Joe Locke was one of the 10,000 actors who had responded to the open casting call for the Netflix adaptation of Alice Oseman’s comic, Heartstopper. And he beat out all of them to land the role of shy, introspective Charlie. Fans lauded his acting and many found his story relatable. The heartwarming series on the streamer is one of the best coming-of-age series streaming right now. Recently, the British actor talked to GQ magazine about what attracted him to the role. 

Joe Locke related to his character Charlie 

“Charlie’s story is relatable for so many queer people. The second I read the script, I saw Charlie as a more introverted version of me. When I read it, I was like, “Oh my God, it’s me. That’s really weird,“” he shared. 

Locke, still a highschool student, was able to portray the emotions of his characters well, because it felt “really real and recent“.

He heaped praises on Alice Oseman for encapsulating the teenage experiences and shine positive light on queer romances. It is indeed truly a feat for the 27-year-old Alice. 

“Alice [Oseman] has such a wonderful way of creating rich, complex characters that mean so much to people. I don’t know how Alice writes about love and relationships so well, but she has this amazing ability to encapsulate the queer teen experience.”

He apparently loved how the script talks about queer love, a topic many still avoid and just how unapologetic the queer love is in Heartstopper. While characters in the show faced bullying and isolation, never once were they ashamed of themselves.

He had a heartfelt message for the queer youth still afraid to own their sexuality

Joe Locke admits that it’s hard to be in a relationship with someone who isn’t out yet.

But he advised, “Everyone is on their own journey. It’s important for both people to really prioritize themselves while still creating a life together and finding comfort within each other.”

Viewers saw Charlie in a relationship with Ben and Nick, both of whom were still in a closet. Although in the finale, Nick comes out as a bisexual.

Have you streamed the heartwarming show yet? What is your take on the show’s representation of the LGBTQ+ community?