It was the fall of 2009. If you were anywhere near a grocery store checkout line or a teen magazine, you couldn't escape the "Taylor Squared" mania. People were obsessed. They were the golden couple of the moment—the country music darling and the Twilight werewolf with the abs that launched a thousand Tumblr blogs. But behind the blurry paparazzi photos of them at hockey games, there’s always been that nagging question: did Taylor Swift date Taylor Lautner, or was it all just some high-level PR for a movie they were both in?
Honestly, they definitely dated. It wasn't just a stunt. But it was also brief, kinda messy in that way only 19-year-old romances can be, and it left us with one of the greatest apology songs in pop history.
The "Valentine’s Day" Spark
The whole thing kicked off on the set of the ensemble rom-com Valentine's Day. They played high school sweethearts, Felicia and Willy. You might remember the scene where they’re making out near the lockers or doing that weirdly athletic "I love you" dance.
They had immediate chemistry. It wasn't forced.
By October 2009, the rumors shifted from "maybe" to "absolutely." They were spotted at a Los Angeles Kings game, looking very much like a couple. Lautner was seen at her concerts. He was even there during the infamous 2009 VMAs—you know, the night Kanye West interrupted her speech. Lautner was actually the one who handed her the award right before the chaos happened. He later admitted on his wife's podcast, The Squeeze, that he stood there smiling because he literally thought the whole Kanye thing was a scripted skit.
Talk about an awkward first few weeks of dating.
Why did Taylor Swift and Taylor Lautner break up?
The relationship didn't even make it to 2010. By late December 2009, sources were already telling People that the spark had fizzled. The "official" reason was the classic celebrity fallback: "busy schedules." She lived in Nashville; he was based in LA. He was filming New Moon and Eclipse, and she was basically conquering the entire music industry.
But the real story is usually more nuanced.
If you listen to the lyrics of "Back to December," which Swift basically confirmed is about Lautner, it sounds like he was way more into the relationship than she was. In the song, she talks about how he gave her roses and she "left them there to die." She essentially admitted she was the one who pulled away. She stayed "cool" while he was trying to be "warm."
It’s one of the few times in her discography where she takes full responsibility for a breakup. Usually, the guys are the ones getting roasted, but with Lautner, she was the one asking for forgiveness.
The Timeline of Taylor Squared
- July 2009: They meet on the set of Valentine's Day.
- September 2009: The VMA incident. Lautner is the award presenter.
- October 2009: They are spotted at hockey games and dinner dates in LA.
- November 2009: Swift hosts SNL and mentions him in her "Monologue Song," joking about how she's not going to talk about him.
- December 2009: Lautner flies to Nashville for her 20th birthday. Shortly after, they break up.
- October 2010: Swift releases "Back to December."
What Most People Get Wrong About Their Breakup
There’s a common misconception that there was some huge, dramatic blowout. There wasn't. In fact, they remained remarkably civil. In a 2010 interview with Glamour, Swift called him one of her "best friends."
Usually, when celebrities say that, it's total PR nonsense. But with these two, it actually turned out to be true.
Most exes in Hollywood avoid each other like the plague, but Lautner has always been the "Best Ex" in the eyes of the Swifties. He didn't trash her in the press. He didn't write a "tell-all" book. He just moved on, eventually marrying a woman also named Taylor (now Taylor Dome), who—in a weirdly wholesome twist—is actually a huge Taylor Swift fan.
The 2023 "I Can See You" Reunion
Fast forward over a decade. Most people figured the Taylor Squared era was a distant memory. Then, out of nowhere, Swift released Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) and dropped a music video for the vault track "I Can See You."
Who was the lead? Taylor Lautner.
He didn't just show up; he did his own stunts, including some impressive backflips on stage during the Eras Tour in Kansas City to premiere the video. Seeing the "Three Taylors" (Swift, Lautner, and his wife, Tay Dome) hanging out backstage together was the kind of full-circle moment nobody saw coming.
It proved that you actually can be friends with an ex if enough time passes and both people are mature about it.
Key Takeaways for Fans
If you're looking for the TL;DR on this whole saga, here’s the reality of what happened:
- It was real: They dated for roughly three to four months in late 2009.
- She ended it: "Back to December" is her public apology for breaking his heart.
- No Bad Blood: They are currently genuine friends. Lautner has even been seen hanging out with Swift’s inner circle in recent years.
- The Name Thing: Yes, they both know it was confusing. They even recreated the "Spider-Man pointing at Spider-Man" meme with Lautner's wife to lean into the joke.
If you're diving into the Speak Now era for the first time, pay close attention to the bridge of "Back to December." It’s the most honest account of what went wrong. It wasn't a scandal or a betrayal; it was just two teenagers who weren't on the same page at the same time.
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Want to see the friendship in action? Go watch the "I Can See You" music video. It’s basically a tribute to Lautner’s martial arts skills and the fact that, sometimes, the "one that got away" just becomes a really good friend who does backflips at your stadium tour.