Taylor Lautner will get actual on fame, love and the 'Twilight' years

In 2008, he starred within the first "Twilight" film and his life modified dramatically, because the franchise's rabid followers turned him right into a teen icon. He says he leaned on his mother and father to maintain him grounded.

"In 'Twilight,' I used to be the youngest -- I used to be 16 -- and so my mother and father had been an enormous a part of (grounding me) and even after I was filming films, after I was residence, I nonetheless needed to take out the trash. I nonetheless needed to mow the garden," he says. His mother and father, he joked, would inform him, "We do not care that you just're on the large display screen. You continue to gotta do your chores."

Whereas he says he is grateful for the position of shapeshifter Jacob Black in movie sequence -- and the paychecks that got here with it -- he determined to take a step again from Hollywood after starring in all 5 "Twilight" movies.

"My mother and father undoubtedly simply put it into perspective. I believe even for them it was uncharted territory for folks which have a 16-year-old going by way of that," he says. "It was a studying curve for all of us as a household. And that is why I believe the step again is only a good refresh and simply to ensure you're doing issues for the precise causes."

"I sound like I am on 'The Bachelor' -- doing issues for 'the precise causes,'" he laughs, a well-known line typically cited on the fact courting present, a responsible pleasure of his.

Lautner's sister launched the 2 when she introduced her alongside to a sport evening at Lautner's home.

"We have been collectively for 4 and a half years," he says. "It has been superb. She makes me a greater individual."

The 2 dwell along with their two rescue canines -- Lily, who was his fiancée's canine earlier than they acquired collectively, and Remi, their second canine -- and Lautner has thrown himself into animal rescue work. He teamed up with Hill's Pet Diet this yr to advertise the Clear The Shelters Marketing campaign, which inspires folks to undertake from native shelters.

"She had Lily already once we met and Lily rapidly grew to become my greatest pal," Lautner says. "Subsequent factor I do know, she sends me a photograph of Remi and (tells me) how Remi and her seven siblings and mother had been deserted in a area. Remi simply has been a life altering canine for us during the last yr."

As for Hollywood, he says he is studying scripts and producing a couple of issues, however he is not pressuring himself to work for the sake of it.

"I am studying stuff and what I wanna be doing at this level is I solely need to do one thing if it means one thing to me," he says. "Whether or not meaning it is a story I am captivated with or if it is working with anyone that I actually need to work with."