As an avid Taylor Lautner fan I have spent the past few months on pins and needles awaiting news of what the star had lined up next. Now that he is done with the “Twilight” franchise his schedule is wide open, leaving room for him to finally branch out and set a name for himself apart from sparkly vampires and shirtless wolves.
Then on Tuesday there was a light at the end of the tunnel: Taylor Lautner was confirmed for a small role in an upcoming film. This is great news! This is so exciting! I am overwhelmed with joy and pride! Except for one small, minuscule, tiny little problem: the film is “Grown Ups 2“. Seriously.
I guess beggars can’t be choosers, and we all know that Taylor has the ability to be hilarious. We’ve seen him host SNL, we’ve seen his Funny or Die “Field of Dreams” short. THR reports Taylor will star in a “key, fun role” in which he goes toe-to-toe with Adam Sandler. I’m assuming it will be some sort of a cameo, if not Taylor playing a fictional tough, beefy, shirtless (fingers crossed!) athletic guy who kicks Adam’s characters ass at something.
Here is hoping Taylor Lautner shines in his small appearance and will be announcing more projects to cover his currently very bare schedule. As a fan I’ll see anything Taylor decides to work on, so just the idea that he’ll be back up on the big screen in something new soon is exciting enough for me!
“Grown Ups” was actually a pretty cute movie with some good laughs, so hopefully “Grown Ups 2” doesn’t let us down.
Last Thursday while I was at the NBC building (30 Rock!) I saw Jason Isaacs heading in to do some press for his new prime time drama ‘Awake‘. It was a chance encounter that I was not expecting at all, and I was fortunate enough to ask Jason for a quick picture before he headed in with an NBC publicist. I’m not a huge ‘Harry Potter‘ fan but I do know Jason Isaacs from ‘Abduction‘ with Taylor Lautner, and I have featured him on PFG before with a picture I took at the NBC Upfronts last spring. It was great seeing him again!
I had been excited for ‘Awake‘ for a couple of weeks so getting to meet Jason on the day of the premiere was pretty cool. The Hollywood Reporter shared that ‘Awake‘ brought in just over 6 million viewers and took the #1 ratings spot for the 10PM hour. Without giving away any spoilers I thought the show was really, really good and a completely unique concept. Watching the two worlds collide and not knowing which is reality was definitely what will keep me coming back for more, because I love a good mind-blowing. My theory, for now, is that Jason Isaacs‘ character is in purgatory. He’s not dead or alive, and neither of his “realities” are in fact reality. But I guess we will see!
It is official: here on the east coast Taylor Lautner is 20 years old! Not only is he no longer a teenager, but in exactly 364 days he will be able to drink – LEGALLY! Not that I think he is going to go out and get his booze on or anything, but still. MILESTONE! During his 20th year Taylor will premiere the final installment of Twilight (thank GOD) and though he doesn’t have anything officially lined up or confirmed at the moment I am sure he will soon start working on some great projects. And I will be first in line for ALL of them. Literally every single one. Promise.
In honor of Taylor‘s 20th birthday I have compiled a list of things he should do this year. Kind of like goals. Ready?
1.) Finally get on Twitter. (And follow me, of course, since it was my idea and everything.)
2.) Go on a date with me. (Just one. I’ll settle for one!)
3.) Take a nice long tropical vacation somewhere ridiculously private and expensive. (Fiji? St. Lucia? If I pick, can I come with?)
4.) Film something in New York. (This is not a selfish goal on my end. Nope. Not at all.)
5.) Take over his Official Facebook page. (We 14 million fans would love some REAL updates from Taylor. Occasional pictures and video would be ace, too!)
Unfortunately I can’t make it to the west coast for his celebrations, but he knows I am there in spirit. Save me a piece of cake, Taylor!
I am sure you are all BAFFLED as to how I could possibly include someone like Taylor Lautner in my Top 5 – and by baffled I mean you are all in shock that he wasn’t #1. I have to tell you, I struggled over this for a while. I mean, you guys know me, you know that Taylor is like my favorite favorite favorite favorite human being on the face of this planet. However when you see #1 tomorrow I think you will understand why.
Since my web-site has started my love affair (see what I did there?) with Taylor has been chronicled pretty efficiently, I think. I shared with you when I first met Taylor, back in 2009, back in September. And, shortly afterward, I shared with you my experience with Taylor while he was promoting Abduction (which three out of four of the pictures you see came from… totally normal). Then I got to share with you my encounter with Taylor – which is probably the greatest thing that has ever happened to me EVER – again in November when he came back to promote Breaking Dawn.
After looking at those three posts, I don’t think I need to really explain why Taylor is on my list.
Dear Taylor: If you ever see this, I’m just saying that… dinner couldn’t hurt. Right? I’ll even pay. When’s the last time a girl took YOU to dinner? Boom.
#1 is tomorrow! I promise to get it up before I go out for an evening of year ending debauchery!
