Ahead of the release of his latest project, Manhunt, American actor Brandon Flynn (who is best known for his role in the beloved series 13 Reasons Why) sat down with marie claire to discuss history, conspiracy theories and his hardest scene to film under Ryan Murphy
Your new project, Manhunt, follows the aftermath of the first American presidential assassination and the fight to preserve and protect the ideals of Abraham Lincoln’s Reconstruction plans. How familiar were you with this period of history?
I think Americans don’t really know much about American history, so there was learning to be done for me as well.
I was drawn to the excitement of this noir rat-race against the backdrop of a really interesting time in America with the Reconstruction, the Civil War ending and Lincoln’s death. It was incredible to be able to play someone who really believed in what Lincoln was doing.
It definitely echoed a lot of the political discourse that is happening today.
Absolutely. In America we still have plenty of policy and reverberations from this period.
How did you prepare to play Eddie Jr [the son of Lincoln’s war secretary]?
A lot of the characters on the show were researchable, whereas Eddie, while he existed, was not a huge part of history. So a lot of my research was about figuring out who he and
my father were and what they stood for.
He worked with his dad, so I pulled a lot from my own life and relationship with my father and wanting to impress him. I also worked with my father for four years in the restaurant industry, so while that was quite different than working at the White House, there were things to grab from.
How did you find acting while on horseback?
I had very limited experience with horses, so I loved figuring out how to have a relationship with this animal. It definitely feels a certain way to ride a horse constantly, and your body sort of adapts to that. You find yourself walking a little different. We had these great scenes were we would arrive on horseback. It was so empowering to deliver dialogue from on top of a horse.
The story, while rooted in history, is also based on the conspiracy thriller by James L. Swanson. Is there another conspiracy theory that you would love to see brought to life on TV?
“Pizzagate”, which is that the Democrats have a paedophilia ring, or the conspiracies around Covid.
What character has been the hardest for you to part ways with?
Justin from 13 Reasons Why. I worked on that project for over four years.
What scene throughout your career has been your most challenging?
It never actually made it into the show. But in Ryan Murphy’s series Ratched, I had no arms and legs and I had to have sex as a dom [the dominant person in
a BDSM scenario]. It was hard to get into, but it was also a lot of fun.
Ryan Murphy’s projects are notoriously dark. Is it ever hard for you to go to those places?
[In Ratched] I had 10 seconds to get to that extreme place where someone would cut off their limbs. It’s a lot of adrenaline and a lot of fun. I think often these shows are harder to watch than to be inside of.
Manhunt is streaming now on Apple TV+.
