Heartstopper season 2 has begun filming, with three new cast members on hand. The British LGBTQ+ teen series, which was adapted by Alice Oseman from her own popular graphic novel series of the same name, premiered on Netflix on April 22, 2022. The show followed the burgeoning romance between Charlie Spring (Joe Locke), a bullied gay teen, and Nick Nelson (Kit Connor), a rugby lad who shares a desk with him at school and comes to realize he may not be as straight as he thought he was. The show boasts an ensemble cast that also includes William Gao as Charlie's jealous friend Tao, Yasmin Finney as their mutual friend and Tao's love interest Elle, Stephen Fry as the voice of Headmaster Barnes, and Olivia Colman as Nick's mom.
The show became a considerable word-of-mouth hit for the streaming platform, appealing to LGBTQ+ viewers and allies alike and staying on the Top 10 charts for at least a month in most of Netflix's many territories. It was also well received critically, earning a 100% critic score and a 97% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes in a rare moment of across-the-board enthusiasm. It is perhaps unsurprising that Netflix broke their traditional renewal process, confirming in May 2022 that Heartstopper would be returning for both season 2 and season 3. If the release pattern remains consistent, the upcoming season 2 will be covering the contents of the graphic novel's volumes 3 and 4.
Per Variety, Heartstopper season 2 filming has commenced in the United Kingdom. They have also added three new cast members to the series playing characters from the comics. Jack Barton will play Nick’s older brother David, alongside Nima Taleghani as teacher Mr. Farouk and Leila Khan as Higgs Girls School student Sahar Zahid. Bradley Riches, who appeared as an unspecified character in season 1, has also been given a name - James McEwan - and a more prominent role, one that is original to the series.
Khan will be making her debut with Heartstopper, and Riches currently has no credits other than his one episode from season 1. However, fans may recognize the other two cast members being added this season. Taleghani, a theatrical actor who has appeared in the Royal Shakespeare Company's Romeo and Juliet and The Merry Wives of Windsor, has also held roles in the 2019 sports drama 90 Minutes and the heist miniseries Hatton Garden. Also, Barton has a relationship with Netflix, having appeared in their series The Letter for the King, but he has also held roles in Grantchester and Epix's War of the Worlds series opposite Daisy Edgar-Jones and Gabriel Byrne.
Although it took some time for Heartstopper season 2 to get started, this update should delight fans of the series. It seems like the series could be on track for another spring release next year, though it's possible they may take a couple extra months in post-production and perhaps aim for a summer debut. In the meantime, behind-the-scenes photos are sure to drop soon, giving folks a glimpse into what this new season and the updated cast may look like.
Source: Variety