Johnny Flynn

Johnny Flynn is a South African-born British actor, singer, and songwriter. He is widely recognized for his leading television roles, such as Dylan Witter in the sitcom Lovesick, as well as his film portrayals of David Bowie in Stardust, Mr. Knightley in Emma, and a young Nicholas Winton in One Life. In addition to his screen and stage acting, he serves as the front man and primary songwriter for the music group Johnny Flynn & the Sussex Wit.

Flynn was born on 14 March 1983 in Johannesburg, South Africa, to British actor Eric Flynn and Caroline Forbes. He was raised alongside a younger sister, who later joined his band, and three older half-siblings. After surviving a dog attack as a toddler that left him with facial scars, Flynn relocated with his family to the United Kingdom at four years old. He earned a music scholarship to the Pilgrims School, where he sang in the choir and learned the violin and trumpet. He subsequently attended Bedales School on a second music scholarship after teaching himself guitar, and went on to study drama at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art.

Flynn made early television appearances in shows such as Murder in Suburbia, Holby City, and Kingdom before gaining wider notice for his starring role in the 2006 feature film Crusade in Jeans. He subsequently starred in films including Song One, Beast, The Score, and Emma, for which he also composed and released the closing credits song Queen Bee. His screen work further includes portrayals of historical figures, such as a young Albert Einstein in Genius, author Ian Fleming in Operation Mincemeat, and Dickie Greenleaf in the series Ripley. His prominent television leads include the comedy series Brotherhood and the romantic comedy series Lovesick.

Alongside his screen work, Flynn has established an extensive theatrical career. He performed in Shakespearean productions with the all-male troupe Propeller and at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, playing roles such as Viola in Twelfth Night and Lady Anne in Richard III. On the London stage, he appeared in productions including The Heretic, Bruce Norris's The Low Road, Martin McDonagh's Hangmen, Sam Shepard's True West, and Jack Thorne's The Motive and the Cue, in which he portrayed actor Richard Burton.

As a recording artist, Flynn released his debut studio album, A Larum, in 2008, followed by solo releases such as Been Listening, Country Mile, and Sillion. He later collaborated with author Robert Macfarlane on the albums Lost in the Cedar Wood and The Moon Also Rises, as well as the children's book The World to Come. Flynn has composed original scores and themes for screen and stage productions, including the television series Detectorists and the audio drama The Mysterious Affair at Styles. His creative output also extends to writing for radio and stage, including co-creating the audio production Magnitsky the Musical and co-adapting the stage musical Zog.

Throughout his career, Flynn has received multiple accolades, including an Olivier Award nomination for his performance in Jez Butterworth's play Jerusalem, an Ian Charleson Award commendation, a Theatre World Award for Hangmen, and a BBC Audio Award for Magnitsky the Musical. In 2011, Flynn married theatre designer Beatrice Minns. The couple resides in East London with their three children.