Heartstopper: Is Charlie Actually Underrated on His Own Show?
Fans are convinced that Joe Locke doesn't get enough positive attention.
Netflix's Heartstopper became one of the most popular and cherished projects in the streaming giant's lineup as soon as the first season premiered in 2022. Viewers were drawn to the show's refreshing take on the often-repetitive teen romance genre. This LGBTQ+ series, depicting two British kids falling in love, stood out from other shows on the market.
Before long, scores of fans were lauding the show as one of the best projects Netflix has released in recent memory and its leads, Kit Connor and Joe Locke, for delivering some of the best performances in modern television.
While Connor was already a well-known actor before joining Heartstopper, having appeared in films like Rocketman and Little Joe, Joe Locke was a new face for many. This budding talent hadn't ventured beyond a few school plays before landing his role in Heartstopper, so fans had modest expectations regarding his acting skills.
Nonetheless, Locke emerged as an impeccable fit for the role of Charlie. With the acclaim from his debut role, his path in Hollywood appears to hold a lot of promise. Yet, some fans still can't understand why Connor has been getting so much more praise for playing Nick than Joe has for playing Charlie. Many think it's super weird and unfair.
'Kit gets a lot of (extremely well deserved) praise for Nick, but there is no one on planet Earth who could've played Charlie Spring better than Joe, and you cannot change my mind. And he doesn't get nearly enough credit for that. This is Charlie's story first and foremost, and it is beyond me how he's underrated on his own show,' a fan pointed out.
Seeing how the entire narrative of Heartstopper centres on Charlie, it's indeed peculiar that Connor is getting the majority of recognition, especially when both actors play their roles to perfection.
Perhaps critics and fans tend not to give Joe enough credit for his performance because of his newcomer status, not yet taking his acting chops seriously. However, as Heartstopper progresses and Locke gets other roles, he'll undoubtedly prove his mettle as an actor.
Source: Reddit.