The Squeeze – Nikki Reed: The Power of Purpose Pt. 1

Podcast: The Squeeze
Host: Taylor Lautner & Taylor Lautner
Guest: Nikki Reed
Date: November 5, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of The Squeeze features actress and sustainability advocate Nikki Reed in a deeply personal and reflective conversation about fame, identity, mental health, and finding purpose beyond the “lime-light.” Hosts Taylor Lautner and his wife (also Taylor Lautner, formerly Dome) invite Nikki into a candid discussion that explores how extreme attention impacts well-being, why and how Nikki transitioned away from Hollywood, and how we all face similar challenges—regardless of our backgrounds or public personas.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Reuniting Old Friends: Twilight Memories & Growing Up (00:04–09:49)

• Nikki reflects on the lasting associations with iconic roles, specifically how the public struggles to separate actors from their characters.
  • “People come up to me and say things like, ‘Oh my gosh, you smile.’ And I’m like, you know, like me in person? You forget that. I guess that’s the job, to create as much believability as possible.” – Nikki Reed (00:35)
• The conversation is light and nostalgic, recounting their first meetings off-set, and sharing “backflip” stories from Nikki’s living room.
  • “I just remember being like, okay, T’s coming over, and like, maybe some things are gonna get broken and he’s gonna do some backflips off the couch, and then I’m gonna cook.” – Nikki Reed (16:08)
• Both hosts and Nikki acknowledge the blur surrounding their memories of those years, connecting this forgetfulness to trauma and the overwhelming experience of sudden fame.
  • “I have this thing and I don’t know if you have the same. I think it is a trauma-related thing, but I just forget so much of that time of my life. I truly can’t even remember it… I’ll see pictures and I’ll be like, that seems like a different person.” – Taylor Lautner (08:30)

2. Twilight Franchise: From ‘Tiny Film’ to Global Phenomenon (17:14–27:47)

• Nikki shares how the early perception of Twilight as a small-scale indie unexpectedly transformed into a global sensation.
  • “What we thought was we were making a tiny little movie in Portland, Oregon, and none of us knew what it was going to be.” – Nikki Reed (17:14)
• Reed reveals her initial ambivalence about joining the film—she was literally working in a Hawaii clothing store and had not read the books when she was first approached.
  • “I really was enjoying my life there… So it took me a while to commit to the idea of another life shift again.” – Nikki Reed (19:53)
• Both hosts and Nikki recall the shock at the first fandom surge after the movie’s release, especially seeing the response at events like Comic-Con.
  • “I remember one specific moment… there were thousands of people screaming as he was getting out of the car. And that was the moment for me where I was like— wait, is that for him? For the films?... Life was forever impacted.” – Nikki Reed (24:34)

3. The Fame Machine: Identity, Pressure, and Mental Health (26:02–31:39)

• The hosts and Nikki discuss the unique pressures of Twilight fandom, noting the difference from other franchises—even its appeal to multiple demographics.
  • “It spoke to more than just one demographic… You could be a teenager—” – Nikki Reed (26:55)
• Taylor (host) and Taylor (wife/co-host) reflect on how their childhood fandom, midnight premieres, and family connections still shape their perspective—making the experience deeply personal and sometimes surreal.
• Nikki touches on the emotional cost of being forever linked to a character, and the public’s inability to see actors as separate people.
• The trio muse over the benefits and challenges of being able to “watch your younger self,” given the archival nature of movies versus snapshots that most people have of their adolescence.

4. Purpose, Personal Growth & Stepping Out of the Spotlight (38:24–44:25)

• Taylor asks Nikki about her decision to step away from acting and focus on wellness, sustainability, and her own family.
  • “Was that a gradual realization or something that hit you over the head…?” – Taylor Lautner (38:24)
• Nikki explains that she never envisioned Hollywood as a lifelong dream—her entry was almost accidental, and she always felt pulled to other experiences.
  • “I sort of fell into this being my career… I always felt called to explore other things.” – Nikki Reed (39:03)
  • “If there’s any way to take this small platform or career that once was and parlay it into doing some good… then I’ve maybe done something right. You know, that must be the purpose for what that previous career was—maybe to just move culture forward in a different way, have a positive impact that’s meaningful.” – Nikki Reed (43:30)
• She recounts deliberate choices to work other jobs and experience “real life” outside of celebrity, resisting management’s pressure to monetize her rising fame.

5. Mental Health, The Human Psyche, and Finding Balance (44:43–53:58)

• Taylor and Nikki contrast their personal approaches to the pressures of fame: Taylor admits to tying his whole identity to career and public approval, while Nikki describes herself as more resistant, removed, and rooted in “real life.”
  • “The human psyche is not meant for some extreme level of attention.” – Nikki Reed (45:02)
  • “I did the complete opposite of you. I put my entire identity into that… I’m a people pleaser… That is when I… lost [myself].” – Taylor Lautner (46:53)
• Nikki attributes her resilience to a combination of “street smarts” from her childhood and a determination to maintain perspective.
  • “You had the entire world… telling you who you were… That could have taken a very, very different turn for you… My— I just love you so much, you know, and I always have, I always wanted to take care of you and make sure that you were good and you were okay.” – Nikki Reed (47:44)
• The conversation pivots to the role of conscious choice in personal growth and healing, emphasizing self-ownership.
  • “We all have a series of choices… We get to choose what path we want to take, what we want to absorb, how we want to show up in the world… You have to take ownership of that.” – Nikki Reed (50:14)
• Nikki and the hosts agree that, despite different backgrounds, the struggles of anxiety, self-doubt, and identity are fundamentally similar for everyone.
  • “Everybody is actually, like, a human having a human experience, no matter what. Your story’s gonna look so different, but the insecurities can be the same. The challenges can be the same… It makes this like, connection feel so palpable between really everybody.” – Nikki Reed (52:48, 53:24)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Sudden Fame:
  “It was a very potent period. We saw a lot, we did a lot, we went through a lot. And I think sometimes maybe the brain takes a brain break.” – Nikki Reed (09:02)

• On Identity & Growth:
  “The human psyche is not meant for some extreme level of attention… That’s why you go back and look at all these amazing, young, talented artists …that end up with addiction issues or depression…” – Nikki Reed (45:02)

• On Stepping Away:
  “I never cared about the next opportunity… I just was really excited about experiencing life…” – Nikki Reed (41:12)

• On Support & Compassion:
  “I just love you so much, you know, and I always have. I always wanted to take care of you…” – Nikki Reed to Taylor (47:44)

Important Timestamps

• 00:35 — Nikki on being linked to Rosalie, and the challenge of public perception
• 06:00 — Early Twilight anecdotes and “Team Edward vs. Team Jacob” humor
• 08:30 — Taylor on memory loss, trauma, and dissociation from his Twilight years
• 17:14–19:53 — Nikki’s initial Twilight experience and decision process
• 24:34 — Nikki’s “Comic-Con moment” realizing the franchise’s impact
• 39:03–43:30 — Nikki’s unconventional career path and philosophy on meaning
• 44:43–46:53 — Nikki and Taylor on how they handled fame, pressure, and identity
• 50:14 — The importance of choice and ownership in healing and growing

Tone & Takeaway

The episode is honest, affectionate, often playful, and ultimately deeply reflective, giving listeners a behind-the-scenes look at the realities of fame, the importance of self-knowledge, and the ongoing journey to mental wellness and purpose. Nikki Reed’s candor and wisdom shine, as does the deep bond and mutual respect between her and the hosts.

Next Episode Teaser

Part 2 promises a deeper dive into Nikki’s journey toward health, sustainability, and purpose—including powerful reflections on change, self-forgiveness, and her advocacy outside Hollywood.

For more from Nikki Reed, and the conclusion of this interview, subscribe or follow to catch Part 2 on The Squeeze.