IN CONVERSATION WITH MICHAEL JOHNSTON

interview by TIMOTEJ LETONJA and JANA LETONJA

From cult television to supernatural horror, MICHAEL JOHNSTON has built a career that refuses to stay in one lane. First catching audiences’ attention as fan-favourite COREY BRYANT in Teen Wolf, the actor, voice artist and musician has since moved between stage and screen with an instinct for characters that exist outside the expected. Recently he stepped into the spotlight in CURRY BARKER’s Obsession (2025), playing BEAR, a reserved music store employee whose seemingly innocent wish takes a sinister turn. Now, Michael is embracing a new creative chapter, one shaped by darker characters, unexpected choices and an ambition that reaches well beyond the screen.

Obsession placed you at the centre of a supernatural story, but its emotional foundation feels deeply human. What first drew you to Bear?
I loved that Bear wasn’t a typical horror protagonist with a heroic story arc. He starts as a heartbroken, sad boy with a one-sided crush, and that just felt super relatable. I think we can all relate to liking someone and them not liking us back, or not knowing whether they like us back. But then he starts making all these questionable decisions, and it just felt really fresh. I knew audiences would probably love to hate Bear, so I felt it would be a fun challenge to play him and subvert the audience’s expectations.

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What did you understand about Bear by the end of filming that you didn’t understand when you first read the script? And how did you approach him without reducing the vulnerability we get to see in him?
When I first read the script, I just thought: “Why is he making these terrible decisions? There’s a better way. That’s not how I would do it. It’s so frustrating.” But as I started digging into the character, I realised that Bear isn’t evil. He’s just stuck in his own story.

I think his parents, or anyone else in his life, never showed him how to take responsibility for his actions. Living in his head made me realize that he doesn’t think he’s doing anything wrong. He believes he’s a good guy. He just lacks the emotional bandwidth or maturity to see how his choices are affecting the people around him.

When I was playing him, I just focused on what he wanted most. It was like tunnel vision. He wants the girl to like him, and he thinks that’s the answer to all his problems.

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gloves BURBERRY
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The idea of making a wish is so universally tempting. If you strip away the supernatural element, what do you think Obsession is really saying about desire?
I think, at the most basic level, it really is “be careful what you wish for.” But we’ve said that so many times now. I think Obsession highlights the destructive power of infatuation and shows how damaging our coping mechanisms can become when we’re acting entirely on our emotions.

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Obsession premiered as part of TIFF’s Midnight Madness programme. What was it like experiencing the film for the first time with that kind of audience, and then experiencing the massive response following its global release?
It was surreal. TIFF was the first time I’d seen the final cut of the film, and all of my important people were there with me. Not to mention, the theatre was packed with over 1,000 people. When the movie played, the crowd was so loud with the gasps, screams and laughs that you could barely hear it. It was incredible.

I remember my dad was sitting next to me, and he kept punching me on the shoulder and leg. I remember turning to him and just asking, “Was it good?” And he said, “Yeah.”

Watching that buzz we had at the festival turn into record-breaking sales at TIFF and then having this massive global response just feels like a dream come true.

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Many audiences first discovered you through Teen Wolf. Looking back, what did playing Corey Bryant teach you about navigating both the industry and a passionate fandom?
My time on Teen Wolf served as my film school. I got to work with all these great actors and learn how a set works. The Teen Wolf fans are so passionate, and it seemed like they responded to whatever I was doing with the character. They were really supportive.

I just played the character honestly, I guess, and I feel fortunate to have been part of that show. I got to learn all these things that I carried into my career. I also started on that show not knowing that I’d be in more than one episode, and it turned into almost 30. It opened a lot of doors for me, and I’m hugely grateful for it.

suit, shoes, and gloves BURBERRY
shirt DOLCE & GABBANA

Has your understanding of acting changed significantly since those early years of your career?
I think I’ve realised that preparation is what unlocks the freedom to explore and play when you’re on set filming. If you’re familiar with the material and you know who your character is on a deep level, you’re free to be present and take more risks in the moment.

Things can also change when you’re on set. Maybe a line isn’t working, or something happens with the set, and you want to be flexible enough to try other things. So preparation is key.

You’re also a singer-songwriter. In what way does music access a different side of your creativity than acting?Acting is more like a puzzle where your job is to help realize the director’s vision. For me, making music is more of a personal escape because I have total creative control. Through songwriting, I can process my own experiences and emotions. It’s also been important for me to have multiple creative outlets, not just acting. Singing just feels so amazing. It’s like therapy for me. I think that’s why I’ve kept it a little more to myself so far, but I am looking forward to getting my singing onto the screen soon.

