- Jesse Eisenberg, Zombieland, 2008. Blocked by his diary when asked to succeed Jamie Bell as the hero called Columbus in the zombie-packed funny road movie. (Other characters were called Detroit, Little Rock, Tallahassie, and Wichita). Lautner made sure he wqas free for his next offer. Twilight!
- Cam Gigandet, Burlesque, 2009. Cam won surprise! surprise! Cher’s first – and only – musical from his Twilight co–stars: Lautner, Kellan Lutz, Robert Pattinson.
- Topher Grace, Valentine’s Day, 2009. Twilight star Taylor Lautner’s role was expected to be Anne Hathaway’s lover – instead, his partner was C&W superstar Taylor Swift in her first film.
- Andrew Garfield, The Amazing Spider-Man, 2010.
- Liam Hemsworth, The Last Song, 2009. Mr Twilight was seen for Will Blakelee but the newest Aussie in town – he hadn’t had time to get an LAgent – won the role opposite his his eventual lover Miley Cyrus (for whom the film was written). Both film and affair boosted his confidence after having just lostThor to older bro, Chris.
- Nicholas Hoult, X-Men: First Class, 2010.The Texan Lucas Till won the younger version of the blue, leonine, superhuman Hank McCoy/Beast created by veteran TV star Kelsey Grammer in X-Men: The Last Stand, 2005. Till then changed his mind, having issues about the hours of required make-up involved. (He became Cyclops’ brother, Havok). Less fussy were Twilight’s Lautner, Reiley McClendon from Lousiana and Broadway star Benjamin Walker (2011’s notorious Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter) – he joined the the Marvelverse as Erik Gelden opposite Krysten Ritter’s Jessica Jones, TV, 2015-2019.
- Shiloh Fernan, Red Riding Hood, 2010.
For her first film since her Twilight triumph, director Catherine Hardwicke obviously first contacted one of her now globally famous vampires for her gritty- and sexy – version of the Grimm brothers’ fairy tale. He was too busy with the franchise and she turned to a busy TV actor from Ukiah, California. “I felt so dirty afterwards,” said the titular Amanda Seyfried after testing – ie kissing – so many competitors for the role of Peter (and Henry). “It’s gross actually,” she told the BBC. “I was required to make out with each of them – and you don’t know what they’re going to do. I wanted to give each guy the best. I didn’t want to give Shiloh Fernandezmore than I gave Max Irons or any of the other guys. I was trying to be so good. I was just exhausted – so was my mouth.” - Liam Hemsworth, The Expendables 2: Real American Heroes, 2011. Young Master Twilight had talks about being Billy “The Kid” Timmons – won by Mr Hunger Games. Because his role had been excised from the script of the first in 2009.
- Kurt Russell, Furious 7, 2014. Universal suits wanted A Name to have a minor rôle leading to something more important in the next sequel. Targets included Lautner (a name ?) and two Oscar-winners: Halle Berry and Denzel Washington. Russell played Mr Nobody as if his Tequila Surprise guy Nick Frescia had switched from LA sheriff to US government agent.
Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls: 9