By: Paulette Cohn

It isn't many 19-year-olds that are given the opportunity to carry a motion picture, but Taylor Lautner is one of the exceptions. Because the Michigan-born actor's star power is on full wattage as a result of playing Jacob Black in the Twilight franchise, his name went a long way toward getting Lionsgate to greenlight his new action flick Abduction.

"I knew [Abduction] would challenge me in many different ways: physically, obviously, because of all the stunt work. But more importantly, it would challenge me emotionally ... just being able to dive into this character's shoes and experience the emotions he deals with throughout this story, I knew that would be tough for me and I looked forward to that," Lautner says at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills at a press day to promote the film.

Abduction, directed by John Singleton from a screenplay by Shawn Christenson, is the story of Nathan Harper (Lautner), a high school student who has the uneasy feeling that he's living someone else's life. When a school project leads him to a photo of himself as a little boy on a missing persons website, all of Nathan's fears come true: he realizes his parents are not his own and his life is a lie. But what is the truth?

Dressed in jeans and a blue-checked shirt, Lautner is definitely more casual than the fearless teenager he plays in his latest project as he talks about doing the stunts for Abduction, when he realized he was famous, if he has ever had a crush on the girl next door like his character in the movie, and the end of Twilight.

Q: Have you finished the last two Twilights? What does it feel like?

Taylor Lautner: After playing the character for so long, it is such a weird feeling. It is hard to even soak it in. It is done! We are going to promote them for the next year and a half. Just the fact alone that we won't be going back to live these characters anymore is a weird feeling. It was definitely emotional.

Q: Why did you want to work with John Singleton?

TL: I was familiar with his previous work. Obviously, he is very talented. We had a great time together. He is an incredible man and we got along great, we kept the mood on set light and he is a great guy.

Q: What is the difference between battling European bad guys and vampires?

TL: I would rather battle vampires. These guys were bad. These guys were nasty. Vampires will just take you out. The fight scene I had with this guy on the train was brutal ... but it was fun.

Q: Were there any injuries?

TL: Nothing too terrible. The worst thing that happened was a few bruises or red marks in the boxing scene or the train-fight scene, but nothing too serious.

Q: Was there any stunt that you did you thought, "Maybe they will get a stunt guy?" That sliding down the escalator looked terrifying.

TL: The scariest thing was that I was not scared at all. I was scaring some other people. I know insurance wasn't too excited about my doing a few of those stunts, but I was excited to do them.

Q: Can you talk about the training you did for the fight scenes?

TL: I started boxing training before I left to film in Pittsburgh, so I found a trainer and then I did the same thing with motorcycle training and wrestling training. By the time I showed up to Pittsburgh, I wanted to know what I was doing. I didn't want to show up there and in two weeks of prep learn how to box. There was a lot of physical preparation, and more importantly, the emotional preparation. It was great to be there for this project from the ground up. I was there for the development process of the script and the character, so by the time I showed up to film, I knew everything about this character. As opposed to any experience I had before, you show up to film and that is when you start to think about the character.

Q: John said he was concerned when you did the scene where you fell off the car. Were you concerned about it all? Did you get hurt? Are you concerned that young people will do that?

TL: No, because I don't think it looks too fun. It looks painful. But for me, weirdly, it was fun. I knew with that specific thing, I knew that John and everybody would throw a fit if I told them I was going to do that, so the very first time, I just did it. The car was supposed to come to a stop and I was supposed to get off, but for some reason, I was feeling crazy and I went for it. They were scared and worried, but at the same time, John cares about what is on the screen, so, it looks pretty cool, so if you're fine, let's do a few more takes, but just be careful. I was definitely making a lot of people sweat.

Q: Did you get hurt?

TL: No, nothing, thankfully. I have been able to escape injury for a while.

Q: Do you share any qualities with your character?

TL: I could probably relate more to the early side of Nathan in this film when he is just a normal teenager out with his friends. What I appreciate about Nathan is that he has a goal and he will do anything and everything to get to that goal. He is very determined; he is persistent and I strive to be that.

Q: When you shot at the high school was it respectful? Or were there Team Jacob crazies everywhere?

TL: There were a lot of fans but it was respectful. I think the toughest thing extra wise was ... well it was tough because they weren't extras ... when we filmed one day at the baseball stadium during the game. There were literally tens of thousands of fans there to watch the ballgame and we come barging in and try to film a movie during it. So there are huge, giant cameras everywhere and actors walking around and these fans are trying to enjoy the game. They turn around and they are staring at the cameras and, obviously, we can't have that for the movie, so we hold up these huge signs that say, "Please don't look at the cameras," which makes them look at the cameras even more. If you watch the movie a couple of times, you will be able to see random people just staring at the cameras.

Q: Can you tell us an on-the-street moment when you realized you were famous? Or a moment you remember with a fan?

TL: The very first? Because the very first time I was recognized was after Shark Boy and Lava Girl. I was filming Cheaper by the Dozen 2 in Toronto and I was walking down the street and this old man stopped me and he was like, "Excuse me. Are you Shark Boy?" Yeah, that was the first.