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Running a fan-site for an upcoming movie means knowing about all the upcoming promotion – especially the things in your own city. I would be lying if I didn’t say that running Abduction News I was most looking forward to the end, the release, and the potential to get to see/meet Taylor Lautner and other cast members during some appearances here in NYC. Obviously, when I heard that Taylor would be hitting the town and appearing on the Today Show, Late Night with David Letterman, Regis and Kelly, Jimmy Fallon, etc… I warned all my friends in advance to clear the calendars because it was go time. Thankfully my friends like Taylor as much as I do (well, no, I don’t think ANYONE likes Taylor as much as I do… but you get the point!), and were what they like to call “Team Make It Happen.”
TMIH started early on Wednesday morning when we arrived at the Today Show courtyard in Rockefeller Center with fingers crossed for a chance encounter with Taylor during his interview. The Today Show is tricky in the sense where they only put certain celebrities in the courtyard, especially after Summer because they start doing most of their interviews back in the studio to avoid inclement weather. I figured we had a good chance they would bring Taylor out into the courtyard based on the caliber of his celebrity and fan base alone, but just in case we made sure the Today Show staff knew who we were there for. Just when I thought we had it in the bag security came over to tell us that due to the hikers in Iran being released, that Obama was going to be making a live broadcast about it and Taylor’s segment was likely to get cut from the show. We couldn’t really argue that due to it’s importance, but we were still bummed and wondering if they would at least send Taylor out to meet his fans since we had seen him gone in (and gotten a very exciting wave!). Eventually the audience coordinator came out to tell us that Taylor was going to start with me (THAT’S RIGHT: ME!!!) and they got us ready for him to come out. Hopefully you watched the video above and already saw the final product of our morning!
But now you’re looking at those pictures and you’re noticing that they are just that: pictures. Plural. There are three of them. Well, that’s where the temporary insanity comes into play… I met Taylor at the Today Show and was like, well, he’s doing Letterman later, right? Can’t hurt to go say hi… and it didn’t! And you want to know the BEST part about meeting Taylor at Letterman? The first thing he said to me was, “Good to see you again!” It was like he saw my big, red, crazy button and decided to push it for fun. I thought my friends (Brian, Carly, and Christina) with me were going to die and they thought the exact same thing about me. He was really sweet and he took pictures with Brian and I again and then Carly and Christina got pictures with him too (after an altercation with some autograph sellers that Taylor’s security got involved in… protecting my friends and I…), and that’s where the middle picture came from. The next morning my friend June wanted to go to Regis & Kelly to meet Taylor because she had missed him at the Today Show and wasn’t able to go to Letterman, so naturally… I joined her. Regis & Kelly was so unbelievably calm which was surprising because it’s usually a shit show – especially for someone like Taylor Lautner. There were maybe 10 or 15 people there including autograph sellers and paparazzi, and when Taylor came out there were no barricades or anything. He took a picture with my friend June and signed her Abduction t-shirt, and then he took pictures and signed autographs for everyone else, and I waited to be last to ask for another picture because I knew that I already had one and didn’t want to prevent anyone else from getting one if they had missed him the day before. Taylor remembered me again, and he was really nice as was his security. I have nicknames for them, by the way. The bald one is Daddy Warbucks. The first time I met Taylor (see: HERE) he was really, really scary. He was pretty cool this time around though, so I think I picked the right nickname for him after all. I don’t have a nickname for the other one, but I kept calling him the tall, dark, and handsome one. He actually looks like he could be related to Taylor…
Overall I had a fun couple of experiences with Taylor, and as one of his biggest fans I don’t think it could have gone any better than it did. I also had tickets to see him at 106th & Park which was fun, but I skipped Jimmy Fallon, his second appearance on the Today Show Friday morning, and his appearance on MTV’s 10 on Top. I really want to thank Taylor (as if he’ll EVER see this) and his security for being so awesome. I can promise you other fans this: you will never – and I do mean NEVER – meet another celebrity who is as grateful for, and appreciative of, and excited to meet his fans as Taylor Lautner. I thought that the first time I met him in 2010, and I think it’s actually inflated tenfold as opposed to dying down which speaks highly of Taylor’s character.
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A few weeks ago Lionsgate announced that they would be doing VIP Abduction Fan Screenings in 20 cities across the US – living in New York City we are usually fortunate when it comes to these things and sure enough, we were one of the 20 cities picked! Ticket packages went on sale the Monday (9/12) before the screening but thanks to a little web-site/blog I started last year when ‘Abduction’ started filming (ahem, Abduction News, ahem!) I was given passes for me +3 to attend the screening for free. Considering I was planning on buying myself tickets anyway, I definitely did not pass this chance up! I invited June and Brian to join me, and June invited Brianna, and off we were!
