In the remaining episodes of Season 3 of the MTV drama series Teen Wolf, Scott (Tyler Posey) is struggling to find his place as an Alpha, while he, Allison (Crystal Reed) and his best friend Stiles (Dylan O’Brien) are experiencing strange side effects after reigniting the power within Beacon Hills. And in the heightened world these teenagers live in, all of their lives are in danger and everything has extreme consequences.
During this recent exclusive interview with Collider, actor Tyler Posey talked about how everyone is dealing with some crazy stuff in the second half of this season, how nice it is for them to be able to get some help from Scott’s mom and Stiles’ dad now, how Kira (Arden Cho) fits in, where things are at for Scott and Allison, his favorite scenes from this half of the season, that he’s already gotten a tease for where Season 4 will go, what he heard about most from fans, and how much he’s learned about himself, as an actor and as a person, since he started doing this show. Check out what he had to say after the jump, and be aware that there are some spoilers.
Things are clearly quite a bit darker for Season 3b. Was it refreshing to find out that, even with twice the amount of episodes, each half of the season would feel so different?
TYLER POSEY: Yeah, there’s a completely different tone to the show now, which is cool. It was so cool that we could do that and literally give the show a different tone with the first scene, but it’s still Teen Wolf. It’s really nice. I think it’s really cool that we got the opportunity to do this. It was a lot of work, but it’s really cool, with the dynamics of the two halves of the season, back-to-back. The last half of the season was so good, and this half is even better. They compliment each other, very well. The thing that’s cool about Teen Wolf is that you can literally go anywhere. There’s never a shortage of ideas and mythology that you can have. The Alphas in the last half of the season were a completely new thing that we hadn’t touched on before, and this half of the season is completely new also. We’ve never done any of this kind of stuff before. There’s a lot of Japanese mythology, and there’s a lot of inner struggle. Now, Scott has accepted that he’s a werewolf, but he’s afraid to transform. Everyone is dealing with some crazy stuff.
Is it nice that Scott and Stiles can go to Scott’s mom and Stiles’ dad for help, now that they know about the supernatural side of things?
POSEY: It is really nice. It’s a nice freeing experience for them. It’s very comforting. Before, they were so troubled because they had to hold stuff back while trying to save the world. That’s an impossible task. The families were not doing too well. Stiles and his dad were butting heads a lot. Scott’s mom didn’t understand what he was going through. She thought he was on drugs. Now, it’s really cool that we can have that dynamic. It’s nice because we are still kids. We do need help from adults. And even though we try to tackle these adult situations, we definitely don’t have all the answers, which maybe Scott’s mom or Sheriff Stilinski will have. So, it is a very cool dynamic this season.
With as dark as things are getting, what can you say about where Scott is headed?
POSEY: It’s an extremely dark journey for everybody this season. I think Scott has always been trying to force himself to grow up a little bit. In the first season, he wanted to not be this little kid. And in the second and third seasons, he’s had these big shoes to fill. In these episodes, I think he’s growing up a little bit too fast. He’s realized that he needs to take a step back and assess his life before he goes further into it. He’s gotta figure out that he can turn into this monster of an Alpha, but it’s his choice to be a good guy. He’s a good guy, at heart. So, his big worry right now is whether or not he can transform back into a human, after he transforms into this Alpha that he’s never been before. After that gets resolved, then more stuff happens that gets even crazier. But, it was very fun to watch and do.
Will having Kira around make Allison and Isaac easier for Scott to deal with?
POSEY: Kira is definitely a good distraction for Scott. He was probably a little bit bitter around Isaac because that was Scott’s girl. Allison was the love of Scott’s life, and it’s hard to let that go, especially when she’s with the kid that you’re living with. It’s definitely over-stepping some boundaries. But, Kira is a great distraction for Scott. You will not see Isaac thrown into anymore walls, at least not by Scott. It’s definitely something that Scott’s got to deal with. It’s another way that he can grow up. He’s always growing up.
How will Kira fit into things with this group?
POSEY: She’s smart. She’s educated on supernatural stuff. She’s interested in it. She’s a geek, in that way. I think Scott and her have an initial connection because Scott feels bad for her. He was in that position, at one point. And on top of the surface connection of him feeling bad for her, there’s a deeper connection that will bring her into their pack. That will be fun to witness. I can’t give too much away about that, but it’s there. She doesn’t know too much about the supernatural world, other than stuff that she’s read up on, but she definitely gets clued in, a little bit.
