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Kate O'Flynn

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Kate O'Flynn
Born1986 (age 38–39)
Bury, England
NationalityBritish
OccupationActress
Years active2006–present

Kate O'Flynn (born 1986) is a British actress. She is known for her performance in National Theatre's production of Port for which she received a Critics' Circle Theatre Award in 2013, as well as starring roles in plays A Taste of Honey in 2014, and The Glass Menagerie for which she was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in 2017.[1][2]

O'Flynn, currently stars in Everyone Else Burns (2023–present) and has had recurring roles in Landscapers (2021) and My Lady Jane (2024) as well as appearing in the films Happy-Go-Lucky (2008) and Bridget Jones' Baby (2018).

Education and training

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O'Flynn attended Manchester's Royal Exchange youth theatre as a teenager,[3] before training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).[4]

Career

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O'Flynn's first professional role was in Mike Leigh's 2008 film Happy-Go-Lucky.[3] Later that year, her performance in The Children's Hour with the Royal Exchange Theatre Company won her the 2008 TMA Theatre Award for Best Supporting Performance in a Play,[5] with the Guardian writing "the one to watch is the outstanding newcomer Kate O'Flynn."[6]

In 2009 Kate O'Flynn starred in the comedy-drama TV series Kingdom, with Stephen Fry, as Emily Cartright, council solicitor and girlfriend of trainee solicitor Lyle Anderson, played by Karl Davies. In the same year, O'Flynn appeared with Russell Tovey at London's Royal Court Theatre in Molly Davies' A Miracle. Michael Billington gave the play 3 stars out of five in his review for British newspaper The Guardian, finding that "Kate O'Flynn's Amy is a model of gawky despair" but concluding that the cast "fill out a play that provides plenty of evidence of youthful talent but that also leaves you wanting more".[7] In the Evening Standard, Nicholas de Jongh praised O'Flynn's "beautiful rendering of passivity, selfishness and vulnerability",[8] while The Daily Telegraph's Charles Spencer wrote, "Kate O'Flynn brings an astonishingly raw vulnerability to the stage as Amy, the tears streaming down her face as she describes how impossible she finds it to love and nurture her child".[9]

O'Flynn appeared as Elizabeth Gough in the 2011 television film The Suspicions of Mr Whicher and as Liz in the British feature film comedy Up There, which was the winner of the Best Feature Film award at the 2012 British Academy Scotland Awards[10] and was broadcast on BBC Two in August 2015.[11] In 2012, O'Flynn played the role of Beryl in BBC Four's BAFTA Award-winning[12] television adaptation Room at the Top, based on John Braine's novel of the same name.[13]

In 2013, she performed at the National Theatre in its production of Port. Writing in The Guardian, Maddy Costa noted: "As Rachael [sic] in Simon Stephens's Port, she grew from a mouthy 11-year-old to a downtrodden but resilient 24-year-old – and in the process transformed from a relative unknown to a star in the making".[3] Her performance won her the Critics' Circle's Jack Tinker Award for Most Promising Newcomer (other than a playwright).[14] She returned to the National Theatre, playing Jo in its 2014 production of Shelagh Delaney's A Taste of Honey.[4]

In 2014, O'Flynn appeared in her second Mike Leigh film Mr. Turner.[15] She would then go on to appear in another of Leigh's films, Peterloo, in 2018.

In 2015 O'Flynn played the part of Dr Peep in police comedy drama No Offence,[16] reprising her role in all three series. The following year, O'Flynn played Myrtle in the BBC Radio 4 sitcom Dot set in the Cabinet War Rooms.[17] In the same year, she also played Lady Alexandrina De Courcy in the ITV costume drama Doctor Thorne, based on Anthony Trollope's novel of the same name.[15] O'Flynn also played Alice Peabody, the new boss at Hard News in Bridget Jones' Baby.[18]

Also in 2016, O'Flynn appeared in episode 6 of the second series of BBC's Father Brown "The Eagle and the Daw" as Katherine Corven. She reprised the character in the 2017 episode 6.2 "The Jackdaw's Revenge".

In 2019 O'Flynn played Victoria Woodcock in the television drama Brexit: The Uncivil War, written by James Graham.[19] In 2021, she appeared in the miniseries Landscapers as DC Emma Lancing.[20][21] In 2022, O'Flynn appeared in Death in Paradise as DI Neville Parker's sister Izzy.

