You played a young Kevin Costner in the 1994 movie, Wyatt Earp and now you're working with him on Yellowstone. Would you say this is a full circle moment for you?

It is exactly full circle going from cowboy to cowboy. That was quite a while ago, and he was very kind to me on that set and gave me some advice. We talked just about everything. Then of course on our first day of Yellowstone during the table read, we shook hands and had a big hug and laugh and we often tell that story to new people when they come on set. That’s sort of how the universe works; it places you where you're supposed to be and, I believe, is inevitable at certain times. So it makes perfect sense when you think about it, and I'm grateful for it.

How did you land the role of Ryan on Yellowstone? Did you have any idea when you read the script that it was going to become the most watched television series across all TV?

When I read the script I knew it was as close to flawless as you can get for the start of a new saga, and it had all the makings of a project that could go on for five or six years. It was brilliantly written, so of course I wanted to do it. I originally auditioned for Jamie Dutton, who is played by Wes Bentley. I then got a call saying, "Hey, great job, but you're not Jamie, you’re Ryan," and I said, "Great, who is Ryan?" They said,”We don’t know, but if you trust us, come along on the journey, come and play, and we'll figure it out.” So I said okay, and there’s been no turning back. After the first season, I thought this show has real legs and could go on for a long time. After last season, it's the most watched show on television. So we have a pretty good sense that if we keep working as hard as we have, it's going to continue to provide dividends and keep the fans excited.

Teen Wolf: The Movie comes out on January 26th, 2023 to Paramount Plus. Tell me what it's been like to revisit your character Peter and reunite with the cast after all these years.

We aired our last episode about five years ago so it's been a long time, and Teen Wolf has always been alive in my mind because some of the cast are my best friends in the world. We're constantly reminded of how strong the fandom is when we go to conventions and have the chance to talk to fans. Over the last year, there had been talk of doing the film and getting everybody back together. So I got the script, loved it and said yes, I want to be a part of this - count me in.

The movie is action-packed from start to finish and now that we're done, I want to do more.

I missed the relationships, the faces and the time on set so I'm trying to figure out a way to either get more films made or do a spin-off or something so we can all stay together.

Would you say this is going to be a movie for the fans?

This is absolutely going to service the fandom and give them more of the things that they want and liked the most. I'm super happy to reprise Peter because although there's a time gap between the end of the last season, he's up to the same antics and shenanigans. Character-wise I really think he's going to be a hit and that fans are just going to dig what Jeff Davis [Teen Wolf writer] has written for Peter.

What’s it like to play Peter who is a villain/antagonist in Teen Wolf and then play Ryan in Yellowstone?

Villains are my favourite characters to play; I always say nobody thinks they're bad. What’s great about playing a villain is that you get a license to do and say all the bad things that the writer puts out for you along with the excuse inside yourself to think it’s not wrong and has to be done for the greater good. Villains excuse their behavior and if you do that well enough, it's so satisfying. That juxtaposition is what makes Peter so interesting and fun to play; he's not a one-sided monster that doesn't have any redeeming qualities, so I always love to play the antagonist or the anti-hero and try to redeem them for myself by not judging them. Ryan is a fun-loving character who plays both sides of the bunkhouse. He's the utility player, everybody's friend and he can reach out and connect with the different factions. He doesn't manipulate people but knows how to talk differently to each group of characters.

So that's fun and he’s a more contemporary guy who is a lot more sophisticated than just a ranch hand. He doesn't necessarily say a lot, but you can see that he's connected to every moment.

As an actor, what are your hopes for Ryan’s character development in upcoming seasons of Yellowstone?

You always want more depth, history and backstory for your character. I would like to know where he came from and what he wants for the future. I would love to see his relationship turn into a full blown love story so that his life doesn't end on the ranch.

You’ve acted in many projects over the years. Looking back at your career, what kind of advice would you give to your younger self?

I would say it's going to be a lot harder than you think and even when you succeed, it's not going to look anything like you thought it would, so make sure that you really find yourself and know that this is what you want to do. Then I would say learn three languages, learn three instruments and don't go out so much; stay inside and read more books.

Yellowstone viewers can saddle up as season five, part two, of the hit show will be available to stream on Paramount Plus in summer 2023. All of the other seasons are currently available to binge-watch. Fans can also watch the highly anticipated Teen Wolf: The Movie on January 26th, exclusively on Paramount Plus.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.