The experience was SO much fun! Not only were we seeing the movie early, but when we checked in and got our passes they gave us those awesome red ‘Abduction’ t-shirts you see June & Brianna holding in the picture above. Not only is red my favorite color but Taylor Lautner himself is on the shirt and hello? Who doesn’t want to wear Taylor Lautner on their chest? (Oh… is that just me? My bad…) ANYWAY! When we got up to the theater they had rolled out their red carpet for us to take pictures with the giant cardboard ‘Abduction’ poster that I love so much, and when we got inside they were showing some b-roll/behind the scenes footage from some of the stunts – including the one I was present for at PNC Park when Taylor slides down the plexi-glass awning. After that they started streaming live from the ‘Abduction’ black carpet in Los Angeles because our screening was the same night as the Los Angeles premiere and not only did we get to watch it LIVE, but we got to watch it on a giant movie theater screen! This was definitely a new experience for me and trust me when I tell you that if I could watch every red carpet live stream on a red carpet, I would. Seriously. I would even pay for tickets! We got to watch arrivals and the two hosts were interviewing all of the stars and then some. Watching all of this come together after paying such close attention to the film for over a year was amazing. I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Aside from the web-site I have been running and will continue to run for as many sequels as John Singleton wants, I did get to work on the film as an extra down in Pittsburgh, and Thursday night I felt like a proud parent.
Overall the movie itself was fantastic! Taylor Lautner is a born and bred action star – there is no doubt about that what-so-ever – and it was exciting to see him really come into his own throughout the film. Lily Collins was great too, she’s as much apart of the film as Taylor is since she’s in almost every single scene with him after the first twenty minutes of the film, and I really loved how the story came together. We laughed, we cried, we cheered, and our audience was awesome and doing it along with us! After seeing the end of the film (no spoilers!) I can definitely see how it’s left open for a sequel (or two, or three…) and would love if John Singleton and Lionsgate kept their word for us!
I have to say a huge, huge, huge thank you to Lionsgate and especially to Adam at Digital Media Management for EVERYTHING!
‘Abduction’ is in theaters this Friday (9/23) and you BETTER be there. NO IF’S, AND’S OR BUT’S.
There are just NO WORDS for this epically cute and adorable and amazing and swoon-worthy moment caught on camera. Oh. My. Taylor Lautner. How I love thee and thy cuteness, and sweetness, and lovableness, and fantastic hair-ness.
In continuing with my ‘Abduction’ theme for the month, here is the young and beautiful Lily Collins! Originally known for being musician Phil Collins daughter, Lily has made a name for herself in the film industry after roles in ‘The Blind Side’ and ‘Priest’ which have scored her coveted roles such as one of the upcoming ‘Snow White’ films and the new Harry Potter/Twilight/Hunger Games series adaptation ‘The Mortal Instruments’. I am really glad that I got a chance to meet Lily while she was promoting ‘Priest’ at the SoHo Apple Store a few months back, because now that I’ve seen ‘Abduction’ (thanks for the screening tonight, Lionsgate!) I have to say that I am extremely, extremely, extremely jealous of what her role as Karen in ‘Abduction’ entailed – and I promise you I do NOT mean the stunts!
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Taylor Lautner is making press rounds to promote ‘Abduction’ which is released next Friday (but I get to see it tomorrow.. BRAGGING!) and when I heard about this super awkward interview with ‘Despierta América’ I immediately pulled it up.
Oh. My. Hilariousness.
There is nothing more awkward than watching American actors and actresses travel the world and do interviews with all sorts of different foreign languages, leaving us with lots of long pauses while translators whisper into electronic devices for them to finally understand and answer questions… Except for when that earpiece doesn’t work and they are left without a translator and can do nothing but smile, nod, and pray that someone catches on and fixes this mishap ASAP.
And not only can you not understand what’s going on… but they are asking you repeatedly about your personal relationship with your co-star.
The highlights of this interview are at the very beginning when the woman seated next to Taylor is obviously speaking to him and asking him a question, pauses for him to answer, and he just stares at her with a dumbfounded smile… and again at the end when Taylor clearly has no idea what the women are saying about him or the film as the interview is wrapping up and then they ask him to say something in Spanish… amazing.
Thank you, ‘Despierta América’! I needed this hearty laugh.
It is September! I have been waiting, and waiting, and waiting all year for September because two movies that are very, very important to me come out this month…. one of which is Taylor Lautner’s ‘ABDUCTION’! Due in part to my excitement as well as the fact that I’ve met a large majority of the cast this year, consider this my very first “theme” month of Throwback Thursdays. For the very first Thursday of the month I present you my Maria Bello meeting! I got the chance to meet Maria Bello at the NBC Upfronts this past Spring while she was promoting her new series ‘Prime Suspect’.
Here’s a sneak peek at NBC’s ‘Prime Suspect’ which, coincidentally, starts airing Thursday 9/22 – the night before ‘Abduction’s theatrical release:
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As an avid Taylor Lautner fan I have spent the past few months on pins and needles awaiting news of what the star had lined up next. Now that he is done with the “Twilight” franchise his schedule is wide open, leaving room for him to finally branch out and set a name for himself apart from sparkly vampires and shirtless wolves.
