Package Connor Tweets He Is Bisexual

Olivia Colman is letting her onscreen son know simply how proud she is of him. On Dec. 1, the Oscar winner advised Selection simply how a lot she admired her “Heartstopper” costar Package Connor after he was bullied into popping out as bisexual on social media.

“I’m so pleased with him, however I’m not pleased with how individuals bullied him,” Colman mentioned. “I believe individuals needs to be allowed to have their very own journey. However I am extremely pleased with him as a younger man to take care of all of that and be within the highlight. It is unfair, however he is wonderful. He is a really lovely human being.”

Connor is greatest recognized for enjoying Nick on the LGBTQ+ Netflix rom-com “Heartstopper,” which follows teenagers as they navigate their manner by college, their emotions, and their sexualities. Whereas the collection itself spotlights LGBTQ+ characters in a