YS Exclusive: Beau Mirchoff of MTV's 'Awkward'

MANILA, Philippines - There’s nothing like a love triangle to complicate the lives of already-conflicted teenagers, especially on a show called Awkward, MTV’s new sitcom about the low blows of high school. At the show’s center is Jenna (Ashley Rickards), who goes from high school hot mess to hot topic after an accident with a bottle of aspirin is misconstrued as a suicide attempt. Besides the newfound attention, Jenna’s also got to deal with the affections coming from Palos Hills High’s most likable guy, Jake Rosati (Brett Davern), and its most desirable, Matty McKibben (Beau Mirchoff).

By the first season’s finale, though, the nicer guy gets the girl. Matty may have taken Jenna’s virginity but he continued to take her for granted by keeping their relationship a secret. To make things a little more awkward, Matty is best buds with Jake; Jake is still clueless about him and Jenna; and Jenna’s trying to keep Matty out of her mind—not an easy task when the guy likes to get shirtless.

Sex, lies, and teen tensions aren’t new to actor Beau Mirchoff, whose issues as Danny Bolen on Desperate Housewives were more absurd than awkward. As with doffing his shirt for the cameras, Beau’s had a knack for baring the inner turmoil of his characters, especially when playing Matty, a guy whose self-consciousness compels him to sniff his own armpits. As Awkward’s second season progresses, a lot more of the sensitive stud will be revealed. Young Star rang Beau up in L.A. to talk about stripping Matty’s layers of insecurity, YouTube tributes to his half-nakedness, and what his own armpits actually smell like.

YOUNG STAR: The show starts off with a little raunch, with Matty taking Jenna’s virginity on the last day of summer camp. Can you recall any wet, hot American summer experience of your own?

BEAU MIRCHOFF: The wet part, yes. I tipped my canoe once at camp. But it wasn’t hot ‘cause I was in Canada, but it was summer. I remember a lot of games and we’d sneak off to the girls’ cabins late at night but we’d always get caught so we’d have to run back to our cabins. That was an interesting time and a lot of fun.

You were a jock in high school and acting at the same time. What sorts of jobs did you go through then?

Honestly, when you’re first starting out, you can’t pick and choose your roles so whatever you’re fortunate enough to get, you take. I remembered I did a Hummer H2 commercial—it took me two years to get it, to land a job. That was a lot of fun and I got a little spending money when I was in junior high. That was nice, I didn’t have to get a normal job early in my life. And then I got a part in a TV show, that was really fun. I was just able to learn about a film set and the process of what goes on, which was very beneficial for me. And then, I don’t know how but I landed a lead role in a feature film, Scary Movie 4. That filmed in Vancouver for three months so I got tutored on set and was immersed in this scenario for three months in my high school life. It couldn’t have been a better time.

In an interview, you said the first time you read the script for Awkward, you were excited but that you couldn’t stop thinking “negative thoughts.” What about the show worried you?

I don’t recall that specific interview but maybe I was referring to how true and, not raunchy, but how Awkward gets away with more than, say, a CW show can. Because we’re on at a later time, maybe we can get away with more. I was wary—Will critics be open to this style of show and this type of material? Will they love it as much as we do? I don’t know. But I was absolutely wrong in that sense, so that’s a good thing.

How awkward does shooting the sex scenes with Ashley get?

No, we have underwear on, it’s not like we’re fully nude. We’ve been acting a while so this stuff, you know, it openly happens and we’re professional about it, I like to think. And sure, there’s a little bit of nerves for a while. That’s a good thing because they’re 16 year’s old and losing their virginities—well, Jenna is—so, yeah, it’s gonna be a little nervous and I think that reads on camera, which is a positive thing.

I’m curious about what Lauren (Iungerich, Awkward’s creator) communicated to you about the character of Matty. He’s a looker, he’s popular—how could this guy be so insecure?

Oh, it stems from a lot of things. Matty doesn’t have the greatest of home life. His father’s always gone; his mom, there’s some issues; his brother deals with substance abuse. So his foundation is crap, he has nothing really to fall back on. He spends all this time at school and with Jake but when he goes home, he doesn’t have anyone really to open up with. He really only has Jake. He has other friends but they’re just kind of surface friends; they don’t have such a deep relationship like Matty does with Jake.

We spoke with Brett last week and he mentioned that Zack Morris of Saved by the Bell influenced the character of Jake.

(Laughs) He said that? That is hilarious! Jake is so not like Zack Morris.

Any characters from film and TV inspire Matty? Maybe a mix of Steve and Brandon from 90210?

(Laughs) No, I didn’t really base it off anyone to be honest with you. I kind of just was able to figure out who Matty was early on. (Laughs) I love that (Brett) said that he pulled from Zack Morris but that’s cool, I mean, as long as he pulled something from him—that’s great.

I noticed Matty’s waxed chest, though. Why was that necessary?

Do you know any 16-year-olds with hairy chests? You know, you gotta look the part, I guess. But I don’t wax it—come on, I don’t wax it. I get the make-up ladies to shave it with an electric razor. They’re very good at it. It’s a very strange moment for me but now I’m a seasoned pro. I just sit there while they’re manscaping me.

Were you aware that there’s a video tribute to you on YouTube called Best Shirtless Performances: Beau Mirchoff?

My gosh (laughs). No, but now I am. Now I know it’s out there.   

Well, a friend who’s a fan of yours recently mentioned that the only thing missing from Magic Mike was Beau Mirchoff. If Channing offered you a role, would you take it?

Uh, hells yeah. I’m not familiar with the film but it looks like it would have been a lot of fun.

The same friend wanted me to ask you what your armpits smell like.

Like daisies. They smell like daisies.

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