Why You Should Be Obsessing Over Heartstopper Too

This is actually just an Alice Oseman fan page and I've tricked you all.

Alice Oseman, author of Heartstopper, illustrator, screenwriter, creator of all good things in the world, is a gift to us all and I intend on telling you why.

Beyond the romance of it all (which makes me want to become one with the floor in a puddle of tears), Alice shows us what true, genuine, unconditional friendship can look like. That kind of bond, that type of care in relationships, is so evident it practically jumps off the page (and screen) and grabs you by the heart. One could even say that it is a real heart stoppe- (I'll quit while I'm ahead).

In seriousness, Alice has given us something so special, and we should thank her for it. Come on, on the count of three,

*1, 2, 3*... Thank you Aliceeee.

WHAT IS HEARTSTOPPER?

Oh my gosh, I'm so underprepared. I didn't think you would ask. I really wasn't intending on talking about it. Only because you brought it up, I'll get into it.

Heartstopper begins with Charlie Spring. (if we're getting technical, the Heartstopper universe began with Tori Spring, Charlies older sister, nearly a decade ago and the development of Charlies story came to follow) Charlie is an openly gay high school student who develops a crush on the human embodiment of a golden retriever, Nick Nelson. There is nothing Charlie doesn't think about deeply, and if it was up to him everyone and everything would be perfect. But they aren't, and it's not, and he fights an internal war trying to come to terms with that. He is surrounded by a lovely group of friends, a selection of understanding teachers, and a supportive family, but we learn that isn't always enough to block all negativity from seeping in.

Enter: Nick Nelson. He is quite the rugby star who crosses paths with Charlie by being in the same form as him. (I did not grow up in the British education system... believe et ohr noht... so please do not ask me what a form is) Nick is a year older than Charlie, and he is on a self-discovery journey after realizing he would prefer throwing Charlie around over a rugby ball. That was out of pocket, and such false advertisement because that is NOT what kind of story this is. Nick is a book boyfriend personified, deserving the upmost praise for his communication skills, soft-heartedness, and courage. He is not only conscious of his own feelings, but he has extreme empathy towards others as well. He might end up being exactly the type of person Charlie needs to lean on.

What is so beautiful about their connection is how pivotal they become in each other's personal growth journeys. They are exactly what the other deserves. In different ways, we get to see how they make each other feel seen, understood, and safe. Nothing is ever perfect, but just maybe Nick and Charlie are?

THE CAST

I am severely attached to the cast of Heartstopper. Is it unhealthy, or the appropriate amount of appreciation? Let's not answer that because I prefer to remain in my state of delusion for as long as humanly possible.

Cast (left to right): Rhea Norwood, Cormac Hyde-Corrin, Tobie Donovan, Joe Locke, Corinna Brown, Yasmin Finney, Sebastian Croft, Kizzy Edgell, Kit Connor, and William Gao. (Not pictured: everyone's honorary mom: Olivia Colman)

What is so cool about this cast (besides the fact they are beautiful human beings) is that for the majority of them, this is their debut acting role! Alice Oseman (you thought I was done bringing her up?) called for an open casting for Heartstopper in early 2021, which was super exciting because this meant anyone (and I mean anyone) could audition for Heartstopper roles. No agent or acting experience required; they were in search for real kids who felt passionately about these characters and believed they had the heart to bring them to life.

Equally as cool, and absolutely worth mentioning, they were also in search of cast made up of gay, lesbian, bi and trans characters for the Heartstopper Netflix adaptation. By seeking (and prioritizing) such level of representation, this show and these characters are able to speak to such a vast audience. Providing people with main characters they can relate to, or creating a character people can learn from and develop empathy for, is extraordinarily powerful and valuable.

Side note: I could go down a severe rabbit hole with my in-depth appreciation for the actors themselves, but I will save that for a future blog perhaps.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I don't want to reveal much more, because you need to experience all of the feels yourself. So, to finish up here I want to do a little wrap around back to Alice Oseman. I warned you from the beginning this was a trap, and I hope I have been efficient in converting you all into Alice Oseman fans. I had no intention (I mean, not even a smidgen of intent) of holding back my appreciation for her.

I find it so fascinating that she has built such an extensive and elaborate world around these characters over the years. I don't think I will ever get tired of exploring the infinite traits and nuances about any character Alice Oseman decides to create. By now it is clear that she is a mastermind of giving us a beautiful love story without glossing over the very real darkness that comes along with being a teen, being in school, being queer, and simply just living in general. There is something intangibly wonderful about the way she doesn't back away from letting her characters experience hardship. It elevates this from just being a cute story, to a real one.

It is so clear that this is a passion project, every last detail is procured with such care and attention. Alice dreamt up these characters, played their life out in graphic novels, and now we get the pleasure of seeing them come to life in such a beautiful way on screen. I cannot begin to imagine the effort it took to bring this project to life, and it would feel like an injustice if I didn't dissect *everything* I love about it and create an entire blog about it. Heartstopper is heartfelt, heartbreaking, heartwarming, and yes, I will go as far as saying it is heart stopping.