Flynn: It was something that I always wanted to do but I guess there was always a fear of it. I had done a play when I was really young and it didn’t really go according to plan, so I hung up the acting chops for a bit. It was something I always wanted to do, and I came out here when I was 21 right after college to give it a shot but got thrown back because I ran out of money. Again when I was 25 I decided to move back out and give it one more shot. It was something I was called to do.

Soaps.com: How did you get the role of Chad DiMera?

Flynn: I got the call in the second round of them looking for somebody – there was like 1,000 people who read for it and they didn’t find anybody the first time. The second time I came in and read with 400 guys. There were several auditions and the whole time I remember looking around the room and seeing a room full of the most handsome dudes in LA and was like, there’s no chance. So I was very light throughout the whole audition process until they told me I was screen testing, and then I was like, oh s***, this is a possibility. And so I screen tested with Kate Mansi, and it was our first scene together in the private park. And then a couple of days later I got the call.

Soaps.com: Did you have any preconceived ideas of what working on a soap opera would be like?

Flynn: I did. And I was pleasantly surprised that my preconceived ideas weren’t true for the most part. It does have its stereotype as an actor – everyone wants to come in and work with [director] David O. Russell and do all these cool movies, and I was young in my idea of what soaps were. And then when I came in, I loved the pace and how great all the actors are.

Soaps.com: Has there been a steep learning curve on set?

Flynn: Yeah. I came in with such a heavy load. I was doing like six episodes a week, and generally as a new character you start off a lot slower than I did. So there was a very steep learning curve. I got the hang of it really quick, but the first week you see a bunch of scenes where I was really nervous, and over the next couple of weeks you’ll see me start to slide in a little more, get a little more comfortable.

Soaps.com: Are you on contract? For how long?

Flynn: I am. Mine is for two years.

Soaps.com: What direction do you want to take the character in that might be different from what Casey [Deidrick, ex-Chad] did?

Flynn: I think I’ve already started it different than what it was. If anything, his guy was kind of a jokester, a little bit of a goofball. I’ll never really be that, but what you’ll start to see is Chad reminisce more on what he was than what he has become. And to do the things I am doing to people, it takes a toll on your soul. I think the way I have played it is very reminiscent of the way things used to be, and how much harder it is now.

Soaps.com: Chad has definitely come back with an agenda – so what is he after?

Flynn: He wants to take over. He wants his birthright. He wants everything a DiMera is entitled to. And there are a couple of people in his way so there is a secret agenda to get rid of those people.