Voice acting has also been a significant part of your career, including work on the series X-Men ’97 and video games such as The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and The Artful Escape. What freedom do you find in performing when your physical appearance disappears entirely?
Not being limited by your appearance in the voiceover booth is incredibly freeing. It’s really fun. You can be animated and physical with your body. You can look stupid, and you don’t have to worry about what you look like.

Being super animated with your body and facial expressions also helps unlock these different characters that you’d never play on camera. I think starting in voiceover has made me a lot braver as an actor on screen.

The theme of this issue is Nature. How important is nature in your life?
I grew up in the country, so I think nature keeps me grounded. Especially in this world where we’re all on our screens all the time, just being outside and putting your feet in the grass, or if you don’t have time to do that every day, even just seeing a little bit of nature outside your window, has always been important to me.

It helps me feel connected to life and what really matters, which, for me, is just being present in the moment. So much of this job and the career I’ve chosen involves spending a lot of time thinking about the future, and the more I do that and the less connected I am with nature, the more I go a little crazy. Sometimes that’s good for a role, but as a human being and as a person, it’s not.

Nature is everything to me. We also physically need nature and sunlight. We forget that we’re all part of this living, breathing ecosystem and that we’re all connected to each other. I just feel like the modern world is so far removed from that, and it’s very sad.

full look THOM BROWNE

Fashion increasingly plays a role in how actors communicate the personality of their characters. What is your relationship with style, and how has your personal style evolved alongside your confidence and identity as an artist?I never used to think about my style. I just wore the same few T-shirts and the same pair of baggy jeans every day. And cargo shorts that were way too long and went down past my knees. I blame that on being from North Carolina. When I got to set, I used to just wear whatever they gave me and trust the costume designers and stylists completely. I figured they knew better than me. I also used to hate shopping for clothes. I would get so anxious, but that has changed a lot.

Now, I love shopping. I’ve learned how to trust my intuition when choosing clothes that make me feel confident. When I get to set or I’m doing a shoot, I tend to have more notes and speak up a little more about what my characters are wearing or what I’d be wearing in a shoot. What’s cool now is that, because of Obsession, I have this opportunity to wear some incredible clothes, and I just love it. Growing up, I would sort of play it safe, so now I’m looking forward to opportunities to get out of my comfort zone and push the limits a little bit. 

It’s fun. It never used to be fun for me. It used to be something that I feared. I felt paralyzed standing in front of clothes, and now it’s changed so much. It’s quite a relief. I love going shopping.

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You’ve been working professionally for some time, but Obsession gives audiences an opportunity to see you in a different light. Does this moment feel like a reinvention, an evolution or simply a clearer picture of what you’ve always wanted to do?
That’s funny. I don’t feel like I’ve gotten to the point where I need a reinvention yet. Maybe one day. I think it’s both an evolution and a clearer picture of what I’ve always wanted to do. I’ve played a lot of genuinely nice characters on screen, and I like to think it’s just because that’s close to who I am.

It was fun to play a nice guy who isn’t really all that nice when you look deeper. That’s where the evolution part comes in, I think. Now, it’s unlocked all these opportunities to play different kinds of characters, and it’s important to me to diversify the types of characters I play. I want to be like a chameleon. I want people to watch movies and be like, “What? That was him? I didn’t even recognise him.”

full look GIORGIO ARMANI
shoes DOLCE & GABBANA

After the immense success of Obsession, what’s coming up next for you?
There’s only so much I can talk about when it comes to certain projects, but right now I’m shooting The Mummy, and I’m happy to say that my character is a little different from some of the other roles I’ve played. It’s exciting. 

I have a lot of stuff coming up. I’m doing a handful of films next year. We’ll just have to see what happens – time will tell, but there are lots of different types of characters. I’m looking forward to playing a more complex villain-type character. I’ve also always wanted to do a period piece, and The Mummy is set in the 1950s, so getting to wear the bespoke costumes and wardrobe is really cool.

I’m also looking forward to diving into some accent work, and I’m looking for a good rom com. I want to do that. And, like I said before, I’d love to do something where I get to sing.

TEAM CREDITS:
talent MICHAEL JOHNSTON
photography TYLER PATRICK KENNY at TMG LA
styling LUCA FALCIONI at OPUS BEAUTY
fashion coordination MIHAELA POPA
grooming CHARLEY MCEWEN at THE ONLY AGENCY
lighting tech REBECKA SLATTER
editor TIMI LETONJA
interview TIMI LETONJA and JANA LETONJA
cover design ARTHUR ROELOFFZEN