In 2023, she was cast in Everyone Else Burns for Channel 4, playing Fiona, the wife of Simon Bird’s character David.[22] For this, she won a Royal Television Society North West Award for Best Performance in a Comedy.[23] O'Flynn also appeared as Jen in Henpocalypse! on BBC Two;[24] in the same year she played the lead character, Cassie, in the BBC Radio Four psychological drama Spores.[25] In 2024, O'Flynn played Princess Mary Tudor in My Lady Jane, with The i Paper writing she "almost steals the show".[26]

Personal life

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Jonathan Bailey, who starred alongside O'Flynn in the play The House of Special Purpose (2009),[27] calls her his "all-time bezzie". The pair also hiked to the Everest base camp in Nepal together in 2018.[28]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2008 Happy-Go-Lucky Suzy Directed by Mike Leigh
2011 Up There Liz
2012 Mr Turner Prostitute Directed by Mike Leigh
2015 Eliana Eliana Short film
2016 Bridget Jones's Baby Alice
2018 Peterloo Chadderton Woman O'Flynn's third film directed by Leigh
2019 The Octopus Nest Becky Short film

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2006 Heartbeat Laura Hill Episode: "Pretty Woman"
2007 Trial & Retribution Jane Donnelly Episode: "Paradise Lost: Part 1"
2008 The Palace Ruby Riley Regular character
2009 Kingdom Emily Cartwright Series 3 regular
2011 The Suspicions of Mr Whicher Elizabeth Gough Television film: "The Murder at Road Hill House"
2012 Above Suspicion Jeannie Bale 3 episodes
Playhouse Presents Woman Episode: "The Snipist"
The Syndicate Tanya 2 episodes
Room at the Top Beryl 2 episodes
2013 New Tricks Grace Kennedy Episode: "Wild Justice"
2015 Ordinary Lies Saskia Episode: "Rick's Story"
2015–2018 No Offence Dr Peep Regular cast
2016 Doctor Thorne Lady Alexandrina de Courcy Mini series, regular
2017; 2017 Father Brown Katherine Corven 2 episodes
2018 Wanderlust Emily Riley 5 episodes
2019 Brexit: The Uncivil War Victoria Woodcock Television film
Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators Ava Foyle Episode: "Nothing Will Come of Nothing"
Casualty Lou Briggs Series 33, episode 33
2021 Close to Me Rose 3 episodes
Landscapers DC Emma Lancing Main role
2022 Death in Paradise Izzy Parker 3 episodes
2023–present Everyone Else Burns Fiona Lewis Main role
2023 Henpocalypse! Jen Main role
2024 My Lady Jane Princess Mary Main role

Theatre

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Year Title Role Venue
2008 The Children's Hour Mary Tilford Royal Exchange Manchester
See How They Run Ida Royal Exchange Manchester
2009 A Miracle Amy Aston Jerwood Theatre, Royal Court Theatre
The House of Special Purpose Anastasia Minerva Theatre
2010 The Whisky Taster Nicola Bush Theatre
2010 Marine Parade Sally Brighton Festival, as part of the English Touring Theatre[29]
2011 Theatre Uncut- Open Heart Surgery Lisa Southwark Playhouse
Lungs W The Crucible,[30] Shoreditch Town Hall, part of Paines Plough's Roundabout season
The Sound of Heavy Rain Foxy O'Hara The Crucible, Shoreditch Town Hall, part of Paines Plough's Roundabout season
2013 Port Racheal Keats Lyttelton Theatre, Royal National Theatre
The Ritual Slaughter of George Mastromas Louisa Royal Court[31]
2014 A Taste of Honey Jo Lyttelton Theatre, Royal National Theatre[32]
2015 The Trial Rosa, Cherry, Female Guard, Chastity, Girl, Tiffany Young Vic
2017 The Glass Menagerie Laura Duke of York's Theatre,[33][34] Edinburgh International Festival[35]
Anatomy of a Suicide Anna Royal Court
2018 Precisely, One for the Road, Mountain Language, Ashes to Ashes Roger, Gila, Young Woman, Rebecca Harold Pinter Theatre
2019 The End of History Polly Royal Court
Blank Various Donmar Wharehouse, Royal Court
2020 All of It Various Royal Court, monologue[36]
2021 The Two-Character Play Clare Hampstead Theatre[37]
2022 Grey Man Maya Young Vic, also digital theatre short[38]
2023 All of It Jerwood Theatre, Royal Court, one woman show

Radio

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Year Title Role Notes
2013 Lungs W BBC Radio 3 play, adapted from stage
Absolutely Delish Charlotte BBC Radio 4, episode 3: "Flying the Nest"
2015 The Stuarts Charlotte Stuart BBC Radio 4 historical drama, episode: "Charlotte Stuart: The Last Stuart"
2016–2020 Dot Myrtle BBC Radio 4 sitcom, written by Ed Harris
2016 Blood Sex and Money by Emile Zola Satin BBC Radio 4 historical drama based on Émile Zola's Les Rougon-Macquart novels, series 2- Sex
2017 I Confess Anna BBC Radio 4 drama
Long Time Coming Rachel
2019 Opening Pandora's Box Writer, Lulu BBC Radio 4 drama written by Katie Hims[39]
The Love Test Kate BBC Radio 4 comedy drama
China Towns Anna BBC Radio 4 drama based on Arnold Bennett's Five Towns novels[40]
2020 The English Lesson Lola, student BBC Radio 4 drama
2023 Spores Cassie BBC Radio 4 psychological horror

