Exclusive Interview: Bella Shepard Talks Wolf Pack, the Show’s Timely Themes, and More

Bella Shepard has quickly established herself as one of the industry’s most dynamic young performers. Her previous credits include projects like A Girl Named Jo, Orange is the New Black, and Two Sides.

This year, she stars as one of the leads of the highly-anticipated new series, Wolf Pack. Based on the book series by Edo Van Belkom, Wolf Pack follows a teenage boy and girl whose lives are changed forever when a California wildfire awakens a terrifying supernatural creature and drives it to attack a highway traffic jam beneath the burning hills. Wounded in the chaos, the boy and girl are inexplicably drawn to each other and to two other teenagers who were adopted sixteen years earlier by a park ranger after another mysterious wildfire. As the full moon rises, all four teens come together to unravel the secret that connects them – the bite and blood of a werewolf.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Bella about Wolf Pack, the show’s timely themes, and more!

PC: Tell us about Wolf Pack, your character, and what drew you to this project.
Bella: I play Blake in Wolf Pack. She’s this resilient, feisty, standoffish teenage girl. Wolf Pack is a show about teens coming together and finding their way together. We’ve got lots of mystery, horror, drama, and romance. We’ve got it all. That’s at the end of the day what drew me to this project.

PC: It’s rare in television to already have a fan base before the first episode premiers. Did that bring any pressure as you signed onto this project?
Bella: I felt a little pressure because I wanted the fans of Teen Wolf to be happy with Wolf Pack. We hoped that they would embrace Wolf Pack as they’ve embraced Teen Wolf. But it was also comforting knowing that I had all these fans that were so excited to embrace us as family. It was exciting.

PC: One of the big themes of the show is finding your pack. Who were the people in your own life who shaped the storyteller that you are today?
Bella: Definitely my closest friends and family. I’m super close with my mom. I will go to her today with any advice that I need or stories that I need to tell her. My mom is my best friend.

PC: The opening sequence in Episode 1 was one of the first things that you shot for this series. How did that set the tone and your own expectations for this project and the overall filming experience?
Bella: That opening bus scene on the highway was one of the most intense yet fun scenes that we got to film. I remember going into it only knowing Armani [Jackson]. We would drive to the set together every day. We spent fifteen hours a day in the hot Atlanta heat. It was definitely an eye-opener regarding how much work we were going to have to put into this show. But it was super, super exciting. I made a bunch of really cool friends with the other actors on the bus. It was a really good way to start the series because it was just this big, extravagant scene full of special effects and tons of background actors. It was really fun and exciting.

PC: How beneficial was it having that prior relationship with Armani as you delved into your two characters’ arcs?
Bella: It was the perfect scenario. I remember doing the chemistry read with him. It had been two years since I had seen him because of COVID. It was a good mix of not really knowing each other well enough, so we really got to know each other through filming, and also going into it knowing a familiar face and knowing that we had each other in Atlanta. We were there for each other if either of us needed anything.

PC: With television, you’re receiving new scripts every few weeks. Did you have to make any adjustments as you were learning new things about Blake? Did anything surprise you about her arc?
Bella: I was definitely learning things about Blake as I was going through the series. We would get a script, like you said, and then we’d have two weeks to really sit with that one episode. We would come up with theories about our characters and theories about who the arsonist was. It was almost like we got to go through the story as a viewer and not just as actors bringing the characters to life.

I’ve definitely had to make adjustments along the way because I had it in my head that my character was one way. Then I would be learning new things about her as we would go. It was really interesting as an actor and someone who was developing this character so gradually because I got to create a whole universe for her and a whole life for her.

PC: The premiere episode became one of Paramount+’s most-viewed YA series in the first 24 hours. Have you had a chance to see all the love and support that you’re getting on social media for this project?
Bella: Of course. I always watch all of the fan edits. I read all the lovely comments. It’s so cool to finally be the lead of a series and have such a large group of people really embrace me and the rest of the cast. It makes me really happy.

PC: You’re also working with legends like Sarah [Michelle Gellar], Rodrigo [Santoro], and Jeff [Davis]. What has that collaboration been like?
Bella: Oh my gosh. It was a dream come true. Sarah’s incredible. She’s kick-ass. She’s strong, powerful, kind, and such a nice genuine person. Rodrigo is so committed to his craft. He’s like the dad on set. He takes care of all of us. He’s funny and so, so talented. Jeff has been a dream to work with because his writing is incredible. The characters that he creates are so complex, and yet they’re relatable to everyone. I feel like that’s the beauty of Wolf Pack: that the viewers can find a character in the show that they can relate to.

PC: What can you tease about Blake’s arc this season?
Bella: We can look forward to her letting her guard down a bit and maybe a little bit of romance-building, some mystery, and new friendships and bonds.

PC: While this is a supernatural show, it’s really grounded in reality and it’s tackling a lot of really timely subject matter. Is there a theme in particular that hit home for you? Is there a scene that you’re really excited for audiences to see as the season unfolds?
Bella: There are a number of scenes that I’m super excited for people to see, but I think I found it really important that Jeff was incorporating anxiety in teenagers and relating that to family trauma and technology. Because I feel like with the pandemic that happened in recent years that is something that a lot of teenagers have been developing. It’s that severe anxiety. It’s important to touch on that in media. I think it’s good to know that anxiety is a natural part of our body and we all go through it. There are ways to cope with it. It helps having people around you who care about you. That’s really important.

PC: Like you were saying earlier, this is the first time that you’ve been a lead in a series. Did anything surprise you about the overall experience? What have you learned about your craft being a part of this project?
Bella: That’s a great question. I love that question. Going into it, a lot of the people at Paramount and on set were warning us, “It’s going to be a lot of work.” I was like, “Okay, no worries. I’ve done this before. I got it.” But I don’t think anything can properly prepare you for being on a teenage drama/supernatural horror show because we have so many elements and emotions in the series that we deal with. Then working in Atlanta, which I’d never done before, I was in a new space and I was dealing with different weather that I’d never dealt with before. As I went along, I was learning so much about myself as an actor and my process and getting my process down. Also being a lead and having to carry so much and that responsibility…it was a huge learning experience.

PC: You’re such a dynamic storyteller. As you look ahead to the next five to ten years outside of Wolf Pack, is there a dream role that you would love to bring to life on the screen?
Bella: I’m a huge film nerd. I watch every type of film—drama, horror. As an actor, I would love to see my career dive into all of those different genres. I want to touch every aspect. Right now, I’m checking supernatural off the list. I’m doing a werewolf show, but I’d love to do a really heavy drama film. Then maybe some cool action superhero film. I want to do it all.

To keep up with Bella, follow her on Instagram. Watch Wolf Pack on Paramount+.

Photo Credit: Lili Peper