Brandon Flynn: “With ‘The Parenting’, I wanted to see if people thought I was funny enough to be in a comedy”

Since his success in ‘13 Reasons Why’, Brandon Flynn shares his upcoming professional projects, the preparations for his wedding to Jordan Tannahill, and his journey to sobriety.

After numerous successes in film and television, Brandon Flynn makes a triumphant return to the stage with the Off-Broadway play ‘Kowalski’, in which he portrays none other than Marlon Brando. The young actor has embarked on one of the most challenging experiences of his career. “At first, it was overwhelming, as often happens when actors play real people,” he explained. “With Marlon Brando, in particular, I discovered that culture has such a hold on what he was like and the impact of his performance, especially as I’m playing him before he was cast in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ on Broadway”.

One of the most interesting discoveries for Brandon was Marlon’s physicality: “We all have this idea of him as a muscular man, but he actually looked quite normal, there are parts of his performance that are incredibly feminine and very laid-back.”

This is not the only project Brandon has in the works, as the actor will also release the horror-comedy ‘The Parenting’ set to be released on March 13th on Max, alongside actors such as Nik Dodani, Brian Cox, and Lisa Kudrow, among others. It’s undoubtedly a genre that differs greatly from Brandon’s previous work, and one that took him a while to adapt to: “Nik Dodani, Lisa Kudrow, and Parker Posey are incredible comedic actors who know how to master that rhythm, and for me, it feels very unnatural. I was really insecure at first because I thought I’d seem flat compared to them, but they were so encouraging, and honestly, we had a great time.” The idea of trying a different genre and challenging himself was one of the reasons Brandon took on the film: “I wanted to see if people thought I was funny enough to be in a comedy. Plus, like it or not, because of ‘13 Reasons Why’, I’m known as a high school student, but I’m 31 now, so it was time to move on from that a bit and see how I could ‘grow up’ in my career,” he says with a laugh.

The role of Justin Foley in ‘13 Reasons Why’ was undoubtedly a turning point in Brandon’s career, earning him sudden and enormous success—something he admits he wasn’t prepared for: “I knew it was going to be special, but back then, Netflix wasn’t what it is today. I remember the day after the first season premiered, I was recognised on the street and thought, ‘Wow, this is… weird.’ It’s a beautiful double-edged sword where recognition helps me do what I love, but it’s also quite intense and something I don’t think I’ll ever get used to.” 

At the start of 2025, Brandon Flynn publicly shared on social media that he had achieved another year of sobriety—a milestone that has required tremendous effort but one he is incredibly proud of: “Staying sober is one of the best things I’ve ever done in my life,” he said, visibly emotional. “I applaud everyone trying to overcome it, whatever way they choose. It’s something deeply personal, a process that brings a lot of pain and regret into the light.“

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