Brandon Flynn in “13 Reasons Why.” Photo: Netflix
Out actor Brandon Flynn (13 Reasons Why, The Parenting), currently in the middle of an acclaimed run as the young Marlon Brando in the Off-Broadway production Kowalski, speaking to Vogue Philippines about navigating his career in an industry that is only starting to offer out queer actors lead roles:
“I spent most of my teenage years and my young adult years training to be an actor at conservatory. I feel like I’m really able to access a lot of that technique with this [the Off-Broadway play Kowalski] 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.
I mean, [Marlon 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. I mean, same with Tennessee Williams. He was quite remarkably out.
My career, I’m assuming, looks a certain way because I am an out actor. How many of us are working at a high level?
There’s still a lot more that I want to do. 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.
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. I want to play adult roles and be in adult films.”
