In Heartstopper Season 2, things are looking up for Charlie (Joe Locke) and his pals. Charlie and his crush Nick (Kit Connor) are finally boyfriends and, as the trailer reveals, their world is getting a little bit bigger. This coming of age story comes with a lot of big feelings, and plenty of queer joy. Here’s everything you need to know.
Kit Connor as Nick Nelson
NICK
Nick appears to be, as Elle says, “the straightest person.” But there’s far more to Nick than others assume. When he meets Charlie, Nick starts feeling things he doesn’t understand.
In Season 2, Nick must figure out what it means to him to be bisexual as he falls hard for boyfriend Charlie. Throughout the series, Nick invests in friendships with Charlie’s BFFs, like Tao and Elle — while also trying to maintain his prior athletic connections.
Kit Connor is one of Heartstopper’s most seasoned young actors. He got his first on-screen credit in 2013 in an episode of Chickens and has since appeared in many TV shows and movies, including The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Rocketman and, most recently, His Dark Materials.
Joe Locke as Charlie Spring
CHARLIE
After being publicly outed and bullied by his classmates, Charlie enters Heartstopper Season 1 determined to keep his head down and focus on his friends Tao (William Gao), Isaac (Tobie Donovan), and Elle (Yasmin Finney).
But when Charlie meets Nick, a popular older boy who plays rugby, his crush is simply too big to ignore. Thankfully, Charlie also makes Nick’s heart stop. In Season 2, Charlie finds out what life looks like with a boyfriend of his own — and the complications that can come from a heady relationship.
Manx actor Joe Locke makes his on-screen debut in Heartstopper.
William Gao as Tao Xu
TAO
Tao is the “token straight friend” in Heartstopper and part of Charlie’s support system at school. Tao is protective of Charlie and very skeptical of Nick (but soon grows to accept the rugby star). He’s also struggling to adjust to attending school without Elle by his side. While Tao swears he simply wants to keep his friend group together, could his interest in Elle be more than platonic?
Actor William Gao is making his on-screen debut as Tao, but he’s not new to the art of performing. Gao has worked with the UK’s National Youth Theatre, an organization whose alums include Helen Mirren, Daniel Craig, and Chiwetel Ejiofor. And as a musician, he’s released an EP with his band, Wasia Project.
Yasmin Finney as Elle Argent
ELLE
In Heartstopper Season 1, Elle enters Higgs as the new girl — and without her longtime pals back at Truham. But she soon finds her footing, becoming close friends with Tara (Corinna Brown) and Darcy (Kizzy Edgell). Throughout the series, Elle deals with her intensifying feelings for her best friend Tao.
Yasmin Finney is a model and popular TikToker. She earned more than 1.7 million followers by posting beauty tutorials, dance challenges and more personal videos about what it’s like growing up trans in Manchester. Heartstopper is her first on-screen role.
Corinna Brown as Tara Jones
TARA
On the surface, Tara is a popular girl without a care in the world. But in Heartstopper Season 1, we learn she’s dealing with her own coming out journey. In Season 2, Tara continues her growing relationship with quippy girlfriend Darcy.
Young British actor Corinna Brown made her on-screen debut in BBC’s 2012 TV movie My Murder, which starred John Boyega. In addition to acting, Brown, a University of Essex graduate, is a singer and practices aerial arts.
Kizzy Edgell as Darcy Olsson
DARCY
Darcy, Tara’s love interest, quickly latches onto Elle and helps her feel welcome at her new school. Darcy doesn’t care what people think about her, and she’ll do anything for her friends.
Heartstopper marks Kizzy Edgell’s on-screen debut.
Tobie Donovan as Isaac Henderson
ISAAC
Isaac is the fourth member of Charlie’s close friend group. He’s always there for his friends and is careful not to take sides when Tao and Charlie butt heads. Affable and a great secret keeper, Isaac can rarely be found without his head in a book.
This is actor Tobie Donovan’s first on-screen role.
Jenny Walser as Tori Spring
TORI
Like many Heartstopper characters, Tori has layers. At first glance, she appears to be the moody and goth half of the Spring sibling duo. But Charlie’s big sister is also someone who loves fiercely — especially when it comes to her brother. Tori is observant and wants the best for her family.
Besides Heartstopper, Walser has also appeared in Call the Midwife.
Sebastian Croft as Ben Hope
BEN
Like all the other kids, Ben is struggling to understand his identity. The only problem is that he takes his insecurities out on others. Prior to Heartstopper Season 1, Ben hooked up up with Charlie in secret while ignoring him in public. Charlie’s self esteem and mental health suffered due to the hidden relationship. Despite Ben’s popularity, Charlie’s loved ones (including Nick) have a hard time forgiving his behavior.
