HunterDoohanIsReadytoBreakLoose

With Wednesday Season 2 and Evil Dead Burn on deck, Hunter Doohan is done playing it safe.

 

WRITER Yale Breslin

 

Interview taken from IMAGINE Magazine. Order the latest issue here.

 

When Netflix’s Wednesday premiered in 2022, no one could’ve predicted just how massive it would become—not even the cast. But within days, the show was dominating streaming charts, launching a thousand TikToks, and turning its young stars into global names. At the center of the chaos: Hunter Doohan as Tyler Galpin, the charming barista with a much darker side.

 

By the end of Season 1, Tyler’s shocking reveal as the monstrous Hyde left fans reeling. Now, nearly three years later, Doohan is stepping back into the role—and this time, he’s unleashed. With Wednesday Season 2 and a horror feature (Evil Dead Burn) on the horizon, the Arkansas-born actor is digging deeper into layered, haunted characters—and finding catharsis along the way.

 

We caught up with Hunter from his home in Los Angeles to talk about rage, reinvention, revenge, and what happens when your life changes overnight.

 

Hunter wears stylist’s own top, POLO RALPH LAUREN trousers

Yale Breslin: Where do we find Tyler at the start of Season 2?

 

Hunter Doohan: He’s been locked up in the insane asylum, Willow Hill, since the end of Season 1—which is a little bit deserved, maybe. He feels totally abandoned by everyone, so he’s really kind of volatile.

 

YB: Are you excited to finally release it?

 

HD: Yes. Avoiding spoilers is killing me. I’m also very apologetic. It’s taken almost three years, so I feel like the fans of the show deserve to finally have it. I just can’t wait for it to be out—it feels like it’s been forever.

 

YB: What’s the dynamic like between Tyler and Wednesday this season?

 

HD: It feels like Wednesday is maybe the only person who wouldn’t be afraid of who Tyler is. He’s been abandoned by his dad, by Christina Ricci’s character—his master—so there’s a kind of cat-and-mouse thing between them. He thinks maybe she’s coming to help or still cares, but he finds out she’s just there to get info about his dad’s murder. So, he can’t help her there. She leaves him too—and he becomes hell-bent on revenge.

 

YB: What new sides of Tyler are we going to see?

 

HD: The first half of the season is a lot of anger. At the end of Season 1, Tyler felt in control, like everything was going to plan. This time, we see him literally trapped and furious. But in the second half of the season, we see Tyler without a master for the first time. He has quite the journey, and you finally get to see what’s really driving him.

 

YB: What did you love most about playing Tyler?

 

HD: He’s super complex. There’s this real confidence—he feels powerful and knows what he can do in any moment. But underneath that, there’s a lot of pain. His dad basically doesn’t love him because he’s the same thing as his mom. His mom died, and he’s been lied to his whole life about the real reason. That layering is really fun to play with.

 

“Tyler’s super complex. There’s this real confidence—he feels powerful and knows what he can do in any moment. But underneath that, there’s a lot of pain.”

 

YB: Did you tap into anything personal to play him?

 

HD: I tried to ground it in something real. Like connecting Tyler’s love for his mom to something personal, or the feeling of someone you trust completely—like Christina Ricci’s character—abandoning you. It’s about finding those side-by-side comparisons. No one ever knows what you’re thinking about to get there emotionally. That’s the fun of it.

 

YB: Was there a scene this season that really pushed you?

 

HD: There’s one in part two that really had a lot bubbling up, but I don’t want to spoil it. In general, though, it was really enjoyable being in the full Tim Burton world this time. In Season one, I was mostly playing the nice guy while he directed the first four episodes. This time, I was on these huge, practical sets with chains on the walls—it was like an actor’s dream.

 

YB: What was it like working with Jenna Ortega again?

 

HD: She’s the best. So fun and so talented. The show wouldn’t work without her. You never doubt that she’s living in that heightened world, which makes reacting to her so much easier.

 

YB: Off set—what was the vibe with the cast?

 

HD: We were all just excited to be back together. It had been two years. We actually all went to Greece together during the break between Part 1 and 2. Everyone was really glad to be back at it. We shot in Dublin, and the local crew was amazing—we drank so much Guinness. Like, so much.

YB: Tell us about Evil Dead Burn.

 

HD: I’m so excited for it. Sebastian’s first film Infested was incredible—he’s going to kill it. The character I’m playing is totally different from Tyler, which is really fun too.

 

YB: How did that role come about?

 

HD:  I did a Zoom audition, and then a director session over Zoom as well because he was already in New Zealand prepping. I leave in two days to go shoot it.

 

YB: You’ve been taking on some heavy roles lately. Are you drawn to that?

 

HD: Yeah, I am. Something about Your Honor, Wednesday, and Daredevil—it’s always kind of the guy who looks like it wouldn’t be him… but is. Evil Dead is totally different though, and I just did The Wilderness, which is a very real, grounded story.

 

YB: What’s The Wilderness about?

 

HD: It’s based on our writer-director Spencer King’s real-life experience in the troubled teen industry. My character is ripped out of bed and dropped in the middle of the Utah desert. You hike, build your tent, make your food—until they decide you’re “better.” There’s no oversight on these camps. A lot of abuse can happen. It’s heavy, but important.

 

YB: Was it rewarding to be a producer on The Wilderness?

 

HD: Yeah. It was the first time I’ve been involved as a producer. I got to help with casting, and I reunited with Lamar Johnson from Your Honor—he’s unbelievable in the film.

 

YB: Do people recognise you more now?

 

HD: Yeah, and I can usually tell what it’s going to be based on who’s approaching. Your Honor fans are mostly guys at the gym, 20s to 50s, who love Bryan Cranston. But Wednesday has fans of all ages—it really surprised me how broad the appeal is.

 

“It just exploded overnight. I’ve been really grateful. I waited 10 years for anyone to care what I was doing. So I’m just glad people are connecting to it.”

 

YB: Are you surprised by the success of Wednesday?

 

HD: Yeah, none of us expected it. There’s so much content out there, and somehow Wednesday just cut through. I think it struck a chord in a way we didn’t expect.

 

YB: What was it like when the show blew up?

 

HD: It came out over Thanksgiving, and I was in Arkansas with my family. It just exploded overnight. I’ve been really grateful. I waited 10 years for anyone to care what I was doing. So I’m just glad people are connecting to it.

 

YB: Are you excited for people to see Season 2?

 

HD: Definitely. In Season 1, I was playing a character playing another character. The most fun was Episode 8. This time, I start there—and turn the dial up. A lot of people loved Tyler when he was being nice, so I’m curious how they’ll react now that he’s gone through even more.

 

YB: What’s next for you?

 

HD: I leave for Evil Dead Burn, then The Wilderness comes out October 17. And hopefully Wednesday Season 3—if people like Season 2. Which, I hope they do. [chuckles]