Twilight Star to play as Teen Wolverine Says Hugh Jackman

Taylor Lautner already plays one of the most recognizable onscreen characters as werewolf Jacob Black in the teen hysteria-inducing "Twilight" flicks. But another star thinks Lautner should put his ripped physique to good use in another role. "Wolverine" star Hugh Jackman says Lautner could convincingly don a pair of claws as a teen Wolverine in next year's "X-Men: First Class."

"My only question is: Can he grow mutton chops?" Jackman wondered to Eonline.com's Marc Malkin. But then, remembering the droves of girls around the world enamored with the considerably less hirsute Jacob, Jackman reconsidered the idea of a woolly Lautner.

"Actually, I think people would probably prefer him as a hairless Wolverine than a rather hairy-chested version. Certainly about a billion young girls would," Jackman observed.

Although he's got a co-sign from the star of the "Wolverine" franchise, Lautner's not pressed for work. The young heartthrob has some other flicks lined up, including the thriller "Abduction," which recently started production and stars Lautner as a teen who gets entangled in a web of espionage after seeking out his birth parents. And while he might not be shredding foes as Wolverine anytime soon, the "Twilight" hunk is also slated for a superhero flick in the title role of the upcoming "Stretch Armstrong." Lautner hasn't mentioned sprouting heaps of hair for a film, but he has expressed his willingness to transform physically, even abandoning his muscular bod, for the right part.

"If it was for a role that I was passionate about, I would definitely do that," Lautner told MTV News last month. "I want to challenge myself to everything," he added, noting that he's open to sinking his teeth into a range of flicks. "I've got a really cool action thriller [in 'Abduction'] and then an awesome superhero movie [in 'Stretch Armstrong'], but I want to find a great drama script."

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