Sebastian Croft is one of the more experienced young actors on the series, having started his on-screen career in 2014 in Idina Menzel’s “Baby It’s Cold Outside” music video. He also played a young Ned Stark in two episodes of Game of Thrones in 2016 and had a guest arc on Penny Dreadful. Croft was a voice actor in Love, Death & Robots Season 2. He also appeared on an episode of Doom Patrol.
Cormac Hyde-Corrin as Harry Greene
HARRY
Harry isn’t exactly the most thoughtful boy at Truham. In Season 1, he bullies Charlie and deploys “jokes” to hurt the people around him. In Episode 7, Harry even uses a homophobic slur, inciting a fistfight with Nick. Can Harry make amends and learn from his traumatizing mistakes in Season 2?
Heartstopper is Hyde-Corrin’s first role.
Rhea Norwood as Imogen Heaney
IMOGEN
Charlie isn’t the only person who enters Heartstopper crushing on Nick. There’s also Imogen, a friendly Higgs girl who loves hanging out with Truham boys before school. In Season 1, Imogen accepts Nick’s romantic disinterest and they commit to a sweet friendship, which builds in Season 2.
Rhea Norwood makes her on-screen debut in Heartstopper.
Fisayo Akinade as Mr. Ajayi
MR. AJAYI
Mr. Ajayi, Truham’s art teacher, used to let Charlie eat lunch in his room to avoid bullies, and he’s been one of Charlie’s only faculty allies since he was outed. Ajayi wants the best for Charlie, even if that means getting him to enjoy meals with his own peers.
Fisayo Akinade is an accomplished theater and screen actor. He has appeared in The Personal History of David Copperfield and an adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, opposite The Crown’s Josh O’Connor and The Lost Daughter’s Jessie Buckley.
Chetna Pandya as Coach Singh
While Mr. Ajayi is Charlie’s favorite teacher, Coach Singh becomes another one of his Truham mentors. She also gives valuable advice to Nick.
Pandya has appeared in Feel Good, The A List, and the premiere episode of Black Mirror.
Olivia Colman as Sarah Nelson
SARAH NELSON
It’s impossible not to love Nick’s mom Sarah. In the Season 1 finale, Nick has a heart-to-heart with his mother where he comes out as bisexual and reveals his feelings for Charlie. Ever the great mom, Sarah accepts her son for who he is. She returns to steal more hearts in Season 2.
Colman won her Best Actress Oscar in 2019 for leading the royal black comedy The Favourite. In 2021, she took home an Emmy for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth in The Crown. Colman has also appeared in The Lost Daughter, Watership Down, and Fleabag.
Bel Priestley as Naomi
NAOMI
Meet one of Elle’s new friends in Season 2. Like Elle, Naomi is also passionate about art.
Ash Self as Felix
Felix is another one of Elle’s new creative friends.
This is Self’s first on-screen role.
Thibault De Montalembert as Stephane
STEPHANE
Prepare to welcome a new member of the Nelson family to the table. Stephane is Nick’s mysterious father.
De Montalembert, a French actor, starred in Oscar-winner All Quiet on the Western Front, the French comedy Call My Agent!, and the action thriller AKA.
Jack Barton as David
DAVID
Not only is Nick’s father joining the Heartstopper fun — so is his older brother David.
Barton previously appeared in the young adult fantasy drama The Letter for the King and the sci-fi series War of the Worlds.
Leila Khan as Sahar
SAHAR
It’s time to say “Hi” to a new Higgs friend: Sahar.
Khan won her Season 2 part following a nation-wide open casting call in the UK. Heartstopper is her first professional acting role.
Nima Taleghani as Mr. Farouk
MR. FAROUK
As the lives of your favorite Heartstopper kids grow, so does their school work. Mr. Farouk is a Truham teacher you’ll meet in Season 2.
While Heartstopper is Taleghani’s first Netflix project, he has enjoyed a long theater career. He appeared in Royal Shakespeare Company: The Merry Wives of Windsor, National Theater Live: Cyrano de Bergerac, and Royal Shakespeare Company Live: Romeo and Juliet.
Bradley Riches as James
JAMES
Riches pops up in Heartstopper Season 1 as an unnammed Truham student. In Season 2, he’ll step into the limelight as James, a Truham boy who enters the orbit of Charlie’s friend group.
Heartstopper is Riches’ first series.
Alan Turkington as Mr. Lange
We technically have Mr. Lange to thank for Charlie and Nick’s love story. The Truham teacher is the one who paired the lovebirds up during morning form.
Turkington has appeared in movies like The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and Mary Queen of Scots, and also series, including Hollyoaks and Mrs. Wilson.
