---
name: "Johnny Flynn"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/johnny-flynn"
fi1m_id: "johnny-flynn"
imdb_id: "nm1926865"
tmdb_id: 137108
wikidata_id: "Q3893931"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "14 March 1983"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 7
average_fi1m_score: 71
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 7
updated: "2026-10-04T07:50:21.964876+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Johnny Flynn

## Identity

Johnny Flynn

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/johnny-flynn
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** johnny-flynn
- **IMDb ID:** nm1926865
- **TMDB ID:** 137108
- **Wikidata ID:** Q3893931
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Flynn, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3893931, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1926865/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/137108

Actor. Born 14 March 1983 in Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 14 March 1983, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
- **Active:** 2014–present
- **Also known as:** 자니 플린, 强尼·弗林, Джонни Флинн, Джонні Флінн, Joe Flynn, 強尼·弗林, جانی فلین, John Patrick Vivian Flynn
- **Frequently works with:** [Andrew Scott](https://film.one/person/andrew-scott.md), [Emile Sherman](https://film.one/person/emile-sherman.md), [Gabrielle Tana](https://film.one/person/gabrielle-tana.md), [Iain Canning](https://film.one/person/iain-canning.md), [Simon Stone](https://film.one/person/simon-stone.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 71, as actor, over 7 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 2010s 87 (1), 2020s 68 (6)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 73 to 74 across 6 titles
- **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 4 at 60–79, 1 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 1 of 6 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 6, History 3, Comedy 1, War 1
- **Screen time:** 10 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $67m across 2 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Flynn, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3893931, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1926865/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/137108

## Coming up

- *Elsinore* (2026-11-20), as Richard Eyre — [page](https://film.one/film/elsinore.md)

## Streaming the US now

- **Netflix:** [*RIPLEY*](https://film.one/tv/ripley.md) (80), [*The Dig*](https://film.one/film/the-dig.md) (68), [*Operation Mincemeat*](https://film.one/film/operation-mincemeat.md) (66)
- **Apple TV:** [*Detectorists*](https://film.one/tv/detectorists.md) (87)
- **Pluto TV:** [*One Life*](https://film.one/film/one-life.md) (64)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Johnny Flynn

> Johnny Flynn's habit is to look like the safe pair of hands and then make you wonder how safe. In *One Life* we got the first half of that: a decent, well-fitted turn in an ordinary film. The second half, by most accounts, is where he is interesting.

In *One Life* (2023) Johnny Flynn plays the young Nicholas Winton in round spectacles, with good manners and a stockbroker's head for forms, and what he does for most of the film is fill things in correctly. He does not raise his voice. He deals with committees and paperwork and gets them right, and James Hawes's film asks him to make that enough. It is a plain performance in the plainest strand of the film, and we found the 1938 scenes ordinary and him well cast in them. We believed him more than we expected to, and it was the manners that did it: Flynn plays decency as a set of habits rather than a feeling, and the film is steadier for it.

He came to the screen sideways, from music and from the stage, with Propeller's Shakespeare productions, the RSC and Jez Butterworth's *Jerusalem* in 2011 and 2012 behind him before film paid much attention. His early screen parts, from the mid-2000s, were lighter, *Crusade in Jeans* (2006) among them, and most critics file that stretch as the sunny young man period that held him back. He has said as much himself: "I started playing morally dubious characters a few years ago, and it was such a relief, as I'd [previously] gone down the route of always being chosen to be the youthful, sunny type…" *Beast* (2018), as Pascal Renouf, is where the reviews date the change. What followed was a run of period and historical work: George Knightley in *Emma.* (2020), Rory Lomax in *The Dig* (2021), *Operation Mincemeat* (2022), *One Life*, and Dickie Greenleaf in *Ripley* (2024). He has worked twice with Mark Rylance. He still goes back to the theatre, most recently in *The Motive and the Cue*, and still makes records.

