It was 2009. The world was obsessed with vampires, Disney stars were the new royalty, and two of the biggest names on the planet—Taylor Lautner and Selena Gomez—were quietly falling for each other in Canada.
Honestly, it felt like a fever dream. Taylor was in Vancouver filming The Twilight Saga: New Moon, bulking up to play the ultimate werewolf. Selena was there too, shooting Ramona and Beezus. They were kids, basically. He was 17, she was 16.
They met in a hotel lobby. Kristen Stewart was staying at the same place as Selena, and since Taylor was always over visiting his co-star, they just kept bumping into each other. Eventually, "hello" turned into dinner dates at The Old Spaghetti Factory and The Keg.
The Vancouver Romance That Almost Worked
People forget how intense that era was. Paparazzi weren't just a nuisance; they were a literal wall of flashing lights. Selena later told Seventeen that they just wanted to do normal stuff—go bowling, grab lunch, be teenagers.
But the world wouldn't let them.
"People were getting a little crazy about us," she admitted. Every time they stepped out, it was a circus. They were two of the most photographed people on earth trying to share a latte at a local cafe. It's a lot of pressure for a relationship that’s only a few weeks old.
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While they looked incredibly happy in those grainy 2009 photos—Selena with her huge smile and Taylor looking like the "sweetest guy ever"—the fire went out as fast as it started. By the time they left Vancouver, the romance was pretty much over.
Why Did They Actually Break Up?
There are two versions of this story.
The "official" version is the one Selena gave: the media scrutiny was just too much. It sucked the fun out of it. When you can’t walk to a car without a riot breaking out, the "cute" factor of dating a movie star disappears pretty fast.
Then there’s the industry gossip version. Sources at the time, including Lainey Gossip, hinted that Taylor’s team—and allegedly his father—weren’t thrilled. The narrative was that a rising action star needed to stay "attainable" to his female fan base. Having a high-profile girlfriend could "dilute" the fantasy.
Whether it was the suits or the cameras, they called it quits before the year was out. Soon after, Taylor started dating Selena’s close friend, Taylor Swift.
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Most people would expect drama there. A Hollywood love triangle? That's tabloid gold. But in a rare move for young stars, they all stayed friends. Selena and Taylor Swift remained "besties," and Taylor Lautner eventually became known as the "best ex" in the Taylor Swift cinematic universe.
Taylor Lautner Defending Selena Gomez in 2025
Fast forward to 2025. The "Team Jacob" posters are in landfills, but the bond between these two clearly hasn't vanished.
In February 2025, Selena faced a barrage of nasty, contradictory comments after her appearances at the SAG Awards. If she looked one way, she was body-shamed for her weight; if she looked another, the "Ozempic" accusations flew.
Taylor didn't stay silent.
He took to Instagram to post a screenshot of the hateful comments, calling the world "cruel" and full of hate. He told his followers—and Selena—that you can never please everyone and that self-worth has nothing to do with the "shape, color, or appearance" of your body.
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He even set the post to her song "Who Says." It was a total full-circle moment.
"In my experience, it doesn't make the words sting less, it just refocuses you onto what matters," Lautner wrote.
It’s a perspective he earned the hard way. Taylor has been vocal on his podcast, The Squeeze, about his own body dysmorphia and the mental health toll of being "the shirtless guy" in Twilight. He knows exactly what Selena is going through.
What We Can Learn From "Taylena"
The history of Taylor Lautner and Selena Gomez isn't a story of a "failed" relationship. It’s actually a blueprint for how to be a decent human being after a breakup.
Most Hollywood exes spend years dodging each other at parties or throwing shade in song lyrics. These two? They chose a different path:
- Prioritize the person over the PR: They ended things before it got toxic.
- Keep the friendship intact: They’ve supported each other for over 15 years.
- Speak up when it matters: Taylor using his platform to shut down trolls in 2025 shows that real respect doesn't have an expiration date.
If you’re looking for a takeaway, it’s basically this: your past relationships don't have to be "cursed" (as Selena once felt hers were). Sometimes, the person who was a "great guy" in 2009 turns out to be an even better ally in 2026.
Your next move: If you're interested in how these stars have navigated fame since the early 2010s, look into Taylor Lautner's advocacy for men's mental health or Selena's "Wondermind" platform. Both have shifted from being teen idols to being some of the most grounded voices in the industry today.