles over the next three years. At the age of 10, Taylor and his family relocated to Los Angeles in order to pursue his acting career. Since then, he has landed roles on television shows My Wife and Kids and The Bernie Mac Show in 2001, and Summerland and The Nick & Jessica Variety Hour in 2004.

In addition to acting, Lautner also did voiceover work during this time. He landed a recurring voice role as Youngblood on the cartoon Danny Phantom and recorded two episodes on What's New, Scooby-Doo? and He's a Bully, Charlie Brown. He is also a series regular on Which Way Is Up? and as the voice of Silas on Silas and Britany.

Lautner got his big break when he landed the role of Shark Boy in The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl 3-D. The film was a full-length feature directed by the famous Robert Rodriguez. Lautner spent nearly three months on location for the film in Austin, Texas. Months after wrapping his first film, Lautner auditioned and won the part of Eliot, the son in Steve Martin's family in Cheaper by the Dozen 2. The film was released in 2005. In 2008, Lautner landed the role of Jacob Black, a Native American character in the teen hit Twilight, based on the best-selling novel. Also in 2008, Taylor played the son to Christian Slater's character in the short-lived television series My Own Worst Enemy. The show was canceled after only nine episodes.

Taylor is an avid football and baseball player, and he participates in the Hart Baseball Program. He also is a part of the hip-hop dance group, LA Hip Kids and the jazz dance group Hot Shots. In addition, Lautner has been working to gain 30 lbs. to reprise his role as Jacob Black in the sequel to Twilight, The Twilight Saga: New Moon. Lautner is also in the film Valentine's Day, which stars Jamie Foxx, Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Gardner. The film is being directed by Gary Marshall.

Lautner spends a lot of time making home movies with his friend and Shark Boy co-star, Taylor Dooley. Lautner was voted one of People magazine's "100 Most Beautiful People" in 2009.

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