Dafhyd Flynn – Killinarden actor impresses in film role
TALLAGHT actor Dafhyd Flynn may have spent a few months in a real-life prison for his last film, but doing his Leaving Certificate exams this summer might be his toughest role yet.
The 18-year-old from Killinarden wowed audiences this year as the titular character in the Frank Berry-director film Michael Inside, which tells the story of an impressionable young lad who does hard time after being caught holding drugs.
Dafhyd Flynn
The film follows Michael as he tries to navigate through the hierarchy in prison during his short stint, however it's clear that Michael’s life before isn’t as free either.
With only two films under his belt, Flynn has gained recognition for his honest portrayal of the teenager, and was recently nominated for an IFTA.
Filming took place inside Cork Prison, which is still very much in use. Dafhyd described the experience as “really cool” despite its eerie location.
“It was really weird walking into the prison” Dafyd told The Echo. “It was really eerie – I can only imagine what it’s like to actually do time there.”
Dafhyd said that he did not visit the prison prior to shooting the film, meaning that when we see Michael walking through the prison corridor’s for the first time, it was the first time for the actor as well.
The young actor also did not prepare for the role in the way most people might expect. Dafhyd explained that he would never read his lines until before he had to shoot a scene.
He said: “I would be given my lines and I would only ask for my side. I’d memorise them before doing the scene – I found it better to react off other people that way.”
Michael Inside was nominated in four categories at this month’s IFTA Awards in the Director, Scriptwriter, Feature Film and Leading Actor category, which Dafhyd was nominated for.
Days before the awards, Dafhyd also learned that he had been nominated for the Irish Film Board’s Rising Star award, which in previous years has seen the likes of Saoirse Ronan, Michael Fassbender and Domhnall Gleeson win.
Despite the award going to actor Jacob McCarthy, Dafhyd was gracious. He told The Echo: “I realised how big this award was. It went to Jacob who was in the The Drummer and the Keeper and fully deserved the award. He’s a very nice person as well.”
Dafhyd, a student at Tallaght Community School, said he couldn’t talk about any upcoming projects but said he is just focusing on tackling his Leaving Certificate exams in a few month’s time.
He said: “I want to pursue acting full time. But as a back up, I’m interested in studying creative digital media in IT Tallaght.”
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