Love may be in the air for two teen boys in the teaser for Netflix’s hotly anticipated coming-of-age series “Heartstopper.”
Based on Alice Oseman’s graphic novel, “Heartstopper” follows Charlie Spring (Joe Locke), who is lovelorn after a recent relationship implodes. In the halls of his British secondary school, the bookish Charlie meets Nick Nelson (Kit Connor), who is more at home on the athletic field than he is in the classroom.
Eventually, Nick gets a reluctant Charlie to join the rugby team, after which Charlie finds himself falling hard for his new pal, who has given no clear indication of his sexuality. Together, the two find themselves navigating an ever-relatable journey of self-acceptance, offering moral support to one another as they learn to discover their most authentic selves.
Watch the teaser for “Heartstopper” below.
Oseman initially created “Heartstopper” as a Tumblr web comic in 2016. Two years later, she released the first “Heartstopper” graphic novel in print, and since then, she’s continued Charlie and Nick’s story across three additional volumes.
The author has said she based much of “Heartstopper” on her own experience growing up in small-town England. She originally envisioned the story as a traditional novel but, in the end, decided that a graphic novel and the “long, ongoing, episodic journey” it provided was more suitable.
Oseman expressed her approval of Netflix’s casting choices last year.
“Nick and Charlie ... are two of my most beloved characters, so I was slightly apprehensive about the casting search,” she said. “But I am so happy and excited that we’ve cast Kit and Joe. They’re both so talented, sweet, funny, and smart, and so perfect.”
Executive producer Patrick Walters agreed, describing “Heartstopper” as a “show that celebrates individuality, promotes acceptance and above all puts a smile on your face.”
“This cast does exactly that, bringing heart, humor and complexity to their roles,” he told Deadline.
“Heartstopper” debuts on Netflix on April 22.