13 Reasons Why took audiences by storm when it debuted on Netflix back in 2017. Produced by Selena Gomez, the show ran for four seasons and prompted countless conversations about bullying and self-harm- and also came under fire for some particularly graphic scenes about suicide and abuse.
Now, almost a decade later audiences still remember the controversial storylines as well as the talented cast- which included Tommy Dorfman as Ryan Shaver. Tommy- who came out as a transgender woman in the summer of 2021- recently released her memoir, Maybe This Will Save Me, and with it came a bombshell for fans of the show.
Tommy, now 33, revealed that when the show first began filming, she had a ‘short-lived’ romance with Brandon Flynn, who played fellow high school student Justin Foley on the show.
In her book, she detailed the second night the fresh-faced cast- which included Dylan Minette, Katherine Langford and Alisha Boe- all got together at her house. She stepped outside to smoke a cigarette when suddenly she felt an ‘undeniable charge’ between her and Flynn. She wrote, ‘Within a few puffs, I looked over to find that Brandon had joined me. His boyish tipsy charm was intoxicating, he carried confidence with ease, and his blue eyes sparkled, perhaps this is what people meant when they said star quality. Whatever it was, Brandon embodied it.’
‘We held each other’s gaze for what felt like forever, and next thing I knew, we were up in his bedroom, ripping each other’s clothes off,’ the passage continued. ‘It was lusty and fun in the most beautiful, magical of ways.’
According to Dorfman, Flynn ended their romance because he was seeking ‘something more serious,’ while Dorfman ‘couldn’t offer more than casual fun.’
Dorfman later married Peter Zurkuhlen in 2016, but the pair split in 2021. Later that year, Dorfman met Elise Williams on a dating app and the pair tied the knot in a secret ceremony in 2023, although she filed for divorce earlier this month. Meanwhile, Brandon had a year-long relationship with singer Sam Smith before marrying his now-husband Jordan Tannahill last year.
Dorfman and Flynn’s relationship wasn’t the only secret affair revealed in her memoir. Although it was denied by their reps at the time, according to Dorfman’s book Flynn also briefly dated their 1_3 Reasons Why_ co-star Miles Heizer- a relationship which the actress found difficult at the time.
She wrote, ‘Seeing Miles and Brandon so in love sparked an unexpected jealousy in me, a yearning for that excitement and fire, perhaps even more serious feelings lingered for Brandon at that time, but I couldn’t do anything about it. My bed was made, and I needed to focus on the task at hand: memorising my lines.’
Sarah O'Byrne has worked for Bauer Media since May 2023. She writes for Grazia, heat, Closer, Bella and Yours.