Kynan Dias is an actor and award-winning screenwriter, born in Honolulu and raised in Las Vegas. Inspired at an early age by great American playwrights such as Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller, and Edward Albee, Kynan taught himself to write feature-length screenplays as a 14-year-old high school student. He earned a B.A. in film from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he pursued acting, screenwriting, and directing. Later, Kynan earned his MFA in screenwriting from the University of California, Los Angeles, where he developed a love for writing TV sitcoms that were further nurtured during his time studying improv comedy at the Upright Citizens Brigade.
As a writer, Kynan’s films tend to live within the thin space between the humorous and the tragic, in sarcastic dramas and in comedies that hurt. As an actor, he is often hired to cry in comedies. With Lester Ryan Clark, Kynan co-hosts a series of film history podcasts on the TruStory.FM network that are meticulously researched yet lean heavily on improvised comedy.
Teaching at UNLV FILM since 2008, Kynan has developed a wide variety of courses in film production, directing, acting, screenwriting, and film studies, being especially proud of building classes such as Women in Comedy and Queer Cinema. His research interests include animation history, studio system economics, queer coding in classic film, and foregrounding previously unsung collaborators within major film authors’ historiographies.
On this episode of The Exorcist MinuteRocky Horror – shocking the hell outta squares and normies”I will trick you into sleeping with me.” – Bugs BunnyWillie wants to see the Beatles, but Karl can’t Let It Be. Please write in and bully Kynan into reading t
On this episode of The Exorcist Minute:Let’s BREAK the movie by looking where we’re not supposed to!We’re actors, but we’re not Chris MacNeilLinda Blair understood the assignmentThe Phantom Trap!The Angel of High School Theatre!Did YOU see the Hidden Howd
On this episode of The Exorcist Minute:The astronaut, the Jesuit, the candlestick maker…Is this what hanging out is?The Carmen Coincidence!Down on Toidy-Toid and Toid!Can I wear my devil costume in heaven?We check ourselves before we wreck ourselvesA ve
Bye, Burke!Don’t you know there’s a Cold War goin’ on, Zuzu?The Return of The Shakespeare Trap!”Elementary, my dear mortals!””Should I BE? Should I NOT BE?” – HamletBurke inception! BURK-CEPTION!My daughter’s PAZUZED!This movie is goofier than A Goofy Mo
On this episode of The Exorcist Minute:That’s the magic of the movies, baby!It’s so nice to see Karl smiling!As Oscar Wilde once said, “What’s for dessert?”A reading from the Book of BlattyANOTHER reading from the Book of Blatty!Another JESUIT DEAN!…and
On this episode of The Exorcist Minute:Chekhov’s Right HookI try to flex on a non-visual medium!Is life just a series of punches in the face?The Shakespeare Trap revisited!We’re so enwappened with this minute!Party at the MacNeils’ house!This poor astrona
On this episode of The Exorcist Minute:How did I miss that she eats the priest collar?!The divestment of DimmyIs Karras failing as a “father” or a son?Uncle Titos is actually Uncle John…but we don’t care. This episode answers the burning question: does
On this episode of The Exorcist Minute:We’re dragging you down with us!Does Karras feel too little…or too much?OR is he just lookin’ at stuff?These ladies are REALLY good at makin’ us feel REALLY bad!Welcome to Belleview! Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter
On this episode of The Exorcist Minute:Just a great, joke-filled, light-hearted romp!hopeless hospitalsTVYNS – The Acronym You’ve Never Heard!Uncle Burke or Captain Howard? It’s complicatedWell, I guess I’m “Auntie” now…We fall into SO MANY TRAPS! Will
On this episode of The Exorcist Minute:Nobody better lay a goddamn finger on my goddamn ButterfingerEverything’s comin’ up Milhouse!What’s YOUR favorite curse word?This was almost an X – rated movie?!!Listen as I try REALLY hard to swear!…and more!