Taylor Lautner Decries ‘Cruel World’ After Selena Gomez Body-Shaming Comments: ‘You Can Never Please Everyone’

Taylor Lautner has no time for your body-shaming hate speech. The Twilight actor posted an Instagram Story on Wednesday (Feb. 26) in which he hit out at recent cruel comments about Selena Gomez that were re-posted influencer Alex Light. The British podcaster and body positivity advocate shared a before-and-after shot of the singer/actress that included harsh internet comments about Sel’s weight alongside her own statement about the “impossible” beauty standards society puts on women in the spotlight.

While Light’s caption leaned into the theme of “out bodies are ours, not up for public discussion,” the inclusion of a round-up of unkind online statement’s about Gomez’s fluctuating weight appeared to set Lautner off.

“It’s a cruel world full of hate out there,” wrote the actor, who in 2023 opened up on his podcast The Squeeze about how the focus on his physique during his Twilight years has had a lasting effect on his body image. “You can never please everyone nor should you have to. In my experience it doesn’t make the words sting less, it just refocuses you onto what matters,” Lautner continued. ” And it sure isn’t the shape, color or appearance of your body. Daily reminder to all of us to not forget how beautiful you are inside and out…and be a little bit nicer.”

Lautner’s post was cued to the 2011 Selena Gomez & the Scene song “Who Says,” which features the empowering lyrics: “I wouldn’t want to be anybody else/ You made me insecure/ Told me I wasn’t good enough/ But who are you to judge?/ When you’re a diamond in the rough.”

Gomez has repeatedly knocked down body shaming comments during her career, including speaking about her “weight fluctuation” following a 2015 lupus diagnosis and a kidney transplant in 2017 in a 2023 TikTok Live post addressing critiques of her body.

As a result of the diagnosis and other health struggles, Gomez explained in the Live that her medication causes her to hold on to water weight. “And that happens very normally,” she said at the time. “And then when I’m off of it I tend to kind of lose weight.” She also shared a positive message with her fans about their inner beauty and her focus on health first.

“I just want people to know that you’re beautiful and you’re wonderful,” Gomez told fans. “And yeah we have days where maybe we feel like s–t but I would much rather be healthy and take care of myself and my medications are important and I believe they are what helps me. So, yeah, not a model, never will be. And I think they’re awesome, mind you, I just, I’m definitely not that.”

You can see Light’s original post here.