Dylan O’Brien has a ritual that he has followed every since his Teen Wolf days

When Teen Wolf first aired in 2011, the MTV series introduced a strange mix of teenage angst, supernatural danger, and fast-paced dialogue. At the center of it all was Stiles Stilinski, played by Dylan O’Brien. A character without powers, but never without impact. While others were turning into werewolves, wielding claws and secrets, Stiles stayed grounded. That balance between chaos and clarity made him stand out.

Stiles wasn’t meant to be the strongest or the most mysterious. But he ended up being the glue holding things together. Smart, loyal, unpredictable. And as the seasons went on, so did Dylan’s presence. What started as a supporting role became something essential. And from that role, something else stayed with him too: a habit. A quiet ritual that began with Teen Wolf and never really left.

A simple ritual that keeps returning

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Dylan O’Brien shared something unusual. Since filming the first episode of Teen Wolf, he has carried one specific item to every project he’s worked on: a blue Beatles t-shirt. The exact same one he wore during that first day on set. Every time he starts a new job, he wears it again on day one.

The shirt has no obvious power. It doesn’t change the scene or the lighting or the camera angles. But it marks the start. It’s the beginning of something, a small symbol of continuity in a world where everything shifts from project to project. Even when filming in Australia, when the shirt was swept away by the wind in a park, he ran after it. Found it in a bush, slightly shaken but still intact.

Something carried, not just worn

The shirt isn’t about style or nostalgia for the sake of nostalgia. It’s not a public gesture or a fan-service moment. It’s just there. Always on day one. Maybe it helps reset the clock. Maybe it connects different chapters of a life that’s constantly changing locations, crews, and stories. The meaning isn’t the point. The act is.

It’s easy to forget how often actors move from one role to another. Scenes are filmed out of order. Days blend. The line between character and person gets blurry. Holding onto something familiar can be the only stable thing. For Dylan O’Brien, that’s a soft, worn-out Beatles shirt.

The weight of Stiles in the Teen Wolf narrative

Stiles went through a lot during the six seasons of Teen Wolf. From comic relief to emotional core, the character became more layered with time. One of the most haunting arcs was when he was possessed and began to disappear from memory. Friends forgot him, even as he fought to stay real. The storyline had weight, and Dylan’s performance carried it.

There was no need for exaggerated drama. He played it with just enough restraint. That’s what made it hit harder. A glance, a pause, the way his voice shifted—those choices made Stiles more than a sidekick. He became essential to the emotional rhythm of the show.

Building presence without powers

In a series filled with claws, fangs, and supernatural twists, Stiles remained human. That made every risk feel more urgent, every injury more dangerous. Dylan O’Brien never had to overplay a scene. The performance stayed honest. Every time he showed up, the energy shifted a little. Not louder, just sharper.

The shirt he keeps might be a quiet echo of that honesty. It’s not for show. It’s for him, and maybe for what that first version of Stiles represented: showing up as he was and doing what needed to be done, even when outmatched.

Teen Wolf and the audience that stayed

Teen Wolf ran from 2011 to 2017. It was messy, sometimes chaotic, and deeply loved. The show didn’t always make sense, but the audience stayed. Fans connected with the characters more than with the mythology. The emotional moments stuck, even when the plot twisted in impossible directions.

Critics were divided, but the community around the series kept growing. Online forums, fan fiction, theories that never got answered. It became more than a show. It became a space. And Stiles was often at the center of that space, not by force, but by presence.

The timeline and what came after

The original run of Teen Wolf ended, but its influence lingered. A movie followed later, trying to recapture the original spark. It wasn’t quite the same, but the attempt mattered. Dylan O’Brien moved on to bigger films and different roles. But that connection to his start, to that first day on set, never really faded.

The Beatles shirt travels with him still. From trailers to sound stages, quietly making appearances, unannounced. A thread woven through every script he touches.

A quiet gesture with lasting meaning

There are no press releases about the shirt. No behind-the-scenes clips showcasing it. It doesn’t need to be explained. It just is. And maybe that’s what gives it power. In an industry built on spectacle, Dylan O’Brien’s ritual stays quiet.

It began with Teen Wolf, a show that was never perfect but always personal to those who watched. The series gave him a start. The shirt reminds him, and maybe others, that not everything has to be loud to mean something. Some things stay because they were real. Even if it was just for a moment.