Exclusive interview with Ashton Moio

August 19, 2015 | We met Donovan only in a handful of episodes on "Teen Wolf" season 5, but his character arc has dire consequences for Stiles and Sheriff Stilinski, that couldn't be more gut-wrenching. We talked to actor Ashton Moio about crucial character details and also about how this role compares to his role of Rico on "Twisted". Ashton kindly made time for our questions while working on a new indie movie, in which he plays his first lead role.

Foto: Ashton Moio
Ashton Moio
Note: © myFanbase 2015 - The interview is exclusive to myFanbase and may not be published on other websites or the like. You may share the first two questions (up to 180 words) if you link back to this site. Translations other than English and German may be posted with full credit including the link to this site.

German translation of the interview.

You mentioned in an interview your "Twisted" character Rico and you are pretty similar, so there's probably not a lot you have in common with your "Teen Wolf" character Donovan - What was it like getting into and explore such a different and troubled mindset?

It was a lot of fun. Playing Donovan I just put myself into those circumstances and had to find what would make me that angry, everyone has impulses to do and say things he says and does, it's just in life there's consequences, but when I played Donovan i had nothing else to lose I think.

While Rico is funny and in the moment, Donovan is angry and hung up about the past. Were you looking for such different roles at these certain points of your career?

Yes, I felt like I was experiencing things in life and emotionally understood things that I wasn't able to express in past work I'd done, so it was fun to get to express that with this part.

In #5.03 you had the big opening scene in the police office with 7 actors involved, a lot of heated anger and Donovan's hate. Can you talk a little bit how such a big scene is made?

I showed up on set, did the scene with the other actors, based on what we did and how the director wanted to shoot it we blocked it out, and then they went through and covered it from all the angles.

Do you think that scene was also the breaking point for Donovan because he still believed Sheriff Stilinski would not give up on him? Donovan's hate is so personal it seems it can only come from real disappointment...

Oh yea definitely, I think it becomes real when I hear how long I'll have to go to jail and it sinks in, and that Sheriff Stilinski could let me go but decides to send me to prison.

The Dread Doctors are just the coolest villains, they have the best costumes and props. That scene with you tied to this surgical torture table, gloved hands all over you, teeth pulled out, and your face with all the blood looking like the Joker face in the end is really the stuff of nightmares! What was it like shooting that scene?

It was a blast haha I was writhing and screaming on the table all day, it was little awkward at first but as I got into it, I had a lot fun with it.

"Teen Wolf" does an exceptionally good job making use of the complete ensemble like when two new actors on the show, you and Cody Christian, get to carry a scene like the big reveal about Theo. What's your take on that and what was the best part about working with the "Teen Wolf" family?

Yea I agree, I feel like for a guest star coming in I was given some really cool scenes to act.
The best thing was probably just the rapport between everyone, it's a fun set, everyone works so well together, which makes it really nice coming on as a guest star. It was a great environment to work in.

Foto: Ashton Moio
Ashton Moio

Your character not only gets to do the unthinkable - target the Stilinskis, he also motivates a huge character development in Stiles - who's nothing short of a national treasure! Still the way you played him made me feel for him. What sort of fan reaction did you get?

A lot of fans seemed to like what I did and liked the character, which was really nice. And yea, Dylan O'Brien can really act, he's very in the moment which made it easy for me to act too.

I know you are well-versed in doing stunt work. Did you and Dylan O'Brien get to do your fightscenes yourselves?

Yea we did the fight scenes ourselves, but a stunt guy named Matt Burberry doubled me and did a great job when Tyler Posey flips me over his back before he brings me back to the station.

"Twisted" and "Teen Wolf" are similar in that they both deal with certain aspects about the "monstrosity" of adolescence. How would you compare the challenges of portraying teenage drama in a supernatural vs. the real world?

In the supernatural world I feel like you have more freedom and more at stake because it's life and death. Whereas in the real world it's more about the nuances of the relationships. However I feel like Teen Wolf does a good job of merging both.

As one of the district 6 tributes you were part of the "Hunger Games". What was working on a huge production like that like compared to an indie film you are prepping now for?

Well for Hunger Games I was mostly doing fights and stunts which is a lot fun, but on a big budget movie like that when you play a smaller role you have a lot of down time. For the indie film I'm doing now I'm in almost every scene working 12-14 hours a day which I love, I also enjoy getting to be so much more creatively involved.

What is your role on the film "Your own road" going to be and what are you most excited about working on this project?

I play a kid who finished college a year ago and really wants to get into the movie business in some way, after a year of failed job interviews, and my dad putting pressure on me to take an accounting job I decide to take his station wagon and drive out to la with my friend and the girl next door for a job interview in Los Angeles as a last ditch effort to follow my dreams.

I've never played a lead role and I'm just hyped to be acting all day everyday. Also I like the script, the director is very open to improvisation and the scenes have the feel of a play which I love.

And last but not least: What tv shows do you enjoy to watch?

I love "Curb Your Enthusiasm", the first season of "True Detective", and I just watched the first season of "The Walking Dead" (I realize I'm pretty late on that haha)

Thank you so much for making time for us, Ashton, we wish you all the best for your future!

Nicole Oebel - myFanbase

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