Taylor Lautner says he was mainly stopped in public by 'Twi-Moms' before the 'Twilight' resurgence

• "Twilight" star Taylor Lautner spoke to People about the franchise's recent resurgence in popularity.
• Lautner said that nowadays, teens recognize him for his role as Jacob Black.

Taylor Lautner said the type of people who are recognizing him the most for his work as Jacob Black in the "Twilight" films is different now than it was a few years ago, thanks to the franchise's recent resurgence in popularity.

"Before that, to be honest, it was mainly the 'Twi-moms' that would still stop me in the streets," Lautner told People in a new interview.

The actor said that nowadays, "it's like teenagers again."

He shared similar comments during a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight, saying: "We have these young teenagers starting to watch it. It's crazy to see it come back around."

Lautner, a child actor who rose to fame in films like "The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl" and "Cheaper By the Dozen 2," became an A-lister when he first portrayed Jacob in 2008's "Twilight."

The film was directed by Catherine Hardwicke and based on Stephenie Meyer's 2005 book of the same name, about a vampire named Edward Cullen who falls in love with ordinary, clumsy teen Bella Swan.

Meyers released three more novels as part of the fantasy saga, all of which were adapted into film sequels following the global success of "Twilight": "New Moon," "Eclipse," and "Breaking Dawn," which was split into two movies.

The five total films starred Robert Pattinson as Edward, Kristen Stewart as Bella, and Lautner as Jacob, Bella's best friend who becomes a werewolf.

In its heyday, fans ranging from teens to adults (and known as Twihards) would attend midnight screenings of each new movie's release, people sided with Team Edward or Team Jacob, and there was an abundance of merchandise.

Even though it's been 10 years since the last film, "Breaking Dawn: Part 2," was released, the beloved vampire franchise has experienced renewed interest.

Younger people, including Gen Z musician Olivia Rodrigo, have recently discovered the "Twilight" movies through streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon.

The first movie's often-referenced baseball scene is an iconic part of pop culture and lines like Jacob's "Bella, where the hell have you been loca?" (from "New Moon") have spawned memes and merch of their own.

The actress Nikki Reed, who portrayed Rosalie Hale in the Twilight" saga, previously told Insider that she believes the movies continue to resonate with fans of all ages because "there's definitely something about these films that feel very timeless."

The films being readily available to watch on streamers also offers a new layer of comfort and nostalgia, the star said.

"When 'Twilight' came out, it was all about the movie theater experience and there was something very special about that, but I think that there's also something really special about taking something that you love and having it in your home," Reed said.