Heartstopper star Joe Locke explains how ‘camp’ new Marvel role will ‘resonate’ with queer fans
Actor Joe Locke has spoken about his new role in Marvel show Agatha: Coven of Chaos and the highly anticipated second season of Heartstopper.
Locke stepped into the spotlight portraying sweet gay teen Charlie Spring in Netflix’s hit LGBTQ+ coming-of-age series Heartstopper last year, and, following co-star Kit Connor’s appearance in hits such as Elton John biopic Rocketman, is carving his own place in the industry.
Now he’s set to appear in Disney+’s Marvel WandaVision spin-off series Agatha: Coven of Chaos, alongside Transparent star Kathryn Hahn, Buffy‘s Emma Caulfield Ford, The White Lotus‘ Aubrey Plaza and Patti LuPone.
The 19-year-old actor feels lucky to be part of the show, telling Entertainment Weekly: “Putting your energy into something is never gonna harm a situation.
Charlie (l) and Nick’s relationship continues in Heartstopper season two. (Netflix)
“With Marvel, I was very determined to get the part. I had never been that determined about anything before, which meant that I was putting my energy into it. But I also think I’ve been one of the luckiest people in the world in the past two years.”
While details of the series are being kept under wraps, it will follow WandaVision‘s resident witch Agatha Harkness (Hahn) and her coven. LuPone also dished out some spoilers while on The View [much to everyone’s horror, according to Locke] where she confirmed he will play “a familiar” [a supernatural entity who assists and protects witches].
And if Locke’s thoughts on the original WandaVision series are anything to go by, the spin-off will be one for the gays as well. “The show is about misunderstood people and people who are alienated by their society for reasons that they can’t control,” he says. “I think that resonates a lot with the queer community.”
“I think there’ll be some camp,” he cryptically said before revealing how much he has “learned as an actor” from the leading ladies on the project.
Joe Locke as Charlie Spring in Heartstopper. (Netflix)
But Coven of Chaos isn’t his only release over the next year, with queer fans eagerly awaiting season two of Heartstopper which drops in August. After discussing his solidarity with co-star Connor who was forced to come out as bisexual last year, he turned to discussing the show itself.
“Once you’re three or four weeks in, you’re so tired that all you can think about is doing a good job and making sure that you are looking after yourself enough to be present on set,” he said.
And he hinted at a darker plot this time around, including Nick (Connor) grappling with an eating disorder and homophobic family troubles. “Our show’s never gonna be Euphoria,” Locke joked. “But I think [it’s] maturing with the characters. As they grow up, the show grows up. Season two is not just gentle, but it’s still gentle.”
That echoed Alice Oseman, the author of the graphic novel series upon which the show is based, who has warned that the upcoming season is more “mature” and “darker”.
Heartstopper season two drops on Netflix on 3 August. There is no confirmed release date for Agatha: Coven of Chaos.