Where are things at between Scott and Allison, at this point?
POSEY: Yeah, of course. That’s where they are, right now. They’ve accepted that they’re probably not going to be together anymore, and they’re excited about starting their friendship. They’re a great team. Scott is a werewolf, and Allison is a hunter. They can do some really good damage, and save friends, family members and people. They’re an awesome team that this town needs. That’s what they’re excited about right now. Rather than building a romantic relationship, I think they realize that they’re better as friends. Scott’s mother says, “You will love more than one time,” and I think that rings true for both of them. They let the other one go and realize that it’s life. Life is up and down.
Do you have a favorite episode or scene from this half of the season?
POSEY: Yes. There’s a scene between Dylan [O’Brien] and I. I can’t give too much away, but I’ll say enough so that you know which scene I’m talking about. It involves swords and the rain. That’s all I can really say. It’s a scene between Scott and Stiles, and it was so much fun to play. And there’s also a scene in the last episode of the season with Scott and his mom, and we’re in the kitchen. I can’t really say too much about it, but I’ve never done anything like that before. It just blew me away, and it blew everyone on set away. It was a lot of fun to shoot. There’s so much good stuff, in the rest of this season.
How much fun is it to really get to ramp up the physical work, as Scott gets stronger?
POSEY: It’s really cool. Before, Scott was a scrappy guy who was all over the place. Now, it’s more calculated. His moves are very stoic. He can feel the power inside of himself. He doesn’t need to show it off. He’s just this powerful being. He’s very precise. It’s been really fun to play. It’s a different approach to the action. Before it was crazy, and now it’s really strong. It’s awesome! It’s really fun.
Have you already had discussions about where things might be headed in Season 4?
POSEY: Yeah, definitely. Jeff Davis and the other writers on the show don’t usually like to tell us what’s going to happen ‘cause they want us to be surprised. It’s always a cool aspect because you get to read the script like a fan, which is really exciting. But, I’ve been teased about what’s going to happen, and it’s another thing that we’ve never done before. It’s gonna be really fun. I’m just waiting for the time that we run out of ideas. But, I will be there until the very end, even if it’s the eleventh season and we have fish wolves, or something like that. I will be there, and be very proud of it.
What do you get the most feedback about, from fans of the show?
POSEY: Me and Dylan’s relationship. That’s a huge part of the show and a huge part of our lives, and fans appreciate that ‘cause it’s real. I hear that all the time, and it’s always good to hear that. It instills the fact that we are very good friends, and we’re good to each other. That’s always fun to hear.
What have you learned about yourself, as an actor, since this show started? Since you started when you were so young, do you feel like it’s really changed you, as both an actor and as a person?
POSEY: Yeah! I owe most of my acting chops to this show. I was a natural actor, my whole entire life, but being on this show, I’ve learned so much. I’ve learned to be more subtle and more still, and that less is more. I’ve also learned to really be in the moment. As a person, this show has taught me so much. Growing up, I realized that fame is not what you think it is. It’s a little bizarre. You have to learn how to cope with that and figure out who you are. I’m only 22. I’m growing up a lot right now, but I’m also growing up in this crazy world. It’s bizarre. There’s a lot of stuff that I have to reconsider and second-guess, as a person. I love it! It’s life. I’m realizing that life is not always happy and it’s not always sad. It’s up and down a lot. That’s something that you actually learn, in this season of Teen Wolf. Life is crazy! Life is very bizarre. Scott and the stuff he’s going through teaches me a lot, as Tyler Posey. I do learn a lot from the things that Scott goes through, and I love that about the show. The show has taught me so much. I’m so happy with who I am because of this show, with all of the things I’ve been through. This last four years feels like a lifetime, but it’s taught me a lot and I’m super grateful for it.
Has it changed how you want to approach your career, beyond this show?
POSEY: It definitely has, yeah. This job has changed my career, exponentially. It’s made me view this business in a different way. It’s made me realize that life is bizarre and weird sometimes. I definitely view my career differently. It’s helped me realize that this might not be the only thing I want to do, for the rest of my life. I’m realizing that I’m a good actor, but on top of that, I love being an entertainer and talking to people and making people feel good and opening up with people. That’s something that I pride myself on. So, other opportunities I’ve gotten because of this show have helped me realize that there’s other things out there.
Teen Wolf airs on Monday nights on MTV.