Olivia Colman is letting her onscreen son know simply how proud she is of him. On Dec. 1, the Oscar winner advised Selection simply how a lot she admired her “Heartstopper” costar Package Connor after he was bullied into popping out as bisexual on social media.
“I’m so happy with him, however I’m not happy with how individuals bullied him,” Colman mentioned. “I believe individuals ought to be allowed to have their very own journey. However I am extremely happy with him as a younger man to take care of all of that and be within the highlight. It is unfair, however he is wonderful. He is a really lovely human being.”
Connor is finest recognized for enjoying Nick on the LGBTQ+ Netflix rom-com “Heartstopper,” which follows teenagers as they navigate their approach by means of faculty, their emotions, and their sexualities. Whereas the collection itself spotlights LGBTQ+ characters in a superbly genuine approach — giving lots of them ample house to return out in their very own time — the compassionate messaging behind the present seems to have been misplaced on many, as evidenced by what Connor went by means of with a few of the present’s viewers.
On Oct. 31, The “Rocketman” star wrote a tweet saying he’s bisexual, however he added that he felt compelled to return out after being harassed by followers. The actor wrote, “again for a minute. i am bi. congrats for forcing an 18 12 months outdated to out himself. i feel a few of you missed the purpose of the present. bye.”
Moments after Connor’s tweet, supportive feedback flooded his timeline, each with love for the star and anger on the circumstances underneath which he felt he needed to make the announcement. “Heartstopper” author Alice Oseman responded by tweeting, “I actually do not perceive how individuals can watch Heartstopper after which gleefully spend their time speculating about sexualities and judging based mostly on stereotypes. I hope all these persons are embarrassed as F*CK. Package you might be wonderful 💖.”
Joe Locke, his “Heartstopper” castmate who performs Charlie, replied by tweeting, “You owe nothing to anybody. I am so happy with you my pal 💕.” Kizzy Edgell, who performs Darcy Olsson, tweeted, “love u package im sorry this has been so disgustingly tough on you. been handled so unfairly,” whereas costar Sebastian Croft, who performs Ben Hope, wrote, “Package Connor, the world does not deserve you. Love you my pal ❤️.”
The toxicity that prompted Connor’s tweet was largely because of him being accused of queerbaiting by followers following footage of him holding palms along with his costar in “A Cuban Woman’s Information to Tea and Tomorrow,” queer actress Maia Reficco. Because of troubling feedback directed on the actor, he give up Twitter in September, writing, “It is a foolish foolish app. bit bored of it now, deleting twitter :),” but he made a fleeting return to set the report straight.
Connor had additionally beforehand spoken about pointless hypothesis surrounding his sexuality and his unease at being labeled. “To begin form of speculating about our sexualities and perhaps pressuring us to return out when perhaps we’re not prepared. For me, I simply really feel completely assured and cozy with my sexuality,” he mentioned on the “Reign With Josh Smith” podcast in Might. “However I do not really feel the necessity to actually, — I am not too massive on labels and issues like that. I am not huge about that.”
Many followers had been fast to answer Connor’s tweet and voice their frustration. “Studying tweets like that is heartbreaking . . . particularly when Heartstopper taught so many individuals all over the world the true worth of somebody’s private popping out story. I am so sorry you had this second taken away from you Package, however let’s hope individuals will be taught from it!” one wrote. One other tweeted, “I am so disillusioned on this fandom.”
Connor himself summed up the weird phenomenon of judging, labeling, and making unwarranted theories of these within the public eye. “It feels a bit unusual to make assumptions about an individual’s sexuality simply based mostly on listening to their voice or seeing their look. I really feel like that is a really attention-grabbing, barely problematic form of assumption to make,” he mentioned.
But once more, we’re reminded that celebrities are human, too; followers aren’t entitled to every thing. Nobody ought to really feel pressured to publicly announce their sexuality earlier than they’re comfy in doing or saying so — particularly a youngster.
Picture Supply: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin / John Phillips / Getty