Tyler Hoechlin Talks About ‘The Bite’, Spirit Animals, and MTV’s New Sci-Fi Series Teen Wolf

Buzznet’s very own Armen Atoyan had the chance to sit down with the cast of MTV’s newest upcoming series Teen Wolf and learned 10 fun and funny facts about the new sci-fi series.While at the press junket, he not only learned those 10 interesting facts about the cast and the show, but Armen also got to sit down with Tyler Hoechlin who plays Derek in MTV’s Teen Wolf.

Armen Atoyan: Your character Derek is very mysterious. We really don’t get to know a lot about him in the first episode, except that he is a werewolf. Who is he?

Tyler Hoechlin: Derek remains a mystery the whole first season. He comes from a family of werewolves. And he takes on this master apprentice role with Scott, like Obi-Wan Kenobi teaching Skywalker or Morpheus to Neo.

AA: Derek seems to have that “bad boy” persona about him. He also seems to be running from something. Who or what exactly is Derek running from?

TH: Derek is running from the hunters. His family history goes way back as werewolves so he has this mutual understanding with the hunters that it’s just the way things are. He’s also running from his past, which is part of the mystery of the show.

AA: The process of you becoming a werewolf must have been really intense. What was the makeup process like? What was going through your mind the first time you saw yourself with full werewolf makeup on?

TH: We actually changed the makeup after the first time we did it. When we changed the makeup, we made it a little more demonic, intense and scary because we wanted to have that stark contrast between the puppy-dog look with Tyler Posey being a newly bitten werewolf and a werewolf that’s been around for awhile. The coolest thing about playing the werewolf is being in the full makeup. It’s kind of a really cool, crazy, freeing experience because when you look in the mirror you don’t see yourself – you just see a werewolf.

AA: Your character believes the bite is a gift. Why does he believe the bite is so beneficial? Would you want to be bit?

TH: Derek is everything that’s great about being a werewolf. He knows how to control it, whereas Scott can’t control it, so it’s keeping him from being able to do the things he wants to do, like compete in lacrosse, and be a normal kid. Derek is different in the fact that he was born as a werewolf, so he has complete control and doesn’t have to deal with the downsides of being a werewolf like Scott does.

AA: If you could have any supernatural power or be any type of mythical creature like a werewolf, vampire or mermaid, which one would you want to be? Why?

TH: I would want to be able to fly because I love to travel. Free travel to anywhere, anytime would be a good one.

AA: A lot of people are talking about inner animal spirits right now, and it seems pretty relevant to Teen Wolf. What you would say your animal spirit is?

TH: Cheetah, it’s my favorite animal and there is something alluring about them.

Be sure to catch MTV’s newest series Teen Wolf Sunday June 5th at 11pm.

If you could have any supernatural power or be any type of mythical creature, which one would you want to be? Why?