We Captured Extensive Footage

Kit Connor has revealed that the upcoming season of Heartstopper, the Netflix adaptation of the cherished queer YA graphic novel series, has been gradually taking “baby steps” toward filming intimate scenes. In a recent interview with The Sunday Times, the actor discussed how the series transitioned to more intimate moments over three seasons.

“We’ve been taking baby steps,” Connor shared. “Season 1 had the intimacy coordinator making sure we were comfortable holding hands. And now we’re doing the sex scenes. We shot a lot of footage for them. Not much actually ended up in the show. But we shot the sex scenes for about seven hours!”

Premiering first in 2022, Connor and his co-star Joe Locke were cast as teenagers and have since matured into young adults alongside the show. Heartstopper, which has won praise from audiences and celebrities like Elton John, features students embarking on their sixth form year (the equivalent of senior year in the U.S.).

“I wouldn’t say that we’ve outgrown the show because the show is growing in itself,” Connor noted.

As the dramedy explores storylines of lesbian and gay young love, as well as trans and nonbinary narratives, it delves into the characters’ first sexual experiences. Connor pointed out that Heartstopper offers valuable perspectives to parents with teens.

“We provide a bit of a guideline for parents, especially in Season 3, with some of the topics that we discuss,” Connor elaborated.

Heartstopper, based on Alice Oseman’s best-selling books, is a streaming sensation that has made it into Netflix’s Top 10 in 54 countries. Alongside his role in Season 3, which premieres on October 3, Connor is set to make his Broadway debut in a Shakespeare adaptation, playing Romeo opposite Rachel Zegler’s Juliet. He will also be featured in Alex Garland’s follow-up to Civil War, titled Warfare, as well as in The Wild Robot with Pedro Pascal and Bill Nighy. Additionally, he will lead the horror feature One of Us.

Heartstopper Season 2 ended on a cliffhanger, with Nick and Charlie, played by Connor and Locke, almost declaring their love for one another. According to Season 3’s logline, the series will delve into the joys and challenges of the upcoming school year as characters navigate relationship hurdles and university decisions.

Alice Oseman, the series creator, previously stated, “Season 2 ended with Nick beginning to understand the extent of Charlie’s mental health issues, and it’s this that will drive the story through Season 3. While Heartstopper will always celebrate the joyful and point towards hope, I’m really excited that we are allowing the tone of the show to mature alongside our beloved characters growing up. Mental health, sex, university ambitions, and more: Nick, Charlie, and the Heartstopper teens are getting older, learning more about themselves and each other, and experiencing new desires, new fears, and new joys as they approach adulthood.”

Source: The Sunday Times, Alice Oseman’s Books