Heartstopper actors Joe Locke and Kit Connor were thrust into the public’s eye after their British series became a massive hit for Netflix.
The LGBTQ-inclusive drama is based on Alice Oseman’s graphic novels and follows two school boys, Nick Nelson (Connor) and Charlie Spring (Locke), and their fabulous group of friends. Together, the students juggle love, friendship, loyalty and mental illness.
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While Heartstopper has been trending online and meeting praise for its inclusive stories and characters, the show stars have also seen the other side of the coin. They’ve faced dating rumors and queerbaiting accusations for not explicitly sharing their sexualities with the world. But in a new interview with GQ for its Men of the Year issue, Connor and Locke are getting candid about their lack of privacy.
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“The idea of a tabloid being interested in a teenager’s love life is really gross,” Locke said. “Someone making money out of rumors about who I – an 18-year-old boy – might be liking or talking to, it’s really gross and perverted.”
“I’m 18… I don’t know who I am yet,” he added.
Kit Connor Speaks on His Decision to Leave Twitter
The rumors and accusations also impacted Connor, who announced his departure from Twitter in September after gossip started about him and his costar Maia Reficco.
Connor has previously revealed that he did not feel a need to label his sexuality. But as trolls online continued to question and probe his personal life, he returned to the app with a message.
“Back for a minute. I’m bi. Congrats for forcing an 18 year old to out himself. I think some of you missed the point of the show. Bye.”
back for a minute. i’m bi. congrats for forcing an 18 year old to out himself. i think some of you missed the point of the show. bye
— Kit Connor (@kit_connor) October 31, 2022
Before Connor’s return to the app, he spoke with GQ about his decision to take a break from social media.
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“Social media is not a window into my soul at all,” he said. “In many ways it’s great, but as someone who’s in the public eye, if you look for people saying bad stuff about you, you’ll find it.
“You want to know what people are saying. Everyone wants to be liked, which is slightly heartbreaking when you’re in the position of someone like me or Joe,” he added.
What to Expect From Season Two
The stars also chatted with the outlet about the upcoming seasons and the pressure to keep creating a successful show. Locke’s character will face an eating disorder and body dysmorphia, a subject the actor says he can relate to.
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“I feel like everyone sees weaknesses and problems in their own bodies. [For me], they’ve been heightened in the last year because more people are seeing my face and seeing the things that I hate about myself.
“I tried to convince my mum to get them pinned back. But I remember one day my friend [held them back] and was like, ‘Do you really want to look like that?'” Luckily, the friend got through to Locke, and he has a new appreciation for the traits that set him apart from everyone else. “Now I really like my ears. I think they’re a defining feature of me.”
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