Kit Connor’s ‘Heartstopper’ Co-Star Olivia Colman Stood Up for Him Amid Bullying
Heartstopper is a heartwarming show about young people learning to love themselves, but some of the discourse around the Netflix hit is much less endearing. After Kit Connor’s sexuality became a topic of intense speculation in the more toxic corners of the internet, the actor who plays Nick Nelson on Heartstopper was bullied into coming out on social media. It was the umpteenth example of an online mob gone awry, but Connor has received support from many, including his Oscar-winning co-star Olivia Colman.
Kit Connor came out after a cruel internet campaign
Connor came out as bisexual in a tweet last Halloween. The teen actor made it clear in his post that he was doing it entirely because of peer pressure.
“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,” he wrote.
This sad incident was incited by photos of Connor holding hands with Maia Reficco, a co-star in the upcoming film adaptation of the YA novel A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow.
Heartstopper fans and/or trolls who saw a flame worth fanning saw the pics and accused Connor of queerbaiting because he plays a gay rugby player in the series. He’s far from the first performer to be accused of queerbaiting, and he won’t be the last. There’s a version of this discussion that could be held in good faith. LGBTQ people are often marginalized or discriminated against, but the entertainment industry has a history of appropriating elements of the culture to build an audience or boost PR without directly acknowledging the influence or lifting up voices from the community. Some moments of overprotection are understandable.
None of that happened in Connor’s case. It was simply a bunch of people yelling at a teenager to publicly confirm his sexuality before he was ready to show that part of himself to the world.
‘Heartstopper’ co-star Olivia Colman and showrunner Alice Oseman showed support for Kit Connor
Heartstopper creator and showrunner Alice Oseman quickly jumped in to defend Connor. “I hope all those people are embarrassed as F**K. Kit, you are amazing,” she tweeted.
Colman, who plays Nick’s mother, Sarah, voiced additional backing at the Los Angeles premiere of Empire of Light late last year.
“I am so proud of him, but I am not proud of how people bullied him,” Colman told Variety. “I think people should be allowed to have their own journey. But I’m incredibly proud of him as a young man to deal with all of that and be in the spotlight. It’s unfair.”
‘Heartstopper’ is the last show that should be caught up in this situation
The people who pressed Connor into revealing his sexuality could stand to learn a thing or two about healthy relationships from the show in which he stars.
Netflix’s version of Heartstopper makes a few changes from the original graphic novel. Still, regardless of the format, it’s a story about gay love depicted with deep sensitivity and empathy for its characters. Although the show touches on more serious topics often seen in coming-of-age stories, such as mental health issues, it subverts many tropes about queer stories by opting for a more optimistic vision of self-discovery.
Heartstopper‘s co-lead, Charlie Spring (portrayed by actor Joe Locke), is openly gay from the moment the show begins. The main cast of Truham Grammar School attendees doesn’t engage in any of the debaucherous behavior seen in Euphoria. It’s a decidedly wholesome show about realizing who you are on your terms and the security of finding a community that accepts you throughout that journey.
Some Heartstopper fans might need to rewatch the show to get the message fully.
