As I delve deeper into this heartwarming tale of camaraderie and young talent blooming, I can’t help but be captivated by Joe Locke‘s journey. Coming from humble beginnings, he’s now rubbing shoulders with queer icons on the set of “Agatha All Along,” a far cry from stepping into any Marvel project.
By the end of April 2023, Joe Locke, who was then 19 years old, managed to get VIP passes for Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour” in Atlanta. At that time, he was working on the Marvel Studios series “Agatha All Along.” It had been a little over a year since Locke made his first professional acting appearance in “Heartstopper,” a tender love story about two British teenage boys that quickly became a cultural phenomenon. Fans of the show were leaving heartfelt tributes all over TikTok, Instagram, and of course, Locke’s social media feeds. So, it wasn’t too surprising when, soon after he took his seat, a group of Taylor Swift fans started giving him friendship bracelets.
Locke chuckles as he explains, “There were quite a few of them on my arm.” He adds quietly, “I was attempting to remove them discreetly since they were causing poor blood flow.”
Unexpectedly, an overwhelming wave of admiration caught Locke’s visitors off guard that particular night. Although they were aware of his popularity, seeing one enthusiastic fan after another approaching, their faces radiating joy and awe at the chance to interact with Locke? “I wasn’t ready for it,” admits Jac Schaeffer, showrunner of “Agatha All Along”. “It’s evident that he means so much to them because he unapologetically embraces his authentic self.”
Joe Locke is truly unique, standing out from the crowd even before the popular series “Heartstopper.” At 12, he bravely came out to his mother, and at 15, he openly declared his identity more broadly. What sets him apart, though, isn’t just his early coming-out, but his unapologetic embrace of his gay identity. From boldly flipping off homophobic protesters during the 2022 London Pride to using a speech at his hometown Pride event on the Isle of Man to challenge the local government’s ban on gay men donating blood, Joe has been an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ rights.
“Patrick Walters, an executive producer on ‘Heartstopper’, shares that during the production and airing of the series, they’ve witnessed a significant transformation in his life. Remarkably, he still maintains the same authentic character he presented when they initially met,” says Patrick Walters.
Locke’s extraordinary self-assurance is consistently noticeable to his peers. As Kathryn Hahn, the star of “Agatha All Along”, puts it, “It’s almost surprising, how genuine he remains true to himself.” She continues, “I swear, you hardly ever see him show signs of stress. I recall an instance early on when I referred to ‘these witches and this handsome wizard.’ He corrected me then, saying, ‘We’re all witches.’ That detail has stayed with me.”
In real life, Locke carries the distinctive traits of his celebrity in a way that belies his age. Yet, beneath this poise lies a struggle as he navigates the profound impact of sudden fame on his life, pondering its implications for his personal identity.
He’s become more cautious in his words now, more sensitive to how others might view him, which seems to accelerate one’s maturation. However, he’s not a polished PR expert by any means. As we chat over sushi and shishito peppers on a sunny Los Angeles day, Locke expresses himself with the same hesitant, self-reflective tone typical of someone his age who is still figuring out their thoughts.
In the TV series “Agatha All Along,” Locke’s character, who is officially credited simply as “Teen,” remains shrouded in mystery due to Marvel’s usual secrecy about spoilers. However, it has been confirmed by Marvel that Teen is gay, which has sparked intense fan speculation. Many viewers believe Locke might be playing Wiccan, the grown-up son of Wanda Maximoff who was introduced as a child in “WandaVision” alongside Tessa Thompson’s Agatha Harkness. While fan theories can sometimes stray from reality, there aren’t many openly gay teenage boys in the Marvel universe. If Locke is indeed playing Wiccan, he would join Tessa Thompson as one of the few openly LGBTQ actors to portray a queer superhero in the MCU, marking a significant step forward in LGBTQ representation within the franchise.
However, upon my inquiry to Locke, a fan of Marvel films since the tender age of five, regarding the potential for creating a bit of LGBTQ pop-cultural history through this show, his expressive eyes expand even further with anticipation.
