Brandon Flynn may be helping give a smoothie a Pride Month makeover, but our conversation quickly moved far beyond what’s in the cup.
The 13 Reasons Why and Hellraiser actor teamed with Pressed to relaunch the brand’s Tropical Wellness Smoothie as Tropic Queen, a limited-time Pride Month offering that also supports LGBTQ+ advocacy. A portion of proceeds benefits GLITS (Gays & Lesbians Living in a Transgender Society), a New York organization serving transgender people, LGBTQ+ communities impacted by incarceration and those facing housing and healthcare inequities.
When I caught up with Flynn, the actor reflected on authenticity, the responsibility that comes with visibility and why Pride has always meant more than a celebration.
Pride Has Always Been Bigger Than One Month
When I asked Flynn what Pride tastes like, he skipped the expected answer.
“If my Pride had a flavor profile it would be umami, for sure,” he said. “It would be like that time I took my family to Superiority Burger and didn’t tell them it was all vegan till after they finished their meal and raved about it.”
The answer captures Flynn’s dry humor, but his perspective on Pride quickly turns reflective.
Asked how he balances celebration with intention throughout June, he explained that Pride isn’t something he turns on for one month each year.
“The same way I do the rest of the year,” Flynn said. “I center queerness in myself and I center my friend group who is largely queer. When I do this, inevitably joy and intention intersect.”
He believes that intersection has always defined LGBTQ+ communities.
“Queer spaces, queer people, they do not exist without this intersection. That is the magic of us. We have always sought out joy and community and meaning. For a month, Pride recognizes the work we do all our lives.”
‘Depression Sprinkled With Hope’
The Pressed campaign encourages people to show up fully as themselves, a message Flynn says feels especially personal.
“Showing up fully as myself in this chapter looks like being unafraid to say how I am actually doing,” he told me. “Depression sprinkled with hope.”
It’s a brief answer that speaks to the honesty Flynn has become known for. Rather than presenting a polished version of himself, he says authenticity means making room for difficult emotions alongside optimism.
That same approach extends to his wellness routine.
Instead of chasing complicated self-care trends, Flynn prefers something much simpler.
“Shutting off,” he said. “Taking a walk without phone, music, podcast. Just my body moving, my thoughts doing what they do, trying to notice the world and the people around me.”
Why Representation Still Isn’t Enough
Perhaps Flynn’s most passionate comments came when discussing queer visibility in Hollywood.
He was quick to point out that he’s never hidden who he is.
“I have been out since I was 14 years old,” he said. “I never ventured back into the closet. I never looked at my sexuality as something to change when it came to a career.”
Even when people suggested he remain more private, Flynn said he continued living openly.
“When I was 22 and suddenly in the public eye, I remained who I was, and always will be.”
Over time, however, he’s become frustrated with how conversations around representation often stop at simply putting queer people on screen.
He referenced writer and activist Audre Lorde, saying that inclusion inside existing systems can only accomplish so much.
“‘Including’ us in a homogenous, oppressive structure is not enough,” Flynn said. “It is of course nice and beautiful to recognize yourself on screen and in stories, and it is not enough.”
He noted that every decade seems to produce another “first-of-its-kind” LGBTQ+ project celebrated for breaking barriers, only for many of the same conversations to repeat.
“I guess what I am trying to say is, it ain’t over.”
Today, Flynn says his focus has shifted beyond his own career.
“I am leaving some sort of path for artists who come into a career like I have,” he said. “A path that is easier and less narrow.”
He added that queer artists have always made that path for one another.
“My sexuality and myself are not my ‘private life,’ especially when other queer people have their lives on the line,” Flynn said. “My existence in this industry right here and right now is still political and radical.”
Supporting The Community Beyond Pride
Flynn said partnering with GLITS was a key part of the collaboration because of the organization’s direct work with people who need it most.
“GLITS is just very boots on the ground,” he said. “So many organizations get caught up in red tape and politics and image.”
Instead, he praised the nonprofit’s approach.
“GLITS has always been of the people, for the people. Serving some of the most marginalized folks in NYC. It’s important that people are aware of these programs and institutions and the icons who are behind them.”
One Song And One Message
Flynn laughed when I asked about his ultimate Pride anthem.
“I’m the kind of person who wants to sing a sad song at karaoke,” he admitted before choosing “Back In Your Head” by Tegan and Sara.
“Right before someone rips the AUX cord out of my hand and puts on a remix of a song three times in a row.”
Before wrapping up, I asked what he’d tell his younger self during his first Pride season.
His answer felt like the perfect closing note.
“Those big feelings are never going to go away,” Flynn said. “But they are your super power.”
