Joe locke gay.

As one-half of Narlie, fans have wondered how Heartstopper star Joe Locke’s gay experience relates to his character and what he’s said about his sexuality since starring in Netflix‘s latest phenomenon.

Heartstopper, which premiered on Netflix on April 22, 2022, is based on Alice Oseman’s 2020 graphic novel of the same name, which tells the love story of Charles “Charlie” Spring (Joe Locke), a shy gay student at Truham Grammar School who was recently outed, and Nicholas “Nick” Nelson (Kit Connor), a popular rugby player a year older than Charlie, who sits next to him in class one morning.

When you’re that age, all that matters is school. So I quickly deleted it and said my Instagram had been hacked. “I really wanted to be a part of the project because I felt like there are not many shows out there that depict the positives of growing up as a queer person – I just thought it was so great that there’s a story in which we can show younger queer kids that they deserve happiness.”

Locke also told GQ about how he related to the script of Heartstopper because of how rare it is to see “unapologetic queer love” on screen.

“A lot has changed in recent years but there’s still a long way to go,” he said. It wasn’t hugely inclusive.

As Clarkston prepares for its West End premiere this fall, audiences are eagerly awaiting further details on dates and venue. For me, it’s just who I am,” he said in the same interview.

Joe Locke’s Queer Identity

Joe Locke identifies himself as a queer person.

I went back in the closet for three years. “It’s 2022. It feels a bit strange to make assumptions about a person’s sexuality just based on hearing their voice or seeing their appearance. The casting of two openly gay actors in the lead roles is already generating significant buzz, promising a nuanced and authentic portrayal of queer connection.

Directed by Jack Serio, Clarkston introduces us to Jake (Locke), a young man from a privileged Connecticut background who, after a Huntington’s disease diagnosis, journeys westward to reconnect with his distant ancestor, William Clark.

His path leads him to a night shift at a Costco in rural Clarkston, Washington.

“I think that with queer people there’s a universal experience of school that everyone sort of relates to, but then there are differences,” he said. I feel like that’s a very interesting, slightly problematic, assumption to make,” he said on ‘Reign With Josh Smith.’

“I feel like I’m perfectly confident and comfortable in my sexuality, but I don’t feel the need to… I’m not too big on labels and things like that.

Connor eventually revealed that he was forced to come out after facing accusations of queerbaiting. It wasn’t really accepted in a lot of ways… It’s the experience of maybe you’re too straight to be gay and you’re too gay to be straight. “It was like, if you got above a certain amount of points, then maybe you’re gay.” He also told the site about how his “dream role” would be to play Disney’s first openly gay prince to star in more projects that “mean something.” “I would love to play the first gay Disney prince,” he said.

In Jake, he finds a “kindred soul,” and their complex yet profound connection awakens both men to greater possibilities.

Hunter, the prolific American playwright known for his work on the Oscar-winning film The Whale, expresses his excitement for the production, stating that while the play draws from themes of the vast American West and colonial history, it is fundamentally “a story about love and friendship in the midst of an unknown future.” The play will also feature Welsh TV star Sophie Melville in a supporting role.

The excitement surrounding Clarkston is amplified by the presence of its two compelling leads.

Joe Locke, celebrated for his role as Charlie Spring in Heartstopper, has already proven his theatrical prowess with a Broadway debut in Sweeney Todd in 2024. It’s so empowering to see!

I’d hope that as millennials are starting to have children and bring their children up, that will start to change things.