Michael Johnston says he was scared to come out after landing gay role on ‘Teen Wolf’

The actor says thousands of LGBTQ+ fans later told him Corey Bryant helped them feel seen during difficult times

Michael Johnston has opened up about a deeply personal chapter of his acting career, revealing that playing a gay teenager on Teen Wolf came at a time when he was still struggling to accept his own sexuality.

The actor, who has recently gained widespread attention for his performance in Obsession, discussed his experience in an interview with Cosmopolitan. Johnston recalled joining Teen Wolf at 19 and described playing Corey Bryant as a frightening experience because of the circumstances surrounding his own identity at the time.

Johnston grew up in Rutherfordton, North Carolina, and has spoken about the difficulties of growing up gay in the American South. When he was cast as Corey, the character was already written as a gay teenager, while Johnston himself had not publicly come out.

Johnston explained that he was still uncomfortable with his sexuality when he moved to Los Angeles and landed the role. He recalled being frightened by the situation and said he had been in denial about his identity while growing up in what he described as the Bible Belt.

The actor also recalled how the character became unexpectedly important to viewers. Johnston said he received thousands of messages and letters from LGBTQ+ fans who told him that seeing Corey on screen had helped them through their own experiences. Some viewers credited the character with giving them confidence to come out to their families.

Corey was introduced during the fifth season of Teen Wolf in 2015. The character was a student at Beacon Hills High School who became involved with Mason Hewitt, played by Khylin Rhambo. Their relationship continued through the show's fifth and sixth seasons and was portrayed as an ordinary teenage romance despite the supernatural events surrounding them.

Johnston has previously said that the response from viewers made him realise the significance of the representation he was providing. He also explained that the role helped him better understand himself. His public coming out followed in early 2023, when he shared his relationship with filmmaker and writer Anthony Sellitti.

The actor has since become increasingly open about wanting to take on meaningful queer roles. Johnston said he would like to play an "epic, powerful gay character" in a story with intentional queer representation. He stressed that sexuality is one part of a character rather than the sole definition of a role.

His comments have attracted renewed attention because of his performance in Obsession, in which he plays Bear Bailey, a straight man who becomes dangerously fixated on his friend and co-worker Nikki. The film, directed by Curry Barker, places Johnston in a very different role from Corey, allowing audiences to see him portray a character whose romantic pursuit of a woman drives the story's increasingly disturbing events.

The contrast has also introduced Johnston to viewers who may not have followed his earlier work. His career includes voice acting and appearances in projects such as Slash and Endangered Species, while Teen Wolf remains one of his most recognisable on-screen credits.