Taylor Lautner is packing on the pounds in the hopes of convincing Twilight producers he should return in the sequel, New Moon, as a bigger and more mature werewolf Jacob Black.

“I have been working out. I’ve been working out since the day we finished filming Twilight. I just weighed myself today; I’ve put on 19 lbs.,” Lautner told MTV on Wednesday night at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s Salute to Young Hollywood party.

Although Summit Entertainment has yet to give him the job, Lautner, 16, is the overwhelming favorite among fans to return over reported candidate Michael Copon of Scorpion King 2, according to a PEOPLE poll.

And Lautner says he’s meeting this week with director Chris Weitz to make – and show – his case.

“I’m guaranteeing Weitz 10 more [pounds] by filming,” the star said at the InStyle-sponsored bash in West Hollywood.

Twilight costar Ashley Greene is already in Lautner’s corner.

“We all love Taylor. He’s such a sweet guy, so sweet and I think that he gets the part,” Greene tells PEOPLE. “And the thing is that the girls just love him. He is the teen heartthrob. … I’m hoping that they don’t replace him because we love him.”

People