What critics keep noticing, and what we noticed in *One Life*, is attention to detail: the spectacles, the posture, the courtesy that never slips. The consensus also credits him with a sense of danger under the charm, and with carrying a stage actor's concentration onto screen without the volume, *Ripley* being the case most often cited. The Winton part used the first of those and had no call for the second. That is the risk of the run he has been on: the good wool coat becomes casting shorthand, and an actor whose reputation rests on not being quite trustworthy keeps being cast as the one you can trust. The music is not a sideline either. He composed for *Detectorists* and takes parts that involve song, and he releases albums between films.

*& Sons* (2025), as Richard Dyer, is next, another ensemble with a large cast. If you know him only as Winton, the young man doing his sums, the one to try next is *Beast*, and go in not knowing which sort of Flynn you are getting. That is the point of him.

## Biography

Johnny Flynn is a South African-born British actor and musician. He played Young Nicholas Winton in the 2023 film *One Life*.

He is known for roles including George Knightley in *Emma.* (2020), David Bowie in *Stardust* (2020), Rory Lomax in *The Dig* (2021), Francis in *The Outfit* (2022), Ian Fleming in *Operation Mincemeat* (2022) and Dickie Greenleaf in the series *RIPLEY* (2024). On television he starred as Dylan Witter in the sitcom *Lovesick* (2014–2018).

Flynn is the lead singer and songwriter of the band Johnny Flynn & The Sussex Wit. His father was the actor Eric Flynn.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (7)

- *& Sons* (2026), Fi1m 58, as Richard — [page](https://film.one/film/and-sons.md)
- *Elsinore* (2026), Fi1m 74, as Richard Eyre — [page](https://film.one/film/elsinore.md)
- *RIPLEY* (2024), Fi1m 80, as Dickie Greenleaf — [page](https://film.one/tv/ripley.md)
- *One Life* (2023), Fi1m 64, as Young Nicholas Winton — [page](https://film.one/film/one-life.md)
- *Operation Mincemeat* (2022), Fi1m 66, as Ian Fleming — [page](https://film.one/film/operation-mincemeat.md)
- *The Dig* (2021), Fi1m 68, as Rory Lomax — [page](https://film.one/film/the-dig.md)
- *Detectorists* (2014), Fi1m 87, as Johnny Piper — [page](https://film.one/tv/detectorists.md)

## Complete filmography (42)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Elsinore* (2026), as Richard Eyre — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/elsinore.md)
- *A Prayer for the Dying* (2026), as Jacob Hansen
- *The Idiot(s)* (2026), as Fyodor Dostoyevsky
- *& Sons* (2026), as Richard — Fi1m 58, [page](https://film.one/film/and-sons.md)
- *Goodbye June* (2025), as Connor
- *A Death in the Family* (2025), as Noah
- *RIPLEY* (2024), series, as Dickie Greenleaf — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/tv/ripley.md)
- *National Theatre Live: The Motive and the Cue* (2024), as Richard Burton
- *One Life* (2023), as Young Nicholas Winton — Fi1m 64, [page](https://film.one/film/one-life.md)
- *The Lovers* (2023), series, as Seamus O'Hannigan
- *Scrooge: A Christmas Carol* (2022), as Bob Cratchit (voice)
- *The Score* (2022), as Mike · Executive Producer, Songs, Original Music Composer
- *Operation Mincemeat* (2022), as Ian Fleming — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/film/operation-mincemeat.md)
- *The Outfit* (2022), as Francis
- *The Dig* (2021), as Rory Lomax — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/film/the-dig.md)
- *Stardust* (2020), as David Bowie
- *Emma.* (2020), as George Knightley
- *Cordelia* (2019), as Frank
- *Les Misérables* (2018), series, as Felix Tholomyès
- *Vanity Fair* (2018), series, as William Dobbin
- *Beast* (2018), as Pascal Renouf
- *Love Is Thicker Than Water* (2017), as Arthur
- *Contractor 014352* (2017), as Guy
- *Genius* (2017), series, as Albert Einstein, Alain Cuny
- *National Theatre Live: Hangmen* (2016), as Mooney
- *The Nightmare Worlds of H.G. Wells* (2016), series, as Alec
- *Brotherhood* (2015), series, as Toby
- *Detectorists* (2014), series, as Johnny Piper · Original Music Composer — Fi1m 87, [page](https://film.one/tv/detectorists.md)
- *Lovesick* (2014), series, as Dylan Witter
- *Clouds of Sils Maria* (2014), as Christopher Giles
- *Inside No. 9* (2014), series, as Elliot Quinn — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/inside-no-9.md)
- *Song One* (2014), as James Forester
- *Something in the Air* (2012), as Folk Singer
- *Twelfth Night* (2012), as Viola
- *Lotus Eaters* (2011), as Charlie
- *A Bag of Hammers* (2011), Music
- *Kingdom* (2007), series, as David Matthews
- *Crusade in Jeans* (2006), as Dolf Vega
- *The Road Home*, as Paul Simon
- *If Love Should Die*, Actor
- *Codes*, as Jasper Slater
- *A Smallholding*, as Tonkey · Music

