PSA to Heartstopper Fans: Leave Joe Locke's Family Alone Already

Just two years ago, Joe Locke's name was virtually unknown. The teenager was simply minding his own business, navigating life and work. But then, he decided to venture into acting and auditioned for the role of Charlie Spring in Netflix's Heartstopper. As we all know, Joe got the part, emerging as the second lead in the streaming service's premier LGBTQ+ romantic series.

And while his co-star Kit Connor has been in the acting scene for most of his life, Joe wasn't ready for the fame that came after the show became a hit.

When the second season of Heartstopper premiered early last week, the series cemented its position as one of Netflix's biggest hits, thrusting Kit and Joe further into the limelight. And as always, some fans have overstepped their bounds, trying to contact Joe in increasingly unsettling ways.

Joe recently disclosed that his mother had to change all of her social media accounts because zealous fans persistently messaged her and even attempted to trace her location on several occasions. A few overly obsessive fans even went as far as to call Joe's grandmother at her residence, hoping to glean information about the actor.

Undoubtedly, such fan behaviour is deeply problematic, and Joe has grown increasingly concerned about the impact of his sudden fame on his family.

'I need to learn my boundaries, and people need to learn their boundaries. It's a weird guilt I sometimes feel that, by association, their lives are affected by choices in my life,' Locke said.

Many fans rallied around Joe, supporting his efforts to acclimate to fame and denouncing the actions of a few over-enthusiastic admirers. For better or worse, Joe now has no choice but to learn how to handle fame. If his ascent in Hollywood continues, he'll inevitably encounter more people willing to go to great lengths to connect with him, come what may.

Source: Teen Vogue.