Upon learning of her Emmy nomination, Kate O’Flynn decided to lay low.
“I felt like an ostrich,” she shared with Variety via Zoom. “When I received the news, I was immediately overwhelmed, so I hid myself away, then celebrated with champagne. It was a wild experience, but in the best way possible.”
It wasn’t until the next day that it truly sank in, as she went through messages from colleagues spanning her two-decade career. For those outside British regional theater, these names might not mean much. “That’s when I became emotional,” she reflected. “It really put everything into perspective.”
This broader perspective is often overlooked in the Emmy narrative. While O’Flynn is described as a breakout star, she doesn’t disagree with the description.
“This is unquestionably a breakout moment for me,” she acknowledges. “But I bring more life experience to it. I’ve dedicated myself to building a life outside of acting that supports this achievement. I have more confidence in myself now.”
O’Flynn’s extensive stage experience has greatly influenced her approach to film sets. Her theater work, mostly on new plays with living writers, taught her to view the script as a guiding document. “It’s about honoring the writer’s voice,” she explains. “As an actor, you’re there to realize that vision.”
She describes acting as a collaborative effort, likening each scene to an orchestration. “What instrument do you represent in the orchestra during a scene?” she elaborates. “You find your instrument and play your role.”
This mindset made her a perfect match for a project creator Katie Dippold had envisioned for 12 years. Unlike many, O’Flynn never doubted the project’s potential. When asked if she thought a horror-comedy reminiscent of Stephen King directing “Parks and Recreation” could succeed, she was confident. “Honestly, yes. It matched my taste perfectly. I knew I’d want to watch it.”
The script, director Hiro Murai’s vision, and a read-through with Dale Dickey, Stephen Root, Kevin Carroll, and Matthew Rhys sealed the deal. What critics saw as a tonal balancing act was straightforward for O’Flynn. Her interpretation of Patricia, a quirky assistant, was entirely different from what Dippold and Murai had envisioned. “That’s the beauty of collaboration,” she notes. “You start with the source material, and it evolves through each person’s perspective.”
Kate O’Flynn, “Widow’s Bay”
Apple TV
Her character’s evolution into a meme continues to surprise her. “She’s annoying, selfish, and difficult at times, but also brave and kind,” O’Flynn describes. “She’s a flawed, multi-dimensional character, and seeing her quirks embraced is like realizing we all have that weirdness.”
O’Flynn’s remarkable year doesn’t conclude with the Emmys. She is headed to Toronto for Mike Leigh’s “Tender Loving Care,” a film by the director who first hired her at 21 for “Happy-Go-Lucky” and who has hinted this could be his final project. “With Mike, you’re treated as an artist,” she shares. “There’s no safety net. It’s both terrifying and freeing.”
Her co-star and fellow nominee, Dickey, told Variety that she is most hopeful for O’Flynn to win supporting comedy actress and has promised to help her up the steps. O’Flynn feels the warmth. “To me, she’s Dame Dale Dickey,” she says with a broad smile. “I’d be delighted to assist her as well. We’ll be two queens making a statement on the red carpet.”
