Part of what makes Wednesday special as a show, aside from the quirky macabre aesthetics and viral dance moments, is its colorful cast of Nevermore Academy students.

Outcasts, as they are called, are made up of werewolves, vampires, sirens, gorgons, and other similar freaks and monsters. Following fantasy Young Adult (YA) tradition, the supernatural students orbiting Wednesday Addams and her best friend Enid Sinclair fuel romantic entanglements and magical trouble.

One such outcast is Bruno Yuson, a mysterious new transfer who is a brooding yet charming artist. As part of the lycanthrope family, he’s set to stir some trouble and even perhaps steal Enid Sinclair’s (Emma Myers) heart.

But what’s special is the fact that bringing Bruno to life is Noah Taylor, a 19-year-old Philippine-born actor-musician making his major breakthrough on one of Netflix’s most popular series.

Before Season 2 Part 1 dropped on August 6, Rappler sat down with Noah to discuss landing this breakout role, how his musical background and indie filmmaking experience — including Filipino productions — shaped his approach to Bruno, his collaboration with Emma Myers and the cast, having fun playing a cool guy with depth, and the uniquely relatable experience of having a Filipino mom who trained him to excel at everything.