Michael Johnston has reflected on the profound personal significance of his breakout role as a gay teenager on Teen Wolf. The actor, who starred in the blockbuster thriller Obsession, explained that the part coincided with his own journey toward self-acceptance. That period of his life, he admitted, was frightening.
Michael Johnston explains Teen Wolf’s personal impact on his life
Growing up in North Carolina, Johnston struggled with his identity. Speaking to Cosmopolitan, he described the experience of coming out to himself and others during the filming of the MTV series as “terrifying.” He added, “I was just in complete and utter denial — you know, I grew up in the South. So it was really scary.”
Johnston joined Teen Wolf in 2015 as Corey Bryant, a gay high school student with the power of invisibility. Across Seasons 5 and 6, Corey’s relationship with Mason Hewitt, played by Khylin Rhambo, was notable for its normalcy. The supernatural drama did not treat the couple’s sexuality as a source of conflict. It was simply a fact about who they were.
At the time, Michael Johnston was not yet ready to acknowledge the parallels between himself and his character. He remembered reassuring his family back home that the on-screen romance was strictly fictional. “I’m like, ‘No, no way! I would never!’” he recalled. He also laughed about a relative who warned him that the role would “poison” him, only to later claim she knew all along.
Despite his initial fear, the actor found unexpected meaning in the fan response. Johnston said he was overwhelmed by messages from LGBTQ+ viewers who thanked him for being brave and visible. “That was amazing,” he shared.
Now, after appearing in Obsession as Bear, a straight character caught in a violent supernatural mess, Johnston views sexuality as just one layer of any role. Still, he remains eager to take on more intentional queer parts in the future.
Originally reported by Devanshi Basu on ComingSoon.net.
