The Twilight fandom has been a phenomenon for over 15 years now, and Taylor Lautner is opening up about the impact the fan rivalry between his character and Robert Pattinson’s had on him.
When the first movie based on Stephenie Meyer’s bestselling novels came out in 2008, fans quickly chose sides between Jacob Black (Lautner) and Edward Cullen (Pattinson) as the best fit to be the love interest of Kristen Stewart’s Bella Swan.
At the time, Lautner was just 16, and he admits that having thousands of screaming fans take his side or the other guy’s side was a bit strange. He said, “We’re a team. Like we’re both just trying to make the best, you know, movies. But yeah, it was a little bizarre, the like competitiveness. And there wasn’t a competitiveness between me and Rob but having that constant reminder, it definitely … had an impact.”
The Twilight franchise, which produced a total of five films over half a decade, grossed over $3 billion at the box office. Lautner has previously been candid about the fame he experienced while starring in the movies, admitting he was scared to go out and that it “built up something inside of me.”
The 15th anniversary of Twilight, the first installment in the franchise, is coming up this fall. It’s clear that the fandom has had a lasting impact on the actors involved, and it will be interesting to see what memories they share as they look back on one of the most successful movie franchises of all time.
Source: www.hollywoodreporter.com