After stealing scenes (and hearts) as Dimitri Belikov on Vampire Academy, Kieron Moore is pushing himself even further on Netflix's Boots. During an exclusive interview with Us Weekly about the upcoming Netflix series, Moore, 28, expressed his immense gratitude for Vampire Academy and the opportunities it brought into his life. But while Moore's love for Dimitri shone through, so did his excitement to play more characters who are full of surprises. "When I auditioned [for Nicholas Slovacek], I had super long hair. I said to them, 'Here's what I look like with a shaved head. This is my version of Slovacek. I can shave it off for you for the audition,'" Moore recalled about his dedication to his Boots role before even booking it. "They said, 'Don't do that for the audition.' But I really wanted to play him." Moore's commitment to the audition reflected his passion for his work. Fall TV Preview 2025: 37 Picks, From 'Nobody Wants This' to 'Boston Blue' "This just felt like the right time. After Vampire Academy, I wanted to test myself as a character. That was important for me - for my humility and growth as an actor - where I just thought this was a really good pivot away after Vampire Academy to show what I can do," he explained. "So I was really committed." For Moore, it was important to build out Slovacek on an emotional and physical level, adding, "I remember the day we shaved it off, they really built it up. But as soon as they shaved my head, I felt like Slovacek was there. At the beginning, Slovacek feels like the one who is probably going to be OK and he's going to get through this. He's just got that thing about him." Boots, which premieres on Thursday, October 9, is based on Greg Cope White's memoir, The Pink Marine, and sets up a story about a gay teen who joins the American military alongside his straight best friend during the 1990s. Moore's Slovacek, meanwhile, is an ex-con who joins the Marines hoping to stay out of prison. Alfonso "Pompo" Bresciani/Netflix At first glance, Slovacek is a classic antagonist who creates obstacles in the story. But Moore's performance helps Slovacek go on a journey that teaches him more about himself while bonding with the other recruits through major ups and downs in training camp. "It's interesting that they all obviously go through these tribulations. But you have to let go of what you were to become who you're going to be and can you do that? It's quite reflective of it," Moore teased the message at the center of the series. Slovacek was a true transformation for Moore, who dug deep to show the humanity hidden underneath a mask of masculinity. "I've grown up with criminals, police officers and barristers and we've all met in a boxing gym. Once you step through that door, none of it exists. You meet each other where you are. That was important to me," Moore noted. "I've had my own stories with bullies and there's been bullies all my life. People look at me and think I was the bully. I'm like, 'You have no idea.' I was a very gentle kid, but I remember what that was like." Moore made it a priority to understand Slovacek instead of judging him, telling Us, "I remember getting to this age where you humanize people [like that] and you see what their upbringing was like and you get this level of understanding that they might not ever see in themselves. I didn't want Slovacek to be reflective of that. He has a lot [to] work on." He continued: "But I think it's such a beautiful form of masculinity. He needs a friend and he needs guidance but he's just so singled off in the world. He's a work in progress. I would love it if people watch it and go, 'He's a nightmare.' But then if they watch it again, by the end they go, 'Oh, he just doesn't know how to make friends. This is how he makes friends.'" A Guide to Netflix's Biggest TV, True Crime and Movie Releases in 2025 Slovacek is an example of how people become products of their environments. "Where he comes from is all about masculinity and competitiveness. This is the space where he thinks that's how it works - and in a way it is. I think he's a good person to have on the team eventually," Moore teased. "Once you've got his loyalty, you've really got it. I think that was something that I thought about all the way through." When it came to Slovacek's background, Moore put in the work to learn more from the original text. Alfonso "Pompo" Bresciani/Netflix (C) 2023 "I read The Pink Marine when I thought maybe I might get this role. But it was about trying to keep no expectations. And with Slovacek being from prison, I actually looked more at prison backgrounds. I spent a lot of time watching documentaries about Rikers Island, crime in the early '90s and what it meant to be a young man around that time," he recalled. "I thought if we can get into that mentality of treating this like it's prison, it'll give me room to shake that off and hopefully turn into a Marine along the way." Then there was Slovacek's appearance, with Moor