News has just dropped that Hunger Games actor Ian Nelson will be portraying 15-year-old Derek Hale in season 3 of Teen Wolf.
E! Online has exclusively learned of Nelson’s addition to the season 3 cast, and that he’s set to portray the young Derek we will see in the flashback episode, 3×08.
So, what can we expect out of a young Derek? Not the brooding, Grumpy Cat Derek we’ve all come to know and love in the past two seasons. Instead, 15-year-old Derek will be a “popular and charming star athlete; this is Derek before disaster struck his family, turning him into a lone werewolf always in search of a new pack.”
Fans have already anticipated that young Derek Hale will be quite different from his future self. Growing up in a presumably close-knit family with a strong pack dynamic wouldn’t leave one to believe that Derek has always been so despondent. Though, we’re sure that’ll make the transition from happy-go-lucky kid into lonely young adult even harder to watch. This flashback episode is quickly becoming one of the most anticipated of the season!
E! also reminds us that, “in the same episode, viewers will also be meeting Derek’s mother Talia, who is a strong and deadly alpha werewolf, and his older sister Laura, a beautiful beta who has the potential to become an alpha.”
Ian Nelson‘s first role was as the District 3 tribute in The Hunger Games. He has several upcoming projects, including Alone Yet Not Alone and Medeas, both slated for this year.
Don’t forget that season 3 of Teen Wolf premieres on Monday, June 3 at 10 p.m. EST. You can see the first official image from the show and check out what the official press release had to say about the highly anticipated season.