“He admits he rarely ponders over it,” he says, visibly nervous. He hesitates, twirling his fork with the peppers. “It’s those kinds of topics that can become overwhelming when you spend too much time considering them.” Suddenly, his face lights up, revealing a wide, radiant grin. “Yet, being part of a Marvel series feels like an unbelievable dream,” he adds, implying it’s almost surreal.
Starting from September 18 with “Agatha All Along” and October 3 for the third season of “Heartstopper”, Locke’s life is set to become even more thrilling – and chaotic. Patti LuPone, one of Locke’s co-stars in “Agatha All Along”, wonders aloud about his current experiences: “Can you envision what he must be going through now?” she ponders. “Consider it. He is part of the Marvel universe, he did a Broadway musical. At his age, I’m not sure how I would have managed. Yet, he’s taking it all in stride and excelling. I don’t believe there’s anything he won’t be able to accomplish.”
A persistent critique of “Heartstopper” is that its exceptionally sweet depiction of LGBTQ teen romance, particularly the relationship between Charlie Spring (Locke) and Nick Nelson (Kit Connor), seems unrealistic to some viewers. This is most evident in a video featuring drag queens Trixie Mattel and Katya, who become overly excited at the scene where Nick reveals he wants to spend time alone with Charlie in a Paris hotel room just kissing. “I can’t handle it anymore!” Trixie exclaims, suggesting that the scene appears more suited for PBS rather than a more typical teen drama setting.
Locke admits that the cast often makes similar jokes, stating, “We’ve made these kinds of jokes many times before.” He explains, “You know, we always joke about how, if it was real, they’d be in the bathroom… yeah.” Laughing, he continues, “The romantic scenes got repetitive. Me and Kit were doing kissing scenes every day. We’d say, ‘Alright, come here — let’s do it.'”
In Season 3, Locke expresses relief that “the series is maturing,” adding that the second half focuses on themes of intimacy. Discovering a fresh aspect of Charlie and Nick’s bond, he remarks that this exploration felt reminiscent of the initial kiss in Season 1. Despite their comfort with each other, he admits that such intimate moments remain exposing and nerve-wracking.
In the first half of Season 3, Locke showed particular eagerness to delve into Charlie’s battles with an eating disorder and self-harm, triggered by severe bullying at school. As stated by “Heartstopper” creator Alice Oseman, who adapted the series from her popular graphic novels, Joe has always held Charlie’s story in high regard. Moreover, Locke was chosen for the role because he was the only actor capable of looking beyond Charlie’s trauma to find his hidden resilience and determination. Most actors who auditioned portrayed him as timid and reserved instead.
Following two consecutive seasons, Locke eagerly looked forward to exploring Charlie’s more challenging aspects and believed he could guide him back safely. “The most demanding parts are often the most enjoyable,” he admits. “What I appreciate about Alice’s writing is her ability to tackle heavy themes, yet always ensuring a positive outcome.”
For Locke, going beyond his limits is now crucial. If Netflix decides to produce a fourth season of “Heartstopper”, Oseman hints that it would be the final one. Therefore, regardless of how things unfold, Locke’s time as Charlie is limited. He’s enjoyed portraying him, but he also recognizes how deeply his identity has merged with Charlie’s – not just as a character, but as a trailblazer in today’s LGBTQ narrative movement.
He admits that it all feels incredibly intense to him, in a positive sense, yet still overwhelming. On certain occasions, he embraces it wholeheartedly, while on other days, he’s hesitant due to apprehensions about the burden and responsibility it might bring.
I tell him that it seems like a lot to put on a person who is just starting out in the world.
“Indeed, there are times when I feel reluctant about portraying a gay character once more,” he expresses. “Often, the roles I’m offered are for LGBTQ+ characters.”
He discussed a film he wouldn’t be able to participate in this summer due to scheduling conflicts. In this movie, he would have portrayed a heterosexual character. However, there’s a voice in his mind that persistently suggests he needs to demonstrate to the industry that he can handle roles beyond those identifying as gay, to prove he’s not just known as “the guy from ‘Heartstopper'” and only capable of one type of role.
As a movie enthusiast, I often ponder over the scarcity of LGBTQ+ representation on screen, wondering if it’s an issue with the film industry itself or perhaps a reflection of my subconscious internalized homophobia. Frankly, I’m not sure.