Let's forget about the recognition for Shark boy. The first big moment where we experienced screaming and passion from fans was at the very first Comic-Con for Twilight. We never experienced any fandom before. We showed up at Comic-Con and we had no idea what to expect. We were backstage and we didn't know if there were 100 fans out there or 1,000. So we were backstage and we saw on the screen the word Twilight went up and we hear this roar of six or 7,000 fans. It was the first time we heard that noise and we literally started freaking out. We were like, "What are they screaming at?" We had no idea what was wrong. We step out on the stage to see 6,000 fans going nuts. It was the biggest surreal moment for all of us. We were like, "What are we getting ourselves into?"

Q: Most guys your age worry about college and exams and getting the girl and you have girls throwing themselves at you. How does that change you as a person?

TL: I hope it doesn't. That is my goal. Thankfully, I have this new life where I do what I love. I get to film movies, travel the world to promote them, see the fans, and talk to you guys -- all new exciting stuff, but I also have the same life I had before. I go back home, spend time with my family, see my friends, play football -- all the same things I have always done my entire life. I think maintaining that life is what keeps you grounded and what makes you appreciate this life so much. Instead of completely changing my life and being this new person and living this one new life, I am able to bounce back and forth between each. I think that is what is so important.

Q: Have you ever had a crush on the girl next door or the girl down the street?

TL: Actually, no. I have never had one. I remember school crushes, but no neighbors.

Q: What have you learned from martial arts and karate that you used as an actor?

TL: I think the biggest thing that martial arts has taught me -- and it works for acting or anything in life -- is hard work. It taught me that nothing comes without hard work. You don't just wake up one morning and everything has fallen into place for you. Trust me. I have gotten lucky. A lot of people have helped me get to where I am today, but it has taken a lot of hard work and sacrifices. It has definitely been worth it. The hard work that martial arts taught was very important for my life.

Q: How do you stay in shape? What is your routine?

TL: It is different now. For the Twilight franchise, it was so much about staying bulked up and looking like Jacob Black. For Abduction specifically, it was less about lifting weights and worrying about how I look and more about physically being able to do things: making sure I know how to box, how to ride a motorcycle, how to wrestle and how to do these fight scenes. It was much more about that, so it was a nice changeup.

Q: John Singleton said you want to do a comedy next. Do you consider yourself a funny guy?

TL: John said that? It is weird that he knows that. I am always looking to challenge myself to a wide variety of things. Comedy is definitely on my list. I have done a few things comedy-related: SNL [Saturday Night Live], I did an opening for the MTV Movie Awards, I just did a Funny or Die. I just have a lot of fun with it. I am myself and it is a great time.

Q: What is the best part of being Taylor Lautner right now? When you first got in the business, what did you expect and what did you get?

TL: When I first got in the business, I didn't expect anything. I was told this was the most competitive business there is. I heard "no" quite a bit. It definitely took a while to hear the first yes, which was very exciting. The best part is being able to work with the people I am working with today. The actors that I have had the opportunity to work with, the directors, I have been so fortunate to be surrounded by amazing talent in front of the camera and behind the camera. I couldn't ask for more in that department.

Q: When did you start dreaming about being an actor?

TL: I was about 8 years old and my karate instructor at the time was the person who said, "Hey, I think you should give the entertainment industry a shot." At first I was, "I don't know about that. He kept pushing and for some reason, he believed in me so much, it was like, "You need to do this." Finally, my family listened to him. We packed up and came out here for one month. We were, "Let's just try it and see if you like it."

Of course, I fell in love with it. I got on a few auditions. I start getting a few call backs. I was seeing a little progress. I fell in love with playing different characters and being able to do things I never was able to do myself. That was a lot of fun for me at 8 or 9 years old. That was when I knew this would be my dream, but I never thought I would be here today.

Q: Sigourney is a bit older than you. I always think as an actress men love her and are scared of her. How did you feel when you met her? Did you have a crush on her?

TL: I was definitely a little intimidated. The first time I met her was on the set, literally 30 minutes before we filmed our first scene in the therapist's office. I was definitely a little intimidated. I was so excited, though, when I heard we got Sigourney Weaver for that role. I was a little star struck. She is a legend.

Q: What is going on with Stretch Armstrong?

TL: I think it is in a script-writing phase right now. I am waiting. There are a few new things that I am focusing on. I don't know what is going to be next. I will make my mind up soon. I think they are writing away -- doing another draft and another draft.

Q: Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart have a relationship and someone just wrote about you and Lily. Why do you think that actors who work together on set hit it off?

TL: I don't know. That is a good question. You spend a lot of time together. I think it makes you respect them as people and actors. I don't know. It is a good question.

Q: What is harder for you -- the fight scenes or the romantic scenes?

TL: Probably the fight scenes. I let loose and just go for it [in the romantic scenes]. Like in the train scene, we had a lot of fun. You really can't think about it too much. That is when it will look awkward and all weird.