Actor Taylor Lautner attends a special screening of 'The Twilight Saga: New Moon' hosted by the The Cinema Society and D&G on Thursday, Nov. 19, 2009 in New York. (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/Evan Agostini)

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Taylor Lautner is at the centre of a hurricane, and loving it.

The 17-year-old actor and Grand Rapids native is relentlessly upbeat as he talks about the exciting new turn his life has taken: playing Jacob Black, a Quiliute Indian who shapeshifts into a wolf, in "The Twilight Saga: New Moon."

A year ago, he had three scenes in franchise opener "Twilight." Now, Jacob is prominent - and prominently shirtless - in the film's sequel and on movie posters, the third player in a new love triangle that has the series' army of female fans atwitter. The spotlight on Lautner is intense, but he's taking it in stride.

"I'm having the time of my life," he said, calling during a Los Angeles press junket last week. "This franchise has allowed me to do what I want to do, meet new people and travel the world."

You can practically hear him smiling over the line as he talks about his new experiences: His first trip to Europe, for a promotional tour. Shooting "New Moon" and "Eclipse" - the third film in the series, based on Stephenie Meyer's best-selling novels, just wrapped principal photography - in Vancouver. Filming a small role in Garry Marshall's ensemble comedy "Valentine's Day," where he met his new friend, Taylor Swift.

He plays coy when talking about the other Taylor.

"We filmed 'Valentine's Day' together, and really got along," he said. "She's an amazing girl."

How amazing?

He repeats, "She's an amazing girl."

Obviously, Lautner prefers to talk about acting and ignore the tabloid gossip that comes with newfound fame.

"You definitely need to make adjustments to your life," he said. "It's best to keep that stuff on the outside and focus on the work. Once that stuff gets to you, you're done."

Lautner's star didn't rise overnight. He lived in Hudsonville, where he attended Jamestown Elementary School, until he was 11. His success in martial arts competitions turned into acting gigs, so he and his family relocated to Los Angeles in 2003.

He landed roles in "Cheaper by the Dozen 2" (2005) and Robert Rodriguez's "The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl" (also '05), and acted alongside Christian Slater in the short-lived '08 TV series "My Own Worst Enemy" (now available on DVD).

After "Twilight" became a massive success, grossing $191 million domestically, "New Moon" was greenlit, and the focus turned to Lautner. Rumours were abundant that he would not be cast for the rest of the series because he was too small to play the tall, beefy Black - rumours he quickly dismisses.

"You have to remember, when all that speculation was happening, ('New Moon') didn't have a director," he said. "I just worked on my side of things, and when Chris Weitz was hired, I met with him and we were good to go.

"I knew the character had changed in many ways, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. It was a lot of work in the gym and eating a lot - but the right things, every two hours. On the emotional end, it meant diving into the books, studying the story and character over and over and over."

Talk about transforming Lautner's body via "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"-style special effects wasn't necessary, the actor asserted.

"They tried to keep things real," he said. "All the movie magic had to do with the werewolves. We had no idea what the wolves were going to look like. We just saw the movie for the first time, and they look amazing."

Lautner also joked how there's no Method acting technique for playing a werewolf.

"It's a bummer. I've tried and tried to transform into a werewolf. Protein shakes can't do it," he said with a laugh.

A year ago, Lautner, whose father, Dan, accompanies him on his travels, tested out of high school and was taking online college courses. But the time demands of "New Moon," "Eclipse" and the impending "Breaking Dawn" mean his studies have been set aside. It also means he doesn't visit West Michigan as often as he'd like.

"I just take it one day at a time," Lautner said. "I'm sure I'll get back to Michigan soon. All my family and a lot of my friends are there."

His favourite Hudsonville cake batter ice cream is here, too.

"I miss the seasons, the green, the lakes," he said. "But I miss Hudsonville ice cream the most. I've looked into getting it shipped to me, but I don't know how they'd do it. It would be expensive."

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Information from: The Grand Rapids Press