## Gallery

- ![Johnny Flynn](https://film.one/media/person/12229/gallery-da549b77d81a.jpg) Johnny Flynn — A Thousand Doors, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c3/JohnnyFlynn.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Johnny Flynn, Pie & Vinyl, Portsmouth (2014)](https://film.one/media/person/12229/gallery-e896d986827c.jpg) Johnny Flynn, Pie & Vinyl, Portsmouth (2014) — Drew de F Fawkes, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/28/Johnny_Flynn%2C_Pie_%26_Vinyl%2C_Portsmouth_%2847397009602%29.jpg/1280px-Johnny_Flynn%2C_Pie_%26_Vinyl%2C_Portsmouth_%2847397009602%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Johnny Flynn, Pie & Vinyl, Southsea (2014)](https://film.one/media/person/12229/gallery-0938f22bf842.jpg) Johnny Flynn, Pie & Vinyl, Southsea (2014) — Drew de F Fawkes, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/79/Johnny_Flynn%2C_Pie_%26_Vinyl%2C_Southsea_%2813736397603%29.jpg/1280px-Johnny_Flynn%2C_Pie_%26_Vinyl%2C_Southsea_%2813736397603%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Johnny Flynn, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth (2014)](https://film.one/media/person/12229/gallery-6f3b54ca8af6.jpg) Johnny Flynn, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth (2014) — Drew de F Fawkes, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/Johnny_Flynn%2C_Wedgewood_Rooms%2C_Portsmouth_%2813736882835%29.jpg/1280px-Johnny_Flynn%2C_Wedgewood_Rooms%2C_Portsmouth_%2813736882835%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Johnny Flynn](https://film.one/media/person/12229/gallery-cb0eeda49ab0.jpg) Johnny Flynn — Image via TMDB
- ![Johnny Flynn](https://film.one/media/person/12229/gallery-e1da4471dad7.jpg) Johnny Flynn — Image via TMDB
- ![Johnny Flynn](https://film.one/media/person/12229/gallery-3ebe71f59b51.jpg) Johnny Flynn — Image via TMDB
- ![Johnny Flynn, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth (2014)](https://film.one/media/person/12229/gallery-eeeeaf0ef814.jpg) Johnny Flynn, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth (2014) — Drew de F Fawkes, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/02/Johnny_Flynn%2C_Wedgewood_Rooms%2C_Portsmouth_%2813736882855%29.jpg/1280px-Johnny_Flynn%2C_Wedgewood_Rooms%2C_Portsmouth_%2813736882855%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Johnny Flynn, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth (2014)](https://film.one/media/person/12229/gallery-b98ed596fe6d.jpg) Johnny Flynn, Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth (2014) — Drew de F Fawkes, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cf/Johnny_Flynn%2C_Wedgewood_Rooms%2C_Portsmouth_%2813736882865%29.jpg/1280px-Johnny_Flynn%2C_Wedgewood_Rooms%2C_Portsmouth_%2813736882865%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Johnny Flynn](https://film.one/media/person/12229/gallery-ec69db71d0c8.jpg) Johnny Flynn — Image via TMDB
- ![Johnny Flynn](https://film.one/media/person/12229/gallery-df3fc919c843.jpg) Johnny Flynn — Image via TMDB
- ![Johnny Flynn](https://film.one/media/person/12229/gallery-8cd88a3e3af1.jpg) Johnny Flynn — Image via TMDB

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/johnny-flynn