What's this? This is an unbiased just-the-facts news timeline ('newsline') about Dylan O’Brien, created by Newslines contributors. Become a contributor

Dylan O’Brien

Dylan O'Brien37 posts
Biography view > Click for Latest News view
26 Aug, 1991

Dylan O’Brien born in New York

Birth0 Comments

Dylan O’Brien is born in New York City. His parents are Lisa (née Rhodes) and Patrick O’Brien. His sister Julia is a year older. The family live in New Jersey and later move to Hermosa Beach, Calif.

My dad’s a camera operator in the industry and my mom was an actress when she was young and she had an acting school when I was a little kid so I’ve always been around the industry. My parents let me watch all the movies so I’m a movie geek.

2005

YouTube videos

0 Comments

O’Brien publishes videos on the social sharing site with the user name moviekidd826.

At ten or eleven, I started toying around with a camera and making my own videos and, at 14, I started putting them on YouTube. I had a little following there and I had no intentions of acting. I wanted to go to film school at Syracuse University. I liked the idea of random people seeing my videos but, eventually my whole town did.

What's Up WIth That? 3

2009

Representation

0 Comments

O’Brien’s Sweety role connects him with an agent:

I met an actor on that web show who didn’t get why I wasn’t represented and he sent my videos to his friend at a management company. I came in and she started sending me on auditions. I was seventeen. I made a decision to stay in Santa Monica and take classes and audition and I booked “Teen Wolf.”

Wants to attend Syracuse

0 Comments

O’Brien plans to attend Syracuse:

I had no intentions of acting. I wanted to go to film school at Syracuse University.

Booked to audition as Scott

0 Comments

O’Brien is booked to audition for Teen Wolf as lead character Scott McCall:

I was supposed to go in for Scott, but I wanted to go in for Stiles instead, so they made that happen … The next day, I got called back to go read in front of Jeff Davis and Russell Mulcahy. The first read that I did for them, they looked at me and Russell said, “Okay, thank you.” I walked out and was feeling weird about it, and then the casting director ran out and brought me back in. So, Russell said to me, “Can you just do it 10% less?,” and I did it again with no energy, whatsoever. But then, they were like, “We liked it better the first time.” And then, a couple auditions later, I eventually ended up getting it. Something that I thought started off so poorly, ended up actually working out.

Auditions for Teen Wolf

Casting0 Comments

O’Brien auditions for Teen Wolf:

My character isn’t original. He’s based off of Stiles in the original movie so, when I first read this pilot “Teen Wolf” script, I didn’t know about the movie and I fell in love with the Stiles character, which is testament to Jeff Davis’s writing because that’s what the audience is supposed to do. I wanted to go in and audition for Stiles.

Cast in Teen Wolf

Casting0 Comments

O’Brien is cast in Teen Wolf and will play the character Stiles.

It was a crazy process. When I actually had the part, I had ideas for what I wanted to do with it, I was almost afraid to see the original Teen Wolf movie because I’d see that character and find out I’m completely wrong.

31 Dec, 2009

Sports broadcasting ambition

0 Comments

After graduating from high school, O’Brien considers going into sports broadcasting and working for the Mets, possibly as General Manager.

I ended up receiving a surprise scholarship for sports broadcasting from YouTube videos I’d posted. It’s so crazy how I ended up acting.

2010

Web series

0 Comments

O’Brien stars in the web series Sweety.

This woman came up to me and told me she’d seen my videos and was doing a web series and would love if I was part of it. That was my first real acting experience.

Dylan O'Brien Stars In "Sweety" the Web Series: Episode 1

6 Aug, 2010

Teen Wolf production starts

0 Comments

Production starts on the first season of Teen Wolf. Mulcahy:

There are plenty of outtakes, especially from Dylan.

5 Jun, 2011

Teen Wolf premiere

0 Comments

Teen Wolf premieres on MTV. O’Brien plays Stiles, whose best friend is bitten by a werewolf and develops supernatural powers. Davis:

Dylan [O’Brien] is a phenomenal comic actor.

Mulcahy:

He came in with a resume that had two YouTube references on it. He ain’t no Hollywood kid, but god bless him, he’s a wonderful comedian and a terrific dramatic actor.

2011

Teen Wolf season one

0 Comments

O’Brien stars as Stiles in the first season of Teen Wolf. Stiles helps his best friend cope with his transformation into a werewolf, investigates supernatural crimes, and deals with his unrequited love for a classmate. Co-starring Tyler Posey, Linden Ashby, and Holland Roden.

 Hopefully people won’t think I’m annoying. From day one, I knew my character [Stiles] would be the comedic relief, but also have these sincere, real moments of panic. When I auditioned, I read it how I saw it: A kid trying to convince his best friend that he is a werewolf. It could be a really silly topic, but I just tried to make it real—I guess it worked.

2012

The First Time

Film Appearance0 Comments

In the teen comedy directed by Jon Kasdan, O’Brien’s character Dave Hodgman discovers what it is like to fall in love. Co-starring Britt Robertson, Victoria Justice, Craig Roberts, and Joshua Malina.

It was really funny, you know, because you shoot an entire day of sex scenes … but it ended up being way easier than I thought.

Teen Wolf season two

0 Comments

O’Brien stars as Stiles in the show’s second season, as he protects the love of his life and deals with the dangers of the werewolf pack. Co-starring Tyler Posey, Holland Roden, Crystal reed, and Tyler Hoechlin.

He’s got this whole Lydia thing that he wanted, and that’s how it started this season, but I think it changes a little bit. I don’t know, there may be somebody else. New character. Oh, and there’s a new villain, too.

Teen Wolf | Official Trailer (Season 2) | MTV

30 Apr, 2013

Virgins

Film Appearance0 Comments

O’Brien appears in the twenty third episode of season two of New Girl, Virgins. He appears as Deschanel’s prom date in a flashback and promises her a memorable first time.

It was awesome, so much fun. Zooey was great. They have a really great, warm cast and crew. It was a friendly work environment.

[Jess + Guitar Boy] Up All Night;