As a gamer who’s been around for more than a couple of console generations, it’s always heartening to see young talents like Kit Connor embracing and championing queer representation in media. Growing up, I remember the profound impact shows like Modern Family had on me – seeing a gay couple on TV for the first time was an incredibly validating experience. It might’ve been slightly stereotypical at times, but it showed love in all its forms, and that’s what mattered most.
It’s worth mentioning another reason to admire Kit Connor even more, as the Heartstopper star recently revealed in an interview with MTV UK one of his favorite shows that resonated deeply with him during his younger years. It’s clear he has a keen eye for excellent television programming.
In an interview for promotion purposes, Connor and his Heartstopper co-star Joe Locke discussed the upcoming third season of their widely appreciated, Emmy Award-winning Netflix series. They shared insights about some mature themes that will be explored in the new season for the characters Nick and Charlie.
Kit Connor is a Modern Family fan
The program serves as a significant symbol of queer representation for today’s young adults who are growing up. Back then, when Connor was younger, he used to watch Modern Family on TV and it was his first encounter with a gay couple on screen.
The first time I feel like I really remember seeing, like, a gay couple on TV was Modern Family, which I love. You know, at times it’s sort of maybe slightly stereotypical, but it was really just two people who loved each other.
Isn’t everyone captivated by “Modern Family”?! This ABC sitcom concluded after 11 seasons in 2020, yet its charm persists as more viewers stumble upon it through streaming services. The show first aired in September 2009, making the character Connor, who was born in March 2004, slightly over five years old at that time. By the end of the series, the actor portraying Connor had turned 16.
Observing such a portrayal in a popular multi-Emmy-winning TV series, although it might occasionally fall into stereotypes as Connor points out, can be incredibly influential for impressionable young viewers. Similar to the show Heartstopper, media has the power to reflect aspects of oneself back to people and potentially broaden their perspective on life.
During an interview with the queer media platform Pink News, Locke shared a heartfelt response to a question regarding a significant moment within the LGBTQ+ community that boosted his self-confidence. His answer underscored the importance of LGBTQ+ rights.
I think we were, like, just around 10 [years old] when gay marriage was legalized, and so, I don’t know, it’s weird living in a world now where rights seem to be taken away, but it was great to be able to grow up when those rights were actually being given whereas now, it feels like a scary time.
In that interview, Connor additionally shared that “Heartstopper” played a crucial role in his self-understanding as part of the queer media. As it so happens, Connor portrays the character Nick Nelson who is bisexual, and following years of unjustified scrutiny online, the actor openly declared his own bisexuality in 2022.
Heartstopper carries on with crucial discussions about sexuality, gender identity, mental health, and other underrepresented themes usually not explored extensively on television. In the third season alone, the show delved into asexuality and aromanticism, transphobia, non-binary identities, clarifying sex in queer relationships, and numerous other essential realities that can make a significant difference in many lives.
Connor, Locke, and the characters from Heartstopper will keep shining bright for young members of the LGBTQ+ community. Pink News wondered which well-known queer actor they’d like to see on the show after Jonathan Bailey, and Connor suggested Andrew Scott right away! Yes, we hope he appears in a potential fourth season of Heartstopper. Since Andrew Scott has worked with Netflix already, it would be fantastic if he joined the cast!
Couldn’t it be possible that if Modern Family comes back with a revival series or movie, we might see Kit Connor reappear and contribute more LGBTQ+ representation to the show’s audience? Let’s start an informal movement to bring Kit Connor into the world of the Pritchett-Dunphy-Tucker family!
Watch Heartstopper only on Netflix.
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2024-10-03 21:03