Brandon Paul Flynn Bio
Brandon Paul Flynn is an American actor born on October 11, 1993, in Miami, Florida. He rose to prominence portraying Justin Foley in the Netflix teen drama series 13 Reasons Why from 2017 to 2020. Flynn’s career encompasses work in television, film, and theater, and he has established himself as a prominent voice for LGBTQ+ visibility and social activism in Hollywood.
Early Life and Background
Flynn was born and raised in Miami, Florida, where he attended the New World School of the Arts for high school. He has two sisters. After completing high school, he pursued formal training at the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. His classical acting training continued at the Globe Theatre’s Shakespeare Conservatory in London, where he studied Shakespearean performance.
Path to Acting
Flynn’s journey into professional acting began with theater work before transitioning to screen acting. His New York theater debut came in 2017 when he played Luke in the off-Broadway production of Kid Victory at the Vineyard Theatre, a musical by John Kander and Greg Pierce. This early stage work helped him develop the skills that would later translate to his television and film career.
Brandon Paul Flynn Career
Early Career (2016–2017)
In 2016, Flynn began his professional acting career with the role of Mike the Intern in the CBS series BrainDead. That same year, he started laying the foundation for his career with stage performances and auditions. His early work demonstrated his versatility across different genres and formats.
Breakthrough (2017–2020)
Flynn achieved major breakthrough success when he was cast as Justin Foley in the Netflix original series 13 Reasons Why. The show, which premiered in 2017 and ran for four seasons until 2020, became a cultural phenomenon. Flynn portrayed one of the lead characters throughout the series, playing a troubled yet ultimately redemptive character who begins as a popular high school jock with a traumatic home life and eventually faces struggles including homelessness, addiction, and sex work.
The role marked a significant milestone in television history as Flynn became one of the first openly gay actors to play a major character in a prominent Netflix original series. In 2018, he received the Queerty Award in the Closet Door Bustdown category, which honors individuals who have made significant contributions to LGBTQ+ visibility and representation.
Notable Works and Milestones
Following his success in 13 Reasons Why, Flynn expanded his portfolio with diverse roles across television and film. In 2019, he appeared in the third season of HBO’s True Detective as Ryan Peters in a recurring capacity. In 2020, he made his feature film debut in the dark indie comedy Looks That Kill, starring as a high school student whose physical appearance causes the death of anyone who looks at him. That same year, he played Henry Osgood in Netflix’s Ratched, a quadruple amputee and sadist living locked in his home with his mother.
Recent Projects (2021–Present)
Flynn continued building his career with prominent roles in subsequent years. In 2022, he appeared in the horror film Hellraiser. He starred in the historical drama series Manhunt in 2024, which focused on the hunt for Abraham Lincoln’s assassin John Wilkes Booth. In 2025, he appeared in the horror-comedy film The Parenting.
His theater work has also remained active. In 2025, Flynn returned to the stage to play a young Marlon Brando in the off-Broadway premiere of Kowalski at the Duke on 42nd Street. He also originated the role of Dylan in the world premiere of Jeremy O. Harris’s play Spirit of the People at the Williamstown Theatre Festival and joined the cast of Good Sex, an experimental off-Broadway production created in collaboration with Irish theater company Dead Centre.
Beyond acting, Flynn has pursued other ventures including starring in multiple Calvin Klein campaigns such as the brand’s 2023 Pride campaign, the 2023 holiday campaign, and the Spring 2024 menswear campaign. He has also announced work on a screen adaptation of Rent Boy, Gary Indiana’s epistolary novel about a male sex worker navigating the underworld of 1990s New York City.
Brandon Paul Flynn Award Nominations
Flynn’s work in 13 Reasons Why brought him recognition within the LGBTQ+ community. While specific major award nominations are limited, his portrayal contributed to the show’s overall awards success during its run.
Brandon Paul Flynn Awards Won
Flynn received the Queerty Award in the Closet Door Bustdown category in 2018. This award honors individuals who have made significant strides in LGBTQ+ visibility and representation. He received this recognition as part of the cast of 13 Reasons Why, becoming one of the first openly gay actors to play a significant role in a major Netflix original series.
Brandon Paul Flynn Family
Flynn grew up in Miami, Florida, with his two sisters. Information about his parents remains private.
Personal Life
Flynn is openly gay and has been an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights throughout his public career. In December 2023, he became engaged to his longtime partner Jordan Tannahill. The couple met during the rehearsal of Tannahill’s off-Broadway play Prince Faggot. They married in New York City on October 12, 2024. Flynn is Jewish and has been outspoken about his faith while also advocating for social justice causes including Black Lives Matter and weekly protests demanding accountability from law enforcement.