Hot List: Teen Wolf's Michael Johnston

Photography by Nicholas Maggio. Styling by Alison Brooks. Hair: Candace Bossendorfer at Exclusive Artists. Makeup: Agostina at Exclusive Artists. Producer: Richard Villani. T-Shirt by Jet by John Eshaya

Growing up in the Carolinas doesn’t exactly present a buffet of major gigs for a young aspiring actor. So when Michael Johnston graduated high school a year early, he went to live with his father in Chicago, home of the renowned improv outfit the Second City. It’s the same institution that fostered the talents of Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Bill Hader, and after studying acting there, Johnston packed his bags and moved to California.

A small role on the upcoming season of MTV’s Awkward led to a coveted spot on the fifth season of Teen Wolf (premiering June 29), MTV’s homoerotic, howl-at-the-moon teen drama. “When I see relationships on Teen Wolf, they’re all treated the same,” says Johnston, 19. “They don’t make a big deal over a gay relationship in the show — it’s just like any other relationship, which is really close to what life is like.”

Johnston’s mysterious character will be introduced alongside an unspecified new supernatural threat to the show’s main characters, and he’ll cross paths with Mason, a cheeky gay human played by Khylin Rhambo. “There’s some hope that we’ll start out as friends, but maybe more will happen,” teases Johnston. As for Teen Wolf’s penchant for naked torsos? Johnston isn’t sure yet if his character will be showing a lot of skin, but he’s physically preparing just in case. After all, there are only two certainties on Teen Wolf: death and abs.

Season 5 of Teen Wolf premieres June 29.