Reinforcing its place as the leading destination of young adult entertainment, Netflix has concluded production on a new teen LGBTQ romantic drama series called Heartstopper. The new series will land on Netflix globally in April 2022. Here’s an updated guide to everything we know so far.
Based on the graphic novels by Alice Oseman, Heartstopper tells the story of two boys who meet at a British grammar school and develop feelings for each other. What follows is a beautiful and thoughtful story of love, life, and friendship while dealing with issues such as coming out and Charlie’s mental illness.
Heartstopper originally launched as a webcomic on Tumblr and Tapas, where it became an instant hit, leading to Oseman’s first novel, Solitaire, with the same characters. Since then, creator Alice Oseman has published three book volumes, the fourth of which will be released shortly.
Oseman also wrote the screenplay for the Netflix series.
Award-winning director Euros Lyn, known for his work on Sherlock, Doctor Who, Daredevil, and more will helm all eight episodes of the series and See-Saw films (Top of the Lake, State of Union) will produce it with Netflix.
See-Saw Films executive producer Patrick Walters commented:
“Heartstopper is a show that celebrates individuality, promotes acceptance and above all puts a smile on your face. This cast does exactly that, bringing heart, humour and complexity to their roles.”
When will Heartstopper be released on Netflix?
With the release of the official teaser, we can confirm that Heartstopper will arrive on Netflix on Friday, April 22nd, 2022.
All eight episodes will be available upon release. Each episode will have a runtime of 30 minutes.
What is the plot of Heartstopper?
Netflix’s Heartstopper series, based on the graphic novels by Alice Oseman, tells the story of two British teens, Nick Nelson and Charlie Spring, at an all-boys grammar school. Charlie, a high-strung, openly gay overthinker, and Nick, a cheerful, soft-hearted rugby player, one day are made to sit together in class.
Their friendship quickly becomes something more for openly gay Charlie, but he initially does not believe he has a chance with Nick. But love works in surprising ways, and Nick is more interested in Charlie than either of them realizes. Heartstopper is about love, friendship, loyalty, and mental illness. It encompasses all the small stories of Nick and Charlie’s lives that together make something larger.
In a Tweet in April 2021, Alice Oseman clarified that Aled will not be in Heartstopper but left open the door that we may see an adaptation of Radio Silence in the future. Oliver will also not appear in the series.
Who is cast in Heartstopper?
Heartstopper cast – Picture: See-Saw Films
Following a casting call that saw over ten thousand people audition, Kit Connor (Rocketman, His Dark Materials) was chosen to play Nick Nelson. Newcomer Joe Locke got the role of Charlie Spring. On the casting of Kit and Charlie, writer Alice Oseman said:
“They are both so talented, sweet, funny, and smart, and so perfect. It has been such fun getting to know them and welcoming them into the Heartstopper universe, and I can’t wait to see them bring the characters to life on screen. Nick and Charlie have existed as characters for almost a decade and are two of my most beloved characters. I was slightly apprehensive about the casting search, but I am so happy and excited that we’ve cast Kit and Joe.
We’ve found an incredibly talented group of young actors who are all super passionate about bringing this story to life. I’ve been able to spend lots of time with them to talk about the characters, their arcs and their importance to the story, and I know that each actor will shine.”
Director Euros Lyn added:
“I can’t imagine a more perfect pair than Kit and Joe to play Nick and Charlie and bring their joyous love story to live on screen.”
Yasmin Finney (What if?), a 17-year-old British Black trans actor will play Elle Argent. Other cast includes William Gao, Corinna Brown, Kizzy Edgell, Cormac Hyde-Corrin, Tobie Donovan, Rhea Norwood and Game of Thrones actor Sebastian Croft.
here's a guide for those like me who don't know left from right (you are valid) pic.twitter.com/uViqKsGuDY
— BSc owner (@drinkyouspilled) April 26, 2021
On May 20th, Alice Oseman confirmed that Jenny Walser would be playing Tori Spring in Heartstopper saying “I knew we had to cast her from the moment she began her audition. I can’t wait for you to see her as Tori!!”.
Alice Oseman on Twitter has also provided plenty of casting updates throughout the course of production and beyond.
In November 2021, it was revealed that Fisayo Akinade would play Mr. Ajayi, Chetna Pandya would play Coach Singh, and Alan Turkington would play Mr. Lange.
What is the production status of Heartstopper?
Production for Netflix’s Heartstopper started in late April 2021 and continued until June 2021. The entire series was shot in England.
Are you looking forward to Heartstopper on Netflix? Let us know in the comments.
Netflix Synopsis: "Teens Charlie and Nick discover their unlikely friendship might be something more as they navigate school and young love in this coming-of-age series."
