Last updated on the 8 July 2024 by Evandrus

Mini Biography

Born: 14 March 1983, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Johnny Flynn is a British actor and singer-songwriter, who was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. He is the lead singer and songwriter of the folk-rock band Johnny Flynn & The Sussex Wit and has also performed as a solo artist. He has starred in several films and television shows, such as Lovesick, Stardust, and One Life.

ohnny Flynn’s father was Eric Flynn, a British actor and singer, who had two sons and a daughter from his first marriage, actors Jerome Flynn, Daniel Flynn and Kerry Flynn. Flynn has a younger sister, Lillie Flynn, who sings with his band. When he was two years old, he moved with his family to the UK. He grew up in Hampshire, where he attended Pilgrims School and Bedales School on music scholarships. He learned to play the violin, trumpet, guitar and sang in the chapel choir. He later studied acting at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art.

Johnny Flynn began his acting career in 2005, when he was one of Screen International’s Stars of Tomorrow. He appeared in several television series, such as Murder in Suburbia, Holby City, and Kingdom. He gained recognition for his role as Dolf Vega in the film Crusade in Jeans (2006), based on a novel by Thea Beckman. He also acted in theatre productions, such as The Heretic, Jerusalem, and Twelfth Night.

Johnny Flynns musical career started in 2006, when he released his first EP, A Larum. He formed his band, Johnny Flynn & The Sussex Wit in 2007 and released his debut album, also called A Larum in 2008. The album was well received by critics and fans, and was nominated for the Mercury Prize. He has since released four more studio albums: Been Listening (2010), Country Mile (2013), Sillion (2017), and Lost in the Cedar Wood (2021). He has also composed music for films, such as A Bag of Hammers (2011) and Song One (2014) and for television, such as Detectorists (2014-2017).

Johnny Flynn’s recent acting roles include playing Dylan Witter in the Netflix comedy series Lovesick (2014-2018), portraying David Bowie in the biopic Stardust (2020), and playing Nicholas Winton as a young man in the drama One Life (2023). He has also starred in films such as Emma (2020), The Dig (2021) and Operation Mincemeat (2022).

Johnny Flynn is married to Beatrice Minns, a theatre designer, since 2011. They have three children, a son and two daughters. Flynn lives in London with his family. He is also a poet and has published a collection of poems called Shore to Shore in 2019. He is an environmental activist and supports various causes such as Greenpeace and Extinction Rebellion.

Suggested viewing

Beast (2017)

Bftv 8.5 / IMDb 6.8

On a tense island shadowed by murders, a young woman yearning for freedom finds solace in a mysterious outsider. Their bond blossoms, but suspicion falls on him, forcing her to choose between the suffocating control of her family and the thrill of a love that may be deadly.

Top cast: Jessie Buckley, Johnny Flynn, Geraldine James, Oliver Maltman, Trystan Gravelle, Tim Woodward, Hattie Gotobed, Shannon Tarbet.

Vanity Fair (2018)

Bftv 9.0 / IMDb 7.3

Vanity Fair follows the lives of two young women, Becky Sharp and Amelia Sedley, navigating love, loss, and social status in early 19th century England. Becky, ambitious and cunning, uses her intelligence and charm to climb the social ladder, while Amelia, kind and naive, faces challenges due to her social standing and romantic entanglements. The novel satirises the social elite and explores themes of social mobility, love, loss and the complexities of tackling societal expectations.

Top cast: Olivia Cooke, Tom Bateman, Claudia Jessie, Johnny Flynn, Michael Palin, Frances de la Tour, Sian Clifford, Martin Clunes, Charlie Rowe.

Alternative Versions

Lovesick (2014)

Bftv 9.0 / IMDb 8.0

“Lovesick” follows a young man diagnosed with an STI, who embarks on a journey to contact his past partners to inform them. As he reconnects with these women, he revisits past relationships, explores missed opportunities and grapples with unresolved feelings, all while facing the complexities of love and self-discovery with his best friends by his side.

Top cast: Johnny Flynn, Antonia Thomas, Daniel Ings, Hannah Britland, Richard Thomson, Yasmine Akram, Klariza Clayton, Jessica Ellerby, Riann Steele.

Emma. (2020)

Bftv 9.0 / IMDb 6.7

Emma Woodhouse, a wealthy and intelligent young woman in 19th century England, believes she possesses a talent for matchmaking. Convinced of her skill, she attempts to manipulate the romantic lives of those around her, including her friend Harriet Smith. However, Emma’s meddling often backfires, leading to misunderstandings and complications. Through these experiences, Emma grapples with her own misconceptions, societal expectations and ultimately, her own romantic feelings.

Top cast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Johnny Flynn, Josh O’Connor, Callum Turner, Mia Goth, Miranda Hart, Bill Nighy, Rupert Graves, Gemma Whelan.

One Life (2023)

Bftv 8.5 / IMDb 7.6

The biographical drama “One Life” tells the story of a young stockbroker who witnesses the desperate plight of Jewish families fleeing Nazi persecution in Czechoslovakia. Driven by compassion, he hatches a daring plan to smuggle hundreds of children out of the country on Kindertransports arranged with British authorities, all before the outbreak of World War II. The film follows his race against time and the lasting impact of his heroism on the lives he saved.

Top cast: Anthony Hopkins, Johnny Flynn, Helena Bonham Carter, Lena Olin, Alex Sharp, Romola Garai, Tim Steed, Matilda Thorpe, Daniel Brown, Jirí Simek.

Related to

Johnny Flynn full filmography @ Wikipedia