Taylor Lautner Reflects on Sharkboy and Lavagirl Turning 20: 'It's Stood the Test of Time' (Exclusive)

Taylor Lautner’s presence in the pop culture landscape has stood the test of time.

In the last two decades, he played the legendary Jacob Black in The Twilight Sagahe made a surprise appearance in a Taylor Swift music video and is now a co-host Grip podcast with wife Tay Lautner (nee Dome).

But before he was an imaginary werewolf trapped in a love triangle with a vampire or performing backflips on stage, Taylor starred in Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl, his first major acting role in 2005.

In the film, young Max (Cayden Boyd) enters the action universe of Sharkboy (Lautner) and Lavagirl (Taylor Dooley) as they fight to save the universe from evil forces.

The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl with Taylor Lautner and Taylor Dooley.

Columbia/Sony/Kobal/Shutterstock

Speaking with PEOPLE as two of the 2024 Creators of the Year, the Lautners reflect on Taylor’s breakthrough role ahead of the film’s 20th anniversary in June 2025.

“I feel crazy,” Taylor says as she reflects on the two decades that have passed since then Sharkboy and Lavagirlliberation. During that time, he reveals that he stayed in touch with several of his colleagues, including seeing “Cayden Boyd a few times” and having “Sasha Pieterse on the podcast” in August 2023.

Tay and Taylor Lautner Reveal One Limit They’ve Set While Balancing Work and Married Life Together (Exclusive)

During his podcast interview with Pieterse, Taylor joked about it Sharkboy and Lavagirl is a film that “never [seems to go] far.” Pieterse added to that sentiment, sharing how surprised she is when “grown-up” people come up to her and reminisce about the movie with her. She also talked about watching the movie for the first time with her son Hendrix, noting, “He had no idea that it’s me. [in the film]. But it kept his attention for a while, which was good.”

Tay — who was also a huge fan Sharkboy and Lavagirl growing up — recalls “buying a DVD with red and blue 3D glasses from Blockbuster” and watching it at home for the first time.

“I loved it Sharkboy and Lavagirl. What child isn’t?” Tay tells PEOPLE. “I don’t know what they put into that movie, but even to this day kids are just in love with it. It’s just crazy how relevant it remains, even though so much time has passed. They put some magic sauce in there.”

Taylor Dooley and Taylor Lautner in The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl.

Photo by Columbia/Sony/Kobal/Shutterstock

Never miss a story — subscribe to PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Although there hasn’t been an official remake yet Sharkboy and Lavagirl, iconic characters appeared in a Netflix movie We can be heroes 2021, which featured their daughter Guppy and focused on her and 11 other young superheroes. While Dooley reprized her role as Lavagirl for a small role in the film, Taylor did not return as Sharkboy.

However, despite not being a part of it We can be heroes, Sharkboy and Lavagirl it still holds a special place in Taylor’s heart and he believes the film has definitely “stood the test of time”.

Tay and Taylor Lautner Want to Team Up with Travis and Jason Kelce on Podcast: ‘I Definitely Wouldn’t Say No’ (Exclusive)

“It’s funny because as an adult you go back and look at it right now and you’re like, ‘Wow, that graphic was pretty rough.’ But beyond that, there’s something about it that is [so special].”

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education