The Manx-born actor Joe Locke is amongst the few who get TV screen success with their debut at a young age. The teen actor became a sensation overnight after landing as the main cast, Charlie Spring in the Netflix series Heartstopper (2022).
In fact, it was the first-ever TV role of Locke- not to mention, he pocked it ahead of 10,000 teens who auditioned for the cast of Charlie, a gay schoolboy. Well-portrayed character, real-like acting, and fabulous direction made it an instant hit.
Aside from a well-represented LGBTQ topic, what made Heartstopper earned positive reviews was its showcase of teen boys’ love journey, growing up as queer.
How Old Is ‘Heartstopper’ Actor Joe Locke? More On Early Life!
Locke was born on September 24, 2003, in Douglas, Isle of Man, a self-governing British Crown Dependency. His birth name is Joseph William Locke.
As of early 2022, Joe Locke is 18 years old and stands 5 feet 11 inches tall.
Joe often mentions his mom on many occasions, who is undoubtedly his best supporter. His mother’s name is Helen Locke, whom he featured in an Instagram post of October 2021 celebrating his 18th birthday.
As reported, his mother Helen is re-married and lives with her current husband Stephen Campbell. The latter has a son named Dylan Goldie (Joe’s brother). However, the detail of the actor’s biological father remains under wraps.
During an interview with 1883 Magazine, the Manx actor confirmed that at one point, Locke made his mom ‘sign him up for 5 different acting lessons at once.’
On-Screen Debut and Breakthrough From ‘Heartstopper’- What Role Locke Played?
The hard work and determination for an acting career paid him off after Joe became the major cast, Charlie Spring, in Heartstopper (2022). The Netflix series premiered on April 22, 2022. Subsequently, it earned a positive rating averaging 8.7/10 on Rotten Tomatoes.
It is a coming-of-age British drama that acknowledges the LGBTQ community and showcases the life of teen queer boys growing up.
The story revolves around gay schoolboy Charlie and his dealings with bullies after he opens up his sexuality. Moreover, the story follows his affection & friendship-turned-more relationship with his classmate Nick Nelson (actor Kit Connor).
In the series, the actress Olivia Colman portrays Nick’s mother Sarah Nelson. Also, many other young figures appeared in the show- William Gao, Yasmin Finney, Corinna Brown, Kizzy Edgell, and Sebastian Croft.
Earned The Role In An Open Audition
As per an interview with Behind the Blinds, Joe Locke got the role of Charlie Spring through an open audition. He read Alice Oseman’s novel Heartstopper and found his interest in the character and aimed to depict the positives of growing up as a queer person.
Later, he got a recall for the audition in London and left behind 10,000 teens earning the role.
And reportedly, upon return, he had to quarantine for 2 weeks in the Isle of Man (his home country) due to safety protocols for COVID. As a result, he Facetime his mother to share the news.
Check out the video: Locke talks about his audition and character in ‘Heartstopper’!
Will There Be Season 2 Of ‘Heartstopper’?
Not yet actually. As of May 2022, there is no confirmation for the second season of Heartstopper. But depending upon the hype of its demand for next season, it could be more than the 8-episode show.
Is Joe Locke Really Gay? Relationship Status and Dating History
Locke gained career height instantly after working in the Netflix series ‘Heartstopper’. Currently, in his late teens, the Manx actor’s portrayal of the gay character Charlie Spring raised curiosity among fans, about if he is gay in real life too.
In the coming-of-age romance series, Ben Hope (actor Sebastian Croft) played the ex-boyfriend of Joe’s character Charlie. Not long afterward, there would be off-screen dating rumors of Joe and Sebastian Croft- you may know Croft as young Ned Stark in Game of Thrones.
Though, Joe is yet to officially confirm those fan-made allegations.
Moreover, Locke never had any records of relationships or dating stories beforehand. Allegedly, he is single at the moment.
No wonder, fans are keeping sharp eyes on his personal life disclosure, fingers crossed!!
Is He Active on Instagram?
Yes, in fact, he has more than 3.3 followers on his Instagram (@joelocke03) in 2022. Reportedly, Joe had around 1K followers at the time of the ‘Heartstopper’ casting announcement in 2021, which significantly grew from 15K to 188K even before the show premiered.
His Twitter account @joelocke03 (joined in March 2020) amasses over 845.5K followers. Also, the actor is active on TikTok (@joelocke03) as well with over 3.4 million followers.
Net Worth Of Joe Locke- Was Into Theaters Before TV Screen
As of 2022, Joe Locke owns an estimated net worth of $100,000. All these notably came through the series ‘Heartstopper’, earning him a salary in the probable 5-digit figure per episode.
Before pocketing the role in the Netflix series, the young star worked in stage productions that polished his acting proficiency.
The Ballakermeen High School attendant started auditioning for amateur theaters by the age of 6 (around 2009). And by 2020 (17-year-old), he was working in National Theatre Connections, Gaiety Theatre, and Kensington Art Centre’s youth group.
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