Film Gecko

Taylor Lautner to play Jacob in "New Moon"

by Jane Boursaw on January 7th, 2009

"Twilight" fans have been eagerly waiting to see if Taylor Lautner would reprise his character of Jacob Black in the sequel, "New Moon." Rumors have been swirling that he might be replaced, because the character changes quite a bit from the first movie to the second.

Well, wait no more, because director Chris Weitz confirmed on author Stephenie Meyer’s Web site today that Lautner would indeed be coming back in the role. Weitz says:

I’m very happy to announce that Taylor Lautner will be playing Jacob Black in "New Moon" and that he’s doing so with the enthusiastic support of Summit Entertainment, the producers, and Stephenie Meyer. The characters in Stephenie’s books go through extraordinary changes of circumstance and also appearance; so it is not surprising that there has been speculation about whether the same actor would portray a character who changes in so many surprising ways throughout the series.

But it was my first instinct that Taylor was, is, and should be Jacob, and that the books would be best served by the actor who is emotionally right for the part. I think that fans of "Twilight" the book and the movie will be surprised by the Jacob Black that Taylor will bring to the screen in "New Moon"; and I’m looking forward to working with him and the rest of the cast in realizing the film.
Very best,
Chris Weitz

After the jump, read Stephenie Meyer’s response to the news…

I’d just like to add that I was very much a part of this decision. My first priority was always what was best for New Moon—what was going to give us the best possible movie. I’m truly thrilled that Taylor was the one who proved to the director, to Summit, and to me that he is the best possible Jacob we could have. And I’m very much looking forward to seeing what he’s going to bring to Jacob’s character this year.
- Steph

Thoughts on this news? I think fans will love hearing this, because Taylor Lautner really IS Jacob, and it’s hard to envision anyone else taking over the role in "New Moon."

Join our "New Moon Casting News and Rumors" discussion!

Image: Taylor Lautner, Twilight, Summit Entertainment, 2008; Thanks to Tiffany McFadden for passing this news along!

Share This

Related Stories

• Taylor Lautner Talks “New Moon,” Debuts Buff Bod
• Chris Weitz: "New Moon" to begin shooting in March 2009
• "Twilight" Poster Giveaway - "Jacob"
• "New Moon" Casting News and Rumors - Discuss!
• "New Moon" Gets a Release Date!

POSTED IN: Action/Adventure, Casting News, Celebrity Gossip, Celebrity Pictures, Coming Soon to Theaters, Development, Drama, Fantasy, Film Genres, Film Industry, Movie Sequels & Prequels, Movie Stars, Personalities, Romance, Site News