Taylor Lautner reflects on 'Twilight' rivalry with Robert Pattinson: 'It was tough'
In case there were any doubts, Taylor Lautner is Team Edward all the way.
Lautner, who played teen werewolf Jacob Black in the "Twilight" franchise, opened up about the fan-driven rivalry between him and co-star Robert Pattinson (who played vampire Edward Cullen) during an appearance on the "Call Her Daddy" podcast Wednesday.
Lautner and Cullen's characters were at the center of an intense love triangle with high schooler Bella Swan, played by Kristen Stewart. Fans of the films passionately took sides in the romantic drama, often declaring themselves "Team Edward" or "Team Jacob."
"I think it was tough," Lautner told "Call Her Daddy" host Alex Cooper. "I don't know for him, but for me at least it definitely — especially at the age I was at — you get your feelings hurt sometimes when you shouldn't. But it's hard not to sometimes."
Although there was no bad blood between Lautner and Pattinson in real life, Lautner said it was difficult to tune out the hysteria of fans' investment in their rivalry.
"It was awkward at times for the two of us to be standing together on a balcony and having 10,000 girls booing Rob, but then cheering for me," Lautner said. "But then this half booing me, (and then) us having to have some sort of friendship. It was difficult."
Lautner said while he and Pattinson didn't forge a lasting bond, he had a pleasant experience working alongside the British actor.
"The thing with me and Rob is we're just very, very different people," Lautner said. "We never really connected on a deep level, just because we're different humans. But he was always fantastic and the sweetest person ever."
Based on Stephenie Meyer's best-selling YA fantasy romance novels, the five "Twilight Saga" films made more than $3.4 billion at the box office worldwide between 2008 and 2012.
A television series based on Meyer's book series, which has sold more than 160 million copies worldwide and been translated to 49 languages, is in early development with Lionsgate TV, a person familiar with the project but not authorized to speak publicly confirmed to USA TODAY in April.
No further details on how the "Twilight" project will be adapted to TV were available, but Meyer will be involved, the source said.
The Hollywood Reporter, which broke the news of the budding "Twilight" TV project, reported that potential scriptwriters and the studio were still determining "what the specific take on 'Twilight' will be and if it will be a remake of Meyer’s books or a different offshoot."
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Contributing: Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY
