Tyler Johnston: Go to Canada for Gay Subtexts

If you want to see gay subtexts in juvenile tv, go to Canada.  And especially look up Canadian actor Tyler Johnston.

Born in 1987, Tyler's first major role was in the juvenile sci-fi series Zixx (2005)  He played "a shapeshifter who works for the Hargokk Empire," friends with Riley but eventually flattened.  He reappears at the Boegarian chess set but is cast out.

I don't know what it means, either, but it sounds interesting.

Next came recurring roles on the gay-themed L-Word (2005-2006) and Godiva's (2006), about young Canadians in the restaurant industry, and guest spots on V, Flashpoint, and Running Wilde.  

And a starring role as Danny Lube on the Canadian teencom Less than Kind (2010-2012), about a dysfunctional Jewish family in Winnipeg.  Danny is a "feral student," a bad boy who becomes the hefty Sheldon's best friend and partner in Cooperstowne.  He also dates Miriam, but, in at least the episodes I've seen, there's a nicely unexpected gay subtext.  When he goes missing, Sheldon becomes a hero, investigating, interrogating, and rescuing his bff.

The Odds (2011) is another gay-subtext movie, about two high school gamblers.  When Desson (Tyler) finds his friend Barry murdered, he must seek out the killer by getting more deeply embroiled in the world of competitive gambling.  Barry (right) is played by the pro-gay actor Calum Worthy, #5 on my list of Unexpected Disney Teen Hunks.













Tyler has also played a hired killer on The Killing, an angel masquerading as a teen working in fast food on Supernatural, and a teenage drug dealer on Saving Hope.

No word on whether he's gay in real life.