It’s been eight years since Brandon Flynn became a household name on Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why, but in those years, the actor has gone from teen heartthrob to an artist crafting his own identity, both on and off the stage. With rave reviews for his recent role as the young Marlon Brando in Kowalski, an Off-Broadway production, Flynn is no longer the breakout star we met in high school halls. Now, he’s the kind of actor who dares to take risks—risks that’ll likely define the next phase of his career.
But before we get into all that, let’s set the stage. On an unexpectedly warm winter afternoon, I walk into a nautical-inspired Chelsea penthouse suite. The unmistakable notes of Nina Simone’s “Since I Fell For You” play softly in the background, setting the mood for an unorthodox conversation. Flynn, 31, stands before me dressed in a ribbed white tank top, scruffy jeans, and brogues—looking like he could easily be a member of the Black Rebels Motorcycle Club, a gang led by none other than Johnny Strable in The Wild One, Marlon Brando’s iconic 1953 film. It’s a fitting look for the actor currently taking on one of the most beloved (and elusive) characters in film history.
Flynn’s portrayal of Brando—particularly in Kowalski, a play about the fabled first meeting between Brando and playwright Tennessee Williams—has garnered attention and glowing reviews, including praise from The New York Times and New York Theatre Guide. Sure, Flynn’s fans might recognize him from his 13 Reasons Why days, but for those who follow his trajectory, this isn’t just another TV star cashing in on nostalgia. This is Flynn, a conservatory-trained actor, stepping into a role that demands a level of commitment and intensity that even his TV fans might not have expected.
“I spent most of my teenage years and my young adult years training to be an actor at conservatory,” Flynn shares. “I feel like I’m really able to access a lot of that technique with this [play] in creating a character… Right now, I feel like I’m really getting the opportunity to physically and vocally make shifts and make them feel natural. It’s a different muscle than what I’ve done.”
Flynn’s connection to the mid-century method actors—particularly Brando, Montgomery Clift, and James Dean—is hardly incidental. These men didn’t just redefine acting; they rewrote the rules, moving away from the theatrical histrionics of their time toward a more nuanced, naturalistic style. These stars were also later revealed to be queer, a facet Flynn acknowledges with admiration and ease.
“I mean, [Brando was] in an interview saying, ‘Yes, I’ve slept with men. Yes, I’ve slept with women. What’s the big deal?’; which was quite remarkable,” Flynn says. “I mean, same with Tennessee Williams. He was quite remarkably out.”
Brandon Flynn has long been open about his sexuality as well—an uncommon stance in an industry that often keeps its leading men under wraps when it comes to queerness. “My career, I’m assuming, looks a certain way because I am an out actor,” Flynn reflects. “How many of us are working at a high level?”
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Yet despite the challenges, Flynn is undeterred. “There’s still a lot more that I want to do,” he says optimistically. “I don’t always feel like I’m in the room for those conversations. But I’m very optimistic that there’s plenty of time.”
The work doesn’t stop with Kowalski. Next up, Flynn takes on a role in The Parenting, a horror-comedy that’s both fresh and oddly relatable. In it, Flynn and Nik Dodani play a young gay couple whose idyllic weekend getaway with their parents takes a dark turn. The cast is loaded with legends like Brian Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Edie Falco, and Dean Norris, while Parker Posey plays an eccentric groundskeeper with a role that almost steals the show. Flynn took in these performances like a sponge, learning from the masters in real time.
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“It was like watching a master class,” Flynn says. “They each had their things that I walked away thinking, ‘I need to do that. I need to use that.’”
And while The Parenting showcases his range, it’s his next big project that feels like a real turning point in his career. Flynn is currently working on bringing Rent Boy, the late Gary Indiana’s noir novel about a sex worker navigating New York’s nightlife, to the screen. It’s a bold, daring move for an actor who could easily remain in the safety of teen dramas or heartthrob territory—but Flynn’s thirst for something more compelling is palpable.
“I realize I’m a 31-year-old man who still gets carded and I look young and I don’t necessarily want to keep playing young roles,” he says with a knowing grin. “I want to play adult roles and be in adult films.”
Flynn’s connection with Indiana wasn’t just professional. After reading the novel, he immediately reached out to his agents, hoping to secure the rights to adapt it into a film. The two hit it off, becoming fast friends, and Flynn even got Indiana’s blessing before the author passed away. “It was one of the coolest things that has happened [to me],” Flynn says of their friendship. “And hopefully, Rent Boy can get made and it can just be another gift for Gary as well.”
This level of personal investment is rare—especially in an industry that often values commercial success over creative risk. But for Flynn, it’s clear: this is about more than just taking roles. It’s about shaping his own future, both as an artist and as a queer man in an ever-changing landscape.
With a career that spans from starring in a beloved Netflix series to possibly directing his own film adaptation of a cult novel, Brandon Flynn is living proof that success can be anything but conventional. And as he continues to carve out his path, one thing is certain—his journey is one that we are all invited to witness.
Source: Vogue Philippines