Video Game

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Year Title Role Notes
2021 The Good Life Elizabeth Dickins, Rita Barrett, Virginia Yeats Voice role
2022 Dragon Quest Treasures Additional voices English version

References

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  1. ^ "The Glass Menagerie – fluid and radiant". the Guardian. 12 February 2017. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  2. ^ "Olivier Awards 2017: Winners in full". BBC News. 9 April 2017. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  3. ^ a b c Costa, Maddy (24 February 2014). "Kate O'Flynn: 'You have absolutely no perspective after drama school'". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
  4. ^ a b "Kate O'Flynn". National Theatre. Archived from the original on 3 April 2016. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
  5. ^ "TMA Theatre Awards Winners & Nominees 2008". UK Theatre. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  6. ^ Hickling, Alfred (12 March 2008). "The Children's Hour". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  7. ^ Billington, Michael (5 March 2009). "A Miracle". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  8. ^ De Jongh, Nicholas (5 March 2009). "A Miracle is a compelling take on life in a flat land". Evening Standard. London. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  9. ^ Spencer, Charles (5 March 2009). "A Miracle, Royal Court". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 12 November 2012. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  10. ^ "British Academy Scotland Awards Winners in 2012 – Awards – Scotland – The BAFTA site". British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). 18 November 2012. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  11. ^ Writer / Director: Zam Salim (9 August 2015). "Up There". N/A. BBC Two.
  12. ^ "TV Baftas 2013: All the winners". The Guardian. London. 12 May 2013. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  13. ^ "Room at the Top". Room at the Top. September 2012. BBC Four.
  14. ^ Edwardes, Jane (1 February 2014). "Critics' Circle Theatre Awards 2013: 25th anniversary". The Critics' Circle. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  15. ^ a b Doran, Sarah (13 March 2016). "Meet the cast of Doctor Thorne". Radio Times. London. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  16. ^ Graham, Alison. "No Offence: Series 1-Episode 8". Radio Times. London. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
  17. ^ Writer: Ed Harris Director/Producer: Jessica Brown (2016). "Dot". Dot. BBC Radio 4.
  18. ^ Jones, Alice (1 February 2017). "Kate O'Flynn: on playing Bridget Jones' boss and why she's never seen". inews.co.uk. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  19. ^ Graham, James; Haynes, Toby (2019). Brexit: The Uncivil War. Event occurs at 92m. Retrieved 26 May 2020. Cast in order of appearance ... Victoria Woodcock - Kate O'Flynn
  20. ^ Sepinwall, Alan (30 November 2021). "Olivia Colman Shows How Not to Get Away With Murder in 'Landscapers'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  21. ^ "Landscapers cast I Full list of stars and characters | Radio Times". www.radiotimes.com. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
  22. ^ "Channel 4 Commissions New Apocalyptic Comedy 'Everyone Else Burns', Starring Simon Bird". channel4.com/press. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  23. ^ "WINNERS : RTS North West Awards 2023". Royal Television Society. 22 September 2023. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  24. ^ Nicholson, Rebecca (12 August 2023). "Henpocalypse: The hilarious hen-do comedy about drinking 'penis coladas' at the end of the world". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  25. ^ "BBC Radio 4 - Limelight, Spores – Episode 1: Growth". BBC. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
  26. ^ Sigee, Rachael (27 June 2024). "My Lady Jane could not be more extra - and I love it". The i Paper. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
  27. ^ "The House of Special Purpose - Neal Street Productions". www.nealstreetproductions.com. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  28. ^ Durrant, Nancy. "From Broadchurch to the West End: the star of Sondheim's smash hit Company". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  29. ^ "Marine Parade". English Touring Theatre. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  30. ^ Gardner, Lyn (25 October 2011). "Lungs – review". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
  31. ^ "Review: The Ritual Slaughter of Gorge Mastromas". Varsity Online. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  32. ^ "A Taste of Honey: Q&A with Lesley Sharp and Kate O'Flynn". BBC News. 19 February 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
  33. ^ Clapp, Susannah (12 February 2017). "The Glass Menagerie – fluid and radiant". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
  34. ^ Doughty, Heather (27 February 2017). "Glass reviews The Glass Menagerie at the Duke of York's Theatre, London - The Glass Magazine". theglassmagazine.com. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
  35. ^ "The Glass Menagerie". Edinburgh International Festival. 5 August 2016. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  36. ^ Akbar, Arifa (11 February 2020). "All of It review – everywoman takes us from cradle to grave". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
  37. ^ Saville, Alice (27 July 2021). "The Two Character Play review: Tennessee Williams' most daring play". The Standard. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
  38. ^ "Grey Man". Liminal Stage. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
  39. ^ BBC Radio 4 (1 January 2024), Katie Hims: A BBC Radio Drama Collection, retrieved 8 February 2025{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  40. ^ BBC Radio 4 (3 March 2019), China Towns: A BBC Radio full cast drama, retrieved 8 February 2025{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
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