Up until quite recently, it had typically been the case that out queer actors found themselves indefinitely trapped within the confines of others’ narrow perceptions. Conversely, Locke has been granted entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with “Agatha All Along,” where he portrays a gay character with the depth and complexity he yearns for.
“He mentions that the show boldly portrays his non-traditional sexuality, yet it’s not the sole aspect that defines his character. It’s simply one facet of the multidimensional individual he represents.”
During an interview after the release of “Heartstopper” in 2022, Locke hinted at wanting the role when he casually expressed his dream to portray a queer Marvel superhero. Not long after the article was published, he received his initial call-back for “Agatha All Along.”
“He recalls thinking, ‘Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no. I’ve just blown it with what I said!’ After eight more auditions, Locke eventually secured the role, but discovered that he wouldn’t need to transform into a superhero physique for the part.”
He commented, “Since you landed a role in a Marvel series, it’s expected that you bulk up and become muscular, but here’s the catch: ‘We prefer you to maintain a slender, youthful appearance,’ they told me in a formal, businesslike manner.”
On the filming location, Locke quickly became a favorite among the female ensemble cast of witches, consisting of Aubrey Plaza, Sasheer Zamata, Debra Jo Rupp, along with Hahn and LuPone, to whom he was also a part.
“Schaeffer clarifies that this isn’t about joining a Marvel production,” he explains. “Rather, Joe, who is a prominent figure in the LGBTQ+ community, will be part of an ensemble featuring other notable queer figures.”
Instead of retreating to their trailers during breaks, the women often stayed on set, and much like a young man with pride in his identity, Locke never missed a moment of this camaraderie. “It was like a close-knit family,” he explains. “We’d tease each other, share jokes, have fun, and laugh. Sometimes Patti would play music, and we’d all dance together.”
Whenever we talk about Patti LuPone, Locke pulls out his phone to play a voice message she sent him following his text of their photo. “I adore this picture!” she exclaims, sounding like an affectionate aunt talking about her nephew. “I want this to be my new profile photo – you and me. Oh, Joe, I miss you so much. I love you dearly,” she says, expressing her fondness for him.
“It is a very pretty picture of us,” LuPone tells me later. “It gives me street cred.”
Initially, while they were developing “Agatha All Along,” she found herself fretting over Locke due to his pure-hearted and sincere nature. She believed his sensitivity would be tested in the cutthroat world of show business. In fact, she jokingly suggested he should learn how to behave like a diva.
However, on one occasion, filming extended past its scheduled end, and LuPone observed as Locke was requested to shorten his break – a 12-hour rest period mandated between shooting days. This was proposed to begin early the next morning in order to compensate for the lost time. Locke consented, but then he stipulated, “This will not occur again.”
“When I was 19,” LuPone recalls, “I probably would have replied with a passive ‘Sure, sure, whatever’ only to harbor resentment later. Instead, I looked at him and retorted, ‘You don’t require any acting lessons!’, which was quite remarkable.”
“Locke clearly values his sleep, as shown by his unapologetic stance on setting boundaries,” he expresses, making it clear that this is something significant to him. “Those who have collaborated with him would attest to its importance.”
Locke anticipates a variety of online responses towards his character in “Agatha All Along,” following the release of trailers which stirred controversy, including dissent among LGBTQ fans. He expresses frustration, stating, “‘Oh, why has Marvel created this stereotypical campy gay character?'” He then explains his dismay, saying, “It’s infuriating because people demand authentic casting and then get upset when a character is portrayed in an overtly gay manner.” He nonchalantly adds, “I’ve learned to navigate other people’s expectations.” Acknowledging the Marvel fanbase as less tolerant than that of “Heartstopper,” he expects backlash, stating, “There will be many who dislike everything about my character and my portrayal of it, and I just need to accept that.”
His eyes sparkle mischievously. “Fans of Marvel often share their views freely. Yet, they’re not part of the Marvel productions, so—” He lets out a playful raspberry. “I’m doing what they secretly wish they could be doing. My apologies!”
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2024-08-27 22:19