Michael Willett admires his character Shane on "Faking It." The character and the actor share a similar sense of style and both look out for their friends, but show's openly gay, most popular kid in school most inspires Willett to be more confident in his own life.
"I feel like he's a way more confident version of what I feel like inside. He's much more social and much more competitive," Willett told Headlines & Global News in an exclusive interview. "As much as I think it's something to look up to for other people, it's something to look up to for myself. I want to be unabashedly myself so it is really inspiring."
The MTV series, which returns for the second half of its second season tonight, has set a new standard for the portrayal of teenagers on television. The show revolves around Amy (Rita Volk) and Karma (Katie Stevens) who pretend to be lesbians to gain popularity but then must confront the real feelings they develop for one another.
Bailey De Young plays Lauren, the first intersex character on TV, and Willett's Shane breaks the mold of the insecure gay teenager epitomized by characters like Kurt Hummel on "Glee" or Rickie Vasquez on "My So-Called Life."
"I think [Shane] is refreshing because people are always expecting gay characters to be picked on or troubled. They were always the cautionary tale, cast through the eyes of the straight person and I don't feel that way on the show," the 25-year-old actor said.
"Faking It" will pick up right where the first half of season two left off. Shane still feels guilty for outing his ex-boyfriend Duke as the two young men continue their relationship.
"That's kind of troubling," Willett said. "Everyone is having these internal struggles and I would say that the biggest theme of the season is guilt. More guilt."
As "Faking It" went on hiatus last year, Willett turned his attention to his other passion - music. He dropped his single "Started Over," which gave him the chance to address his "obsession" with new beginnings.
"I feel there's this constant obsession of mine to want to have a new beginning, a fresh start and this is my unapologetic response to that. It's the thing that makes me feel the best is a new start," he said.
Willett also finds inspiration for his music in things that he has found troubling or traumatic in his life. By writing about them, he makes them positive and doesn't feel as victimized by the experience.
"I generally like to choose themes that eternal truths or things that everyone can relate to. That's usually where I start but then I interpret it in my own way," he said.
Kate Romero directed the music video for "Started Over," which combined her inspiration of the Patagonia region in South America with his more surreal landscape idea that made it appear as if he were climbing mountains in a video game setting.
Willett has no immediate plans to release an album, but has at least 10 songs that he co-wrote ready to release as singles.
"I have a passion for each of these songs," he said. "I'm putting as much momentum behind my music right now as possible."
"Faking It" season 2B premieres tonight, Aug. 31 at 9:30 p.m. on MTV.
