The `Twilight Saga: New Moon` actor says fellow pupils used to ridicule his acting ambitions, which affected his confidence but he refused to give up on his dream.

He said: "I was never extremely confident. Because I was an actor, when I was in school there was a little bullying going on. Not physical bullying but people making fun of what I do... I just had to tell myself I can`t let this get to me. This is what love to do. And I`m going to continue to do it."

The 17-year-old star - who gained 30lbs of muscle ahead of shooting the vampire sequel - also insisted the female attention he receives is for his character, werewolf Jacob Black, not himself.

He told America`s Rolling Stone magazine: "This could have happened to anybody who played Jacob. I was just lucky enough to be the one that has the opportunity. I`m so grateful. It`s `Twilight.` It`s not me personally."

Despite his youth, Taylor has impressed his ?Twilight? co-stars with his maturity.

Kristen Stewart said: "He`s so picky. I was the first person who got him to eat sushi. He`s very set in his ways. But that is very informative of his personality. He`s very steady. He has a really solid sense of himself."
sections: Celebrities