Photos showing actor Michael Johnston and his dad have gone viral online over the last 24 hours.
The photos are not new. Johnston posted them on his Instagram several years ago. However, they’ve been rediscovered after his breakthrough role this year as Bear in this year’s horror smash Obsession.
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michael johnston (obsession) and his dad at the beach pic.twitter.com/w0uR69kvPq
— michael johnston updates (@johnstonupdates) August 13, 2026
Johnston, 30, grew up in Ruth, Carolina. At the age of 12, he discovered voiceover work. With the help of the internet, he set up a recording studio in his bedroom and began auditioning for commercials and animations.
After finishing High School, and with little acting work in Ruth, he moved with his dad to Chicago to pursue his acting studies. Six months later, he relocated to Los Angeles to chase his Hollywood dreams.
Johnston’s breakout role was on MTV’s Teen Wolf between 2015 and 2017.
The beach photo with his dad dates back to 2016. A second pic is from five years ago.
Mike Johnston Band
Johnson, who is gay, tagged his dad in both photos. It turns out his name is also Mike Johnston. He’s a singer in a rock and country band called Mike Johnston Band.
According to his website, “Mike is a singer song-writer, composer and performer based in the Northwest United States. Mike performs throughout Montana, Idaho, Texas and California as a solo artist and with the Mike Johnston Band. Mike’s solo shows capture a unique blend of powerful vocals and singer song-writer spirit. The Mike Johnston Band is a return to American country and blues based southern-style rock!”
Unsurprisingly, it’s not daddy’s vocal prowess that caught GayTwitter’s attention.
Played bear, dad is a bear
— Thkzzfv (@thkzzfv67635) August 13, 2026
michael johnston do not read this
michael johnston’s dad, hello https://t.co/5NT4OSiFA9
— n x d (@nxd1979) August 13, 2026
excuse me WHAT. https://t.co/1UiJJ3Atxk
— just a lil’ guy (@justin_al3x) August 13, 2026
this food is so f**king good lois . pic.twitter.com/9MZz6PwsJa
— ✣ (@punkseye) August 13, 2026
Music runs in the family. Besides his acting, Johnston Jr. has also dabbled in music. He released the track “Gravity” in 2024.
Following the success of Obsession, which took over $400million against a budget of $750,000, Johnston is next in line for a role in The Mummy 4.
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