Ashby Gentry has opened up about his character Alex Walter’s transformation in My Life with the Walter Boys Season 2, describing it as both challenging and rewarding. The Netflix series, based on Ali Novak’s 2014 novel, returns on August 28.
Season 2 begins with Alex returning to Silver Falls after the summer, where his “glow-up” becomes central to the story. Speaking to People, Gentry admitted that the storyline initially felt difficult. “It is definitely difficult to not interpret it as a backhanded compliment,” he said. “Especially when there are lines in the show directly saying that I’ve gotten hotter, when I’m like, ‘I look the same. I did not change.’”
Showrunner Melanie Halsall informed Gentry that his character would undergo the transformation. To prepare, the actor adjusted his approach compared to Season 1. “In season one, I lost a lot of weight and stopped going to the gym because I viewed Alex as a skinnier … gamer,” he explained. For the second season, he returned to training, tested four hairstyles, and focused on his skincare.
The process, however, came with pressures. “It was hard for it, at times, to not just feel like a beauty pageant,” Gentry said, adding that it was “really stressful” at moments.
Despite this, he described the experience as ultimately rewarding, crediting co-star Nikki Rodriguez with offering advice. “I have some glow-up tips and tricks that I got from Nikki that I keep now, and I’m like, ‘Oh, I can use these whenever I want to feel good about myself,’” he shared.
Gentry emphasised that he still valued Alex’s earlier portrayal. “I rewatched season one and I still am like, ‘No, you guys were wrong. I look great in season one.’”
My Life with the Walter Boys Season 2 premieres on Netflix on August 28.
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