The Twilight star recalls his experience witnessing Taylor Swift’s reaction when Kanye West interrupted her speech at the 2009 VMAs.
Lautner, who had a short-lived romance with Taylor Swift in 2009, made a rare comment about his former girlfriend in a recent podcast episode. The opportunity arose when his wife Tay Dome asked what moment in his life he would choose to revisit if given the chance.
“I would say the 2009 VMAs,” Lautner replied on their podcast “The Squeeze”, as seen in a TikTok posted on February 1st. “I presented the award to Taylor and was unaware that the Kanye West incident wasn’t part of the show.” (His wife jokingly added, “I’m dead.”)
Lautner Recalls 2009 VMA Incident
The 30-year-old remembered the memorable night, stating, “I presented Taylor with the award, so I still have it. I stepped back five feet and stood behind her as she gave her acceptance speech. However, in the middle of her speech, Kanye West suddenly appeared on stage.”
Reflecting on that moment in popular culture, the Twilight star admitted that he couldn’t fully grasp what was happening.
“I could barely hear anything. I couldn’t see them clearly,” Lautner said. “I thought it was a pre-planned and rehearsed skit because why else would Kanye West interrupt Taylor Swift’s speech? It just didn’t make sense.”
Lautner revealed that he initially thought it was all part of the performance, but soon realized that it wasn’t when he saw Swift’s reaction. He recalls that the moment she turned back to him, the look on her face made it clear that it wasn’t part of the show. “I saw her face for the first time and I knew right away that it wasn’t good,” he said.
Lautner has acknowledged that Swift’s song “Back to December” is about their relationship, which he refers to as a “romance”.
In the song, Swift touches on the events of a September night, which is widely believed to be the 2009 VMAs that took place on September 13th. The lyrics suggest a longing for someone’s presence, and they depict the night with vivid imagery, saying “I miss your tan skin, your sweet smile/So good to me, so right/And how you held me in your arms that September night/The first time you ever saw me cry.”
