Wolf Pack: Where You've Seen The Cast Of This Supernatural Drama Before

In January 2023, Paramount+ dropped two werewolf-themed projects: "Teen Wolf: The Movie" and TV series "Wolf Pack." Along with their similar supernatural subject matter, "Teen Wolf" creator and writer Jeff Davis connects the two projects. However, Davis confirmed that "Wolf Pack" takes place in a completely separate universe and is not a "Teen Wolf" spinoff. Plus, the Sarah Michelle Gellar-led series has a much darker tone than the MTV show.

"Wolf Pack" has two main plotlines. One follows Gellar's character Kristen Ramsay, an arson specialist who is investigating the California wildfires. The other centers on a group of teens who come together after a supernatural creature — awoken by the wildfires — attacks two of them during a highway traffic jam. But, of course, both plotlines become more intertwined as the series progresses.

Armani Jackson, Bella Shepard, Chloe Rose Robertson, and Tyler Lawrence Gray play the aforementioned teens, Everett Lang, Blake Navarro, and Luna and Harlan Briggs. The quartet come together by the end of the first episode, and as everyone's eyes start to glow yellow, Luna gets an inkling that this might be a formation of the pack she's always wanted. Alongside Gellar and the young cast, the series welcomes several other high-profile and lesser-known stars to the small screen. Keep reading for everything you need to know about the "Wolf Pack" cast and where you might have seen them before.

Armani Jackson's family helped him start acting

Armani Jackson plays Everett Lang, the first of the show's four teen protagonists viewers are introduced to in "Wolf Pack." The series immediately launches into an action-packed bus crash sequence, and Jackson knew this first scene was going to be important in gaining each viewer's focus, so he felt the pressure. "But thankfully, that was also my audition scene, so it was the most comfortable scene at the same time. ... I was like, 'Okay I already know how to do this, they liked how I did it in the audition, let me just do that again,'" he explained to JoBlo Celebrity Interviews.

If you're wondering where you've seen this teen star before, Jackson is best known for playing Travis Biggins in the 2022 coming-of-age rom-com "Honor Society," which also starred Angourie Rice and Gaten Matarazzo. It's thanks to his mom and older sister Talia Jackson (star of Netflix's "Family Reunion") that he got his start in acting. "My sister had signed to a manager and was auditioning, and one day after reading lines with her, my mom said I was really talented at reading lines and asked the manager to meet with me," he told Naluda Magazine. Although he was terrified to audition, he blew the manager away and went on to secure plenty of acting credits. He notably played Joey in the TV series "Chad," Braden Morris in Season 10 of "Grey's Anatomy," and Patrick in the acclaimed Sundance 2022 indie film "Palm Trees and Power Lines." Jackson is also a musical artist with several singles out.

Bella Shepard was on Orange is the New Black

Bella Shepard plays Blake Navarro, who's bitten during the highway traffic jam in the first episode. The too-cool-for-school, technology-adverse teen takes off immediately afterward. When Blake and Everett (Armani Jackson) reunite, now damaged by the wildfires, the pair find themselves face-to-face with the werewolf who attacked them and is intent on finishing them off. They must come together to find a way out. This theme continues throughout the series. Shepard told TV Insider that her character is initially closed off, but she breaks out of her isolation and becomes more trusting.

Her character in the supernatural drama is one of Shepard's darkest roles to date. The actor got her start in "Oz the Great and Powerful." Shepard continued to expand her filmography with smaller parts in series such as "Life in Pieces" and "Grace and Frankie" before she played Regan in an episode of "The Wilds," and Tati in the "iCarly" reboot.

Shepard's most notable role to date is playing the younger version of Elizabeth Rodriguez's character Aleida Diaz in an episode of "Orange Is the New Black," directed by star Laura Prepon. Gushing about her time on the show via Instagram, Shepard said, "This was an INSANE experience for me and I would do anything to go back and do it again." She continued, "Aleida is crazy and wild and I worked hard to do her as much justice as possible."

Chloe Rose Robertson appreciates her character's theme

After they are bitten, Everett and Blake are unknowingly drawn to siblings Luna and Harlan Briggs, who were born as werewolves. Chloe Rose Robertson plays Luna. The Florida-born actor is relatively new to acting and has made her small-screen debut in "Wolf Pack." She previously starred alongside Alexandra Daddario, Kiernan Shipka, and Jackie Weaver in the independent feature film "Wildflower." Robertson played Esther in the coming-of-age drama, which explores aspects of Shipka's character Bea's life after an accident leaves her comatose.

Robertson told TV Insider that she found a real connection with her "Wolf Pack" character, Luna, and she expressed gratitude to creator Jeff Davis for writing Luna's interesting storyline. She said: "I think it's really cool that, you know, Jeff has allowed me to represent a character that kind of ties in that theme ... that we're all looking for our pack in this day and age, and it's really difficult to find the people that we connect with and that we love."

Along with her acting, you may know Robertson because of her musical talents. The actor and singer had released two singles at the time of "Wolf Pack's" release. She made her musical debut with "Empty" in 2020 and followed it up with "You Can't Be My Man" in 2021.

Tyler Lawrence Gray is also a new face

Small screen newcomer Tyler Lawrence Gray only has one previous acting credit under his belt, and playing Harlan Briggs is undoubtedly his biggest acting role to date. Gray knows this and is incredibly grateful to be a part of "Wolf Pack." Gushing about the series, his co-stars, and the crew on Instagram, he said: "My appreciation and love not only for this project and the opportunities in my life leading to this point, but for the people that I consider my family. I have endless gratitude and love to all of you guys..."

The first episode of "Wolf Pack" is fast-paced, but it spends plenty of time introducing each of the main players. These introductions have been very reflective of who the characters are as people. Harlan is spotted in a steamy make-out scene at a rave. Although the actor found it to be a bit of a shock (Gray was the last of co-stars to notice this in the script), he's proved he's happy to dig deep when it comes to the characters he plays. "I am embodying Harlan. I am ready to do whatever I need to do in order to get his story across," Gray told CBR.

Gray previously appeared as Jake Logan in the short film "KidCoin," which tells the story of two teenage grifters intent on creating their own cryptocurrency scam. He stars in the short alongside "The Santa Clauses" star Isabella Bennett.

Rodrigo Santoro was in Love Actually in 2003

Luna and Harlan's adoptive father, Garrett Briggs, is played by Rodrigo Santoro. Viewers first meet Garrett, a California park ranger tackling the wildfires, in a flashback which shows him finding Luna and Harlan as cubs. But it's later in the first episode — where he tries to record a message for his children, believing he won't make it — that the audience really gets a sense of his character. He pulls himself together and fights to escape, knowing his children need him, even if Harlan doesn't think of him as "their real father."

Viewers might recognize the seasoned Brazilian actor as Karl from the Christmas rom-com "Love Actually." After "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle," "Love Actually" was one of his first big acting jobs in the U.S., and Santoro admitted to Joe.ie that he got pretty starstruck at the table read, surrounded by stars like Emma Thompson, Liam Neeson, and Alan Rickman. He later played Alex in "What to Expect When You're Expecting," another star-studded ensemble rom-com which had him sharing the screen with Jennifer Lopez, Elizabeth Banks, Cameron Diaz, and Chris Rock.

Prior to starring in TV shows like "Westworld" and "Boundless," Santoro took on the role of Biggie in the film "Project Power," starring alongside Jamie Foxx and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Biggie, a power-hungry salesman, was an interesting character for Santoro to play, and a far cry from his role as Garrett Briggs. Santoro told Screen Rant that he worked hard to unearth who his character was, so he didn't just portray a stereotypical salesman and dealer.

Sarah Michelle Gellar cares about the show's message

"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" star Sarah Michelle Gellar makes her long-awaited return to supernatural dramas with "Wolf Pack." While executive producing the series, Gellar plays Kristin Ramsay, an arson investigator who comes in and takes charge of the situation surrounding the wildfires, unraveling the animal that is connected to them. Speaking about her decision to star in "Wolf Pack," Gellar reflected on the cult popularity of "Buffy," telling TVLine that the reason she believes it's stood the test of time is because it uses the supernatural as a metaphor for relatable and real-life issues. This is something that she wanted to do again, this time focusing on "anxiety and depression among children, specifically ... with their use of devices, and sort of the lack of connectivity that the youth has today," she told the outlet.

Gellar has a varied filmography, which stems from her wanting to do different things after "Buffy." While finishing the show, she started transitioning into other genres with roles in the thriller "Harvard Man" and the live-action "Scooby-Doo" film franchise. The comedy adventure movies saw Gellar sharing the screen with her husband Freddie Prinze Jr., playing infamous detectives Daphne and Fred, respectively, alongside Linda Cardellini's Velma and Matthew Lillard's Shaggy.

After taking an extended break from acting to spend more time at home with Prinze and their kids, Charlotte and Rocky, Gellar returned to the screen with voice roles in "Star Wars Rebels" and "Masters of the Universe: Revelation," before playing the headmaster in the Netflix hit "Do Revenge" in 2022.

Hollie Bahar was meant to be in L.A.

Hollie Bahar plays park ranger Prisha Ahmad, who works alongside Rodrigo Santoro's character. She's introduced in the first episode in a scene with Luna (Shepard) and Harlan (Gray), telling them that their dad is missing amid the wildfires. Viewers might know this actor from her previous TV roles in "Westworld," where she played Agnes in Season 4, and in Netflix's "Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story," where she played a field surgeon in the fourth episode.

Bahar got her start in local plays, with her first big role in a production of "Annie." After convincing her parents to let her pursue a career in acting with a PowerPoint presentation, Emma Stone-style, Bahar left her home in Illinois to work in North Carolina, before making the big move to California. "Arriving in L.A., felt scary, foreign, and yet somehow — it's cheesy! — felt like coming home," the actor recalled to Voyage LA.

"Wolf Pack" is arguably her biggest TV role to date and to acknowledge that, Bahar celebrated the series in an Instagram post, sharing several behind-the-scenes snaps and writing: "What an absolute adventure with so many truly amazing people! Our cast and crew worked so hard. This job is incredibly special to me."

Lanny Joon's career has worked in interesting ways

Korean-American actor Lanny Joon joins the cast of "Wolf Pack" as law enforcement officer Jason Jang. The L.A. cop is part of the city's joint task force investigating the spreading wildfires, working closely alongside Gellar's character Kristin Ramsay. The duo quickly make it clear that they suspect arson, and they set about rounding up Everett and the other kids, suspecting that one of them might be the culprit.

Playing Officer Jang is not Joon's first time suiting up in a police uniform, as the actor previously played a vice cop in "Takers." He also guest-starred on "The Big Bang Theory" as Officer Shin, the cop who attended to Sheldon's (Jim Parsons) emergency when his World of WarCraft account got hacked in "The Zarnecki Incursion." Joon got a promotion when he played Agent Cole in "Black November," the reissued version of "Black Gold," which he also starred in.

Joon's other notable credits include "Chicago Fire," "Station 19," and "Baby Driver." His role in "Baby Driver" was a blessing after a disappointment, he told Digital Journal. Joon was supposed to appear in Paul Rudd's MCU film "Ant-Man," but when Edgar Wright stepped down as the director, Joon's part ultimately got cut. "But little did I know, that gutted feeling would lead to me getting an audition for 'Baby Driver,'" he added. Joon worked alongside Jamie Foxx and Ansel Elgort on the action crime drama, which Wright directed instead.

John L. Adams is versed in both comedy and drama

The first episode of "Wolf Pack" does a good job of establishing the family dynamics for its young main cast. For Luna and Harlan it's clear that their dad, despite not being their biological father, will cross the universe to keep them safe and be there for them. However, for Everett and Blake, things are less warm and fuzzy. Viewers meet Everett's parents in the hospital. Although his dad, David Lang (John L. Adams), is a bit more supportive, his mom Kendra (Amy Pietz) is quick to blame her son for his getting attacked and then overreacting to it.

According to his Rotten Tomatoes bio, North Carolina native Adams got his start in comedy after moving to L.A., where he's entertained audiences at the Comedy Store and the Laugh Factory. It wasn't long before he transitioned into screen acting, appearing in the comedy-centric series "Just Deal" and "Girlfriends." However, these roles are a pretty far cry from Adams' later roles in "The Dead Zone," "CSI," and "NCIS," which put the emphasis on drama. Supernatural drama "Wolf Pack" is Adams' most notable screen role to date. He celebrated the show on Instagram, saying, "I am so happy to be a part of this beautifully shot and wonderfully executed project."

Amy Pietz is a TV veteran

Playing David Lang's difficult wife Kendra is Amy Pietz. It's clear from the outset that Kendra's relationship with her son is fractured, and this will undoubtedly come into play as Everett forms relationships with his pack. This is more of a darker, dramatic series than Pietz typically appears in, so viewers may be having trouble placing her, but "Wolf Pack" fans might've seen her before in another popular teen series. Pietz guest-starred on "Love, Victor" as Benji's mom Margaret Campbell, taking over the role from Embeth Davidtz in Season 3.

Pietz's career spans three decades and includes guest roles on a ton of other popular TV series. From playing Bonnie Boone in "Ally McBeal" to Donna on "The Office," she's been a staple on the small screen for years. Some of her most notable guest roles include playing Sharon Remini on "How to Get Away With Murder," Deborah Miller on "Chicago Med," Rebecca in "Mom," and Mandy Von Dunkel in the "Dynasty" reboot.

It's safe to say Pietz's filmography is wildly varied. She played the aptly named "Bitchy Casting Director" in the Lea Thompson-directed drama "The Year of Spectacular Men." The "Back to the Future" alum sought Pietz out for the part, telling Meaww that she was lucky to get her for the project. "Amy Pietz is just so funny," she gushed. Pietz played Annie Spadaro, Thompson's character's best friend, on "Caroline in the City" in the '90s.

James Martinez is experienced in fatherly roles

Like David and Kendra, Blake's dad, Roberto Navarro, isn't winning any parent of the year awards. His difficult separation from Blake and Danny's (Nevada Jose) mom is worsened as the dad relies on Blake to fill in the gaps to take care of her baby brother. Viewers will probably recognize James Martinez, who plays Roberto, for his other TV dad roles. Martinez played a completely different type of father in "Love, Victor." His character, Armando Salazar, is the dad of the titular Victor (Michael Cimino), and although he initially struggles with his son's sexuality, Armando becomes a supportive parent.

"Love, Victor" ran for three seasons, from 2020 to 2022. After its finale, Martinez praised the progressive series, saying, "I'm so proud of what we made and how many people we've been able to maintain hopeful for inclusivity," per Instagram. "I will carry my experience as a Salazar for the rest of my days," he added. Prior to starring in "Love, Victor" and "Wolf Pack," Martinez guest-starred on "The Good Fight" and recurred on the Netflix shows "House of Cards" and "One Day at a Time."

Holly Firfer does her character's job in real life

With the wildfires spreading and dramatic animal attacks across L.A., it makes sense that there's a news reporter giving the public regular updates. Holly Firfer Arnold, known professionally as Holly Firfer, plays the city's news anchor. Firfer has almost exclusively played reporters and newscasters throughout her career, and that's because she's actually a real-life news anchor. Firfer worked at CNN for decades before taking her reporting talents to other networks, including Reach TV and Scripps National News.

On January 1, 2023, Firfer shared that her time working for Scripps was a guest spot over the holidays. "It wasn't the beach & I wasn't skiing.. how I spent my Holiday Vacation — and I wouldn't have it any other way! ... I loved every single minute," she wrote on Instagram, alongside a series of snaps from her time in the studio.

On top of reporting the news in Atlanta, Firfer took on fictional reporter roles in TV shows like "Army Wives," "Necessary Roughness," and "Black Lightning." She also portrayed journalists in the feature films "Christmas Cupid" and "Devil's Knot." "Wolf Pack" fans may recognize Firfer's voice from her stint as a guest host on "The Pop Culture Podcast" in 2021.

The supporting teen cast

Alongside the main actors above, "Wolf Pack" has several important supporting cast members. The show quickly establishes that Everett and his classmates are persons of interest in Kristin Ramsay's investigation and that she'll be looking at them for clues about the identity of the arsonist. Stella Smith, Bailey Stender, Rio Mangini, and Sean Philip Glasgow round out that group, having all been on the school bus at the beginning of the episode.

Stella Smith, who plays Tia, might be the most well-known name out of the bunch. The Asian-American actor played Artemis Crock in DC's teen superhero series "Stargirl," which ran from 2020 to 2022. She shared the screen with Brec Bassinger, Luke Wilson, Amy Smart, and Meg DeLacy. Smith previously played the teenage version of Grace Choi on "Black Lightning." Bailey Stender, who plays Blake's former friend Phoebe, also got her start on TV. The Minnesota-born actor is known for her guest roles on shows including "Bunk'd" and the "iCarly" reboot, where she played Prunella Pitz.

Rio Mangini had some supernatural acting experience prior to "Wolf Pack," having secured a guest role in "Teen Wolf" during his early career. He played Alex in Season 6, before taking on the role of McQuaid in teen dramedy "Everything Sucks!" Mangini also played Ace McFumbles in "Bella and the Bulldogs." Viewers may recognize Sean Philip Glasgow from a popular kids' show, "Diary of a Future President." Glasgow played Ziggy in the series, which starred Tess Romero and "Jane the Virgin" alum Gina Rodriguez.