Born on February 11th, 1992 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Taylor Daniel Lautner has shown he was destined for a successful life from a very young age. He began studying karate at the age of six, training at Fabiano’s Karate School and, by the following year, he was already winning tournaments.
He was soon invited to train with seven-time world karate champion Michael Chaturantabut and, when he was eight, he was asked to represent his country in the twelve years and under division in the World Karate Association where he proved himself by becoming the Junior World Forms and Weapons champion, winning three gold medals. He continued to flourish in the martial arts circuit; in 2003, at only eleven years old, he was ranked number one in the world for NASKA’s Black Belt Open Forms, Musical Weapons, Traditional Weapons and Traditional Forms and, by the age of twelve, he had three Junior World Championships under his “black belt”.
However, in addition to his love for karate, Taylor was bitten by the acting bug when he was seven years old, after his martial arts instructor persuaded him to audition for a part in a Burger King advert in Los Angeles. Although he was unsuccessful, he enjoyed the experience so much that he told his parents he wanted to pursue a career in acting. Soon, he and his family were travelling back-and-forth from their home in Michigan to California so Taylor could audition for acting roles on a regular basis.
When he was ten, with the frequent travelling and air fares starting to drain them out, his family made the hard decision to relocate to Los Angeles where Taylor would have the advantage of being able to audition on a full-time basis. Since moving to Los Angeles, Taylor has booked roles on “My Wife and Kids” (2001), “Summerland” (2004), “The Bernie Mac Show” (2001), and The Nick & Jessica Variety Hour (2004) (TV). In addition to television, Taylor has been very successful in the voice over work.
Taylor has booked a recurring role as Youngblood on the cartoon “Danny Phantom” (2004) as well as he has recording two episodes of “What’s New, Scooby-Doo? ” (2002) and ‘Charlie Brown’. Taylor has also booked a series regular of a pilot presentation called Which Way Is Up? (1977) along with the voice of Silas in an animation series entitled ‘Silas and Brittany’. His big break came in 2005 when, at the age of thirteen, Taylor won the role of Shark Boy in the Robert Rodriguez film The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl 3-D (2005). He spent three months on location in Austin, Texas filming, which he thoroughly enjoyed.
Within months, he then successfully auditioned to play Eliot, the son of the Bakers’ rival, in Cheaper by the Dozen 2 (2005). He participates in the LA Hip Kids, a hip-hop dance group. Taylor also enjoys making home movies with his friends, including “Sharkboy and Lava Girl” co-star Taylor Dooley, who lives near his Los Angeles home. Although, he wants to continue acting into adulthood, he wouldn’t mind becoming a film scriptwriter and director. Certainly, this is one young boy who is bound to do well in whatever he sets his mind to!
Is a keen martial artist who, from the age of seven, won many karate tournaments on a local, national and international level. Has a younger sister named Makena. Has a Maltese named Roxy. #1 in Access Hollywood’s “Top Five Hollywood Abs”. One of People Magazine’s 100 Most Beautiful People 2009. Of French, Dutch, German, and Native American (specifically Ottawa and Potawatomi) ancestry. He went to Jamestown Elementary School in Hudsonville, Michigan until he was eleven years old. His father, Daniel, is an airline pilot and his mother, Deborah, works for a software development company.
L autner 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? 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 cancelled after only nine episodes.
