Heartstopper star Kit Connor on coming out: ‘I would have preferred to do it another way’

Star of Netflix drama ‘Heartstopper’ criticised people for ‘forcing’ him to come out as bisexual in November, after he was accused of queerbaiting

Kit Connor has spoken out on the experience of coming out as bisexual on social media after intense fan speculation about his sexuality.

The actor, 19, shot to fame after his starring role in Heartstopper, Netflix’s romantic drama series that follows the blossoming relationship of two teenage boys.

Connor plays Nick Nelson, a star rugby player who begins to question his sexuality when he meets and befriends Charlie Spring (Joe Locke). His character later comes out as bisexual.

In November, Connor announced that he is also bisexual following accusations of “queerbaiting” – depicting LGBT+ identity and solidarity in media for positive attention or financial gain, without following through in reality.

At the time, he admonished people for “forcing an-18-year-old to out himself”. Yet, in a new interview with British Vogue, the Netflix star expressed a less clear-cut view of the situation.

On his previous thoughts about the narrative of bisexual people, he said: “It’s the experience of maybe you’re too straight to be gay and you’re too gay to be straight. So it’s like, ‘Where do I sit?’ But I feel much more secure in myself now.”

Despite becoming more grounded in his identity privately, Connor told the publication that he still had some difficulty dealing with the public interest that surrounded his sexuality.

“I just felt like it wasn’t something I was ready to talk about,” he said in the conversation, published on Tuesday (4 July). “I wasn’t angry. I was just slightly disappointed by this reaction.”

Kit Connor (Getty Images)

He continued: “I think there’s almost a feeling that because I’d been in the industry for a little while, there was almost this understanding that it’s like, ‘Oh, well, he can take it.’”

When asked whether he ultimately felt “forced into” coming out as a result, Connor replied: “I think ‘forced’ isn’t the right word I would use, but I would say that I would have preferred to do it another way.

“I also don’t know if I would have ever done it. But at the end of the day I don’t regret it. In many ways, it was really empowering.”

Since Connor’s announcement of his bisexuality, his co-stars have shared messages of support and encouragement.

Olivia Colman, who plays the mother of Connor’s character in the show, criticised those who “bullied” him into speaking about it, and added: “I think people should be allowed to have their own journey. But I’m incredibly proud of him as a young man to deal with all of that and be in the spotlight. It’s unfair. But he’s amazing. He’s a very beautiful human being.”

Heartstopper season two will stream on Netflix from 3 August.