‘Wednesday’ turned Hunter Doohan into everyone’s new crush and a role model for the community

In Wednesday, Netflix‘s smash-hit riff on the Addams Family, Hunter Doohan plays Tyler, a sweet barista who *spoiler alert* transforms into a menacing monster known as a Hyde.

Ironically, it’s that very role that lead to Doohan’s life undergo a transformation all its own, from actor-on-the-rise to globally adored TV star.

That’s just what happens when you’re on a massively popular show—Netflix’s third most watched television season ever. But thankfully that instant fame didn’t change him at all; he’s the same, genuine, talented guy he always was… now just with a few million more Instagram followers.

Doohan, 29, grew up “all over the South,” and first fell in love with acting through his high school’s drama program. After graduating, he moved out to Los Angeles to intern with a casting company, which became his gateway into the broader entertainment industry.

Though he was first making ends meet as a background actor, a waiter, and even a short-lived stint as a Universal Studios tour guide (“I did basically every kind of actor day job when I first got to LA,” he joked with Queerty last fall), Doohan eventually booked his first recurring role on AppleTV+’s mystery series, Truth Be Told, in 2019.

The following year, he joined the cast of Showtime’s buzzy drama series, Your Honor, starring as the troubled teen son of a prominent New Orleans judge played by Bryan Cranston. Notably, that show was one of many delayed by the pandemic, but it resumed production that fall—under strict COVID safety guidelines—and managed to debut before the year’s end, providing a proper showcase for Doohan’s dramatic acting chops.

But it was also during that first year of the pandemic that Doohan proposed to his longtime partner, Fielder Jewett. When the couple got married in the summer of ’22, none other than Bryan Cranston officiated their wedding.

Cut to Wednesday *wink, wink* November 23, when Doohan’s life changed in an instant. Wednesday always had the potential to be a big hit—the kooky, spooky Addams Family has been been beloved for decades, not to mention the series had the power of Netflix and Tim Burton behind it—but no one quite expected the cultural phenomenon it’d become, inspiring memes, a massive fandom, a new dance trend, and even some major award nominations.

Suddenly, Doohan was everywhere. And as one third of Wednesday‘s love triangle (opposite “It Girl” Jenna Ortega), the charming actor quickly became everyone’s new crush—yes, even after we learned about his character’s dark side… or maybe because of it!

His character, Tyler, is straight, and since the series was a first introduction to the actor for many, fans were delightfully surprised to discover he was not only queer, but had a husband. Well, not every “fan”: Doohan has alluded to some of the unfortunate negativity he encountered online in the wake of the show’s overnight success, but has remarked that, through it all, the LGBTQ+ community has stood by him.

With such a wide audience, Wednesday has positioned Doohan as someone that a lot of younger viewers look up to, especially young queer kids. In an Instagram Live interview with entertainment correspondent Tommy DiDario, the actor offering them the following advice:

“I wish I had just accepted and celebrated those parts of myself that I tried to hide for so long. Because I didn’t feel like I had a community to rely on when I was growing up in Arkansas, when I was in the closet. But now that’s one of my favorite parts about myself, and I love my gay friends, and I wouldn’t change any part of myself now. I think people need to realize there’s a bigger world out there, and you will find your people.”

We’re proud to have Doohan out there repping for our community, all while being part of one of the biggest shows in the world.

Speaking of, Wednesday is set to return for a second season (which is likely filming later this year) and, given the suspenseful tease at the end of season one, we’re pretty sure we haven’t seen the last of Tyler. Or the Hyde for that matter.

And we certainly haven’t seen the last of Hunter Doohan, either. Big things are on the way!

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