Michael Johnston says he wants a meaningful queer role next

The next Michael Johnston queer role may be one he creates himself. Fresh off the box office surge for Obsession, the actor said on the I’ve Never Said This Before podcast that he wants a queer part with real purpose behind it.

Johnston, who is openly gay, said the success of Obsession has put him in a position where he can be more selective about future work. His target, he told the podcast, is a queer story that feels deliberate and meaningful.

“My whole thing has been that what the character’s sexuality is doesn’t matter to me,” Johnston said on the podcast. “It’s just another part of who they are, and that’s how I am. It’s just a part of who I am.”

What queer role does Michael Johnston want to play?

Johnston said he is looking for a “really intentional queer role” and a story that is “really meaningful.” He did not name a project, studio or timeline, but suggested he could take matters into his own hands.

“Growing up in the Bible Belt can be problematic for a gay boy,” Johnston said. He described that period as a formative experience and said it has made him want to play a queer story with more intention.

Johnston added that he might write the part himself, saying on the podcast, “I don’t know, maybe I’ll write it myself.”

How Teen Wolf shaped his thinking

Johnston also looked back at his run as Corey Bryant on MTV’s Teen Wolf, a role he played from 2015 to 2017. He said he was not yet fully comfortable with his sexuality at that time, but later realized the role had reached viewers in a serious way.

According to Johnston, he received thousands of messages from people who said his performance helped them feel better about themselves. He said some viewers told him they were able to come out to their parents after seeing him play the character authentically.

For Johnston, the experience cut both ways: it mattered to fans, and it also helped him accept himself. He said doing something that scared him showed him the effect a role could have beyond the screen.

Why Obsession changed the moment

Johnston’s comments come after Obsession, directed by Curry Barker, became a breakout for Focus Features. Deadline reported that the film passed $300 million worldwide last month and became the studio’s highest-grossing title ever.

In the film, Johnston plays Bear, described by Deadline as a toxically hopeless romantic. The performance has become his breakout screen moment, giving his remarks about choosing future roles more weight.

Johnston has not announced a specific follow-up queer project. For now, he has made the wish clear: after Teen Wolf and Obsession, he wants a role where queerness is part of the character’s life and the story is built with intention.

This story draws on original reporting from Deadline.