Michael Johnston Recalls 'Terrifying' Coming Out Journey While Filming 'Teen Wolf'

Michael Johnston is looking back at the early days of his acting career, opening up about how landing his breakout role on MTV's hit supernatural series *Teen Wolf* mirrored his own private struggles. In a candid video feature with Cosmopolitan, the *Obsession* star confessed that playing an openly gay teenager while still coming to terms with his own sexuality was a deeply terrifying experience. The actor moved to Los Angeles fresh from his hometown in North Carolina, only to score a major television break almost immediately. However, the quick career milestone forced him to confront his identity much faster than he had originally anticipated.

According to Johnston, stepping into his *Teen Wolf* character was a double-edged sword. While the show served as his Hollywood breakthrough, the filming schedule coincided directly with his real-life self-discovery. Growing up in the American South, the star admitted he spent much of his youth in complete and utter denial about being gay. Navigating his actual identity while working on a high-profile television set felt overwhelming. Johnston revealed that he was actively coming out to himself and his close circle during the very same period he took on the job. To handle the transition with his background back home, he recalled reassuring his family in North Carolina that the romance on camera was just part of his acting job.

Johnston made his debut on *Teen Wolf* in 2015 during the drama's fifth season, remaining on the cast through its sixth and final season. He portrayed Corey Bryant, a high schooler who possessed supernatural invisibility abilities. Throughout his arc on the series, Corey engaged in a sweet relationship with Mason Hewitt, played by actor Khylin Rhambo. The show earned widespread praise from viewers for treating the same-sex couple with complete normalcy, choosing not to use their sexuality as a source of conflict in the supernatural storyline. Now, as Johnston continues his career with projects like *Obsession*, he can reflect on how that terrifying period helped shape his personal and professional path.