Taylor Swift and Taylor Lautner's Relationship Timeline: A Look Back

Taylor Swift has had her fair share of romances (you have to kiss a few frogs to find your prince, after all). And while many of her exes have served as fodder for songs of heartbreak — we're looking at you, Joe Jonas, John Mayer, and Jake Gyllenhaal) — there was one former flame who inspired an apology ballad instead: Taylor Lautner.

"It addresses a first for me. I've never apologized to someone in a song before," Swift told E! News. "The person I wrote this song for deserves this. This is about a person who was incredible to me – just perfect to me in a relationship – and I was really careless with him."

Although the pair didn't last, they seemed to have a lot in common (besides their name, of course). Lautner and Swift were both teens who reached a staggering level of fame in a relatively short timeframe and were still sort of figuring out what that meant. In that way, they were kind of perfect for each other — but as friends, not lovers.

Here's a look back at Taylor Swift and Taylor Lautner's relationship.

July 2009: Taylor Swift and Taylor Lautner first meet

ICYMI: Swift attempted to get a role in Twilight but was ultimately denied. However, the Twihard would not have to wait long before she got her revenge — by meeting Jacob Black. Lautner and Swift presumably met on the set of the ensemble rom-com Valentine's Day in summer of 2009 when they were 17 and 19, respectively. In the film, the Taylors (aka Willy and Felicia) played high school sweethearts.

September 2009: Taylor Lautner presents Taylor Swift with a VMA

Lautner was present for pop culture's defining moment of 2009. He was onstage at the MTV Video Music Awards as Kanye West intercepted Swift's award for Best Female Video. He did a whole Saturday Night Live monologue about it (more on that ahead).

October 2009: Taylor Swift and Taylor Lautner are first spotted together

By fall, the two Taylors were rumored to be dating, with host Ellen DeGeneres questioning the singer-songwriter about kissing Lautner on-screen. As evidenced by their hockey game and fro-yo outings, dinner dates, and concert events, it seemed likely the pair were an item off-screen. 

November 7, 2009: Taylor Swift hosts SNL and jokes about dating Taylor Lautner

When the pop culture icon hosted SNL for the first time, she opened it up with a monologue song that jokingly addressed her relationship with Lautner. 

"If you're wondering if I might be dating the werewolf from Twilight ..." she sang before seemingly mouthing "Hi Taylor" at the camera and blowing a kiss, "I'm not going to comment on that in my monologue."

December 12, 2009: Taylor Lautner hosts SNL and mentions Taylor Swift

A month or so later, the Abduction actor had his chance to address his relationship with Swift and even redeem himself after that infamous night at the VMAs. He reenacted an alternate ending of him standing up for his then-girlfriend by karate-chopping West.

December 2009: Taylor Swift and Taylor Lautner break up

By late December, Us Weekly reported the young lovebirds called it quits. According to a "source close to Swift," the relationship "wasn't really developing into anything," and "there was no chemistry." 

"He liked her more than she liked him. He went everywhere he could to see her, but she didn't travel much to see him," the source told the outlet.

The following October, Swift released the single "Back to December," which was immediately assumed to be about Lautner. The song described a wintertime incident (aka breakup) between a former couple, featuring these lyrics: "So this is me swallowing my pride / Standing in front of you saying I'm sorry for that night / And I go back to December all the time / It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you / Wishing I'd realized what I had when you were mine."

One week ahead of the song's release, Swift told Glamour that Lautner was still one of her "best friends." Around that same time, she revealed to Ladies' Home Journal (via MTV News) that Lautner was "always going to be" her crush.

The feelings appear to be mutual on Lautner's side as well. In 2016, during a Scream Queens press op that turned into a T-Swift-themed interrogation, the Twilight alum confirmed that "Back to December" was written about him, according to Elle. He also told co-star John Stamos that dating Swift had been a "good time," adding, "It was a fun few months there."

February 12, 2010: Taylor Swift and Taylor Lautner's film, Valentine's Day, premieres

Watching the Taylors as two lovesick teens making out on the football field in Valentine's Day (the film where they reportedly first met) was a beautiful way to conclude the brief Swift-Lautner era — or prolong it. The film, released in February 2010 ahead of the holiday, outlived the young couple's relationship. 

July 8, 2023: Taylor Swift and Taylor Lautner reunite

Since their relationship ended, Swift and Lautner have remained on good terms. Lautner even starred alongside Joey King and Presley Cash in a music video for Swift's song, "I Can See You," from her Speak Now (Taylor's Version) album. 

Swift premiered the video during a performance, with Lautner, King, and Cash joining her, reported Entertainment Tonight. After the concert, the Taylors — including Swift and Lautner and his wife (who, ironically, shares the actor's name since they wed in 2022) — continued the fun by recreating the famous Spider-Man pointing meme. Apparently, that's what friends and romantic partners (past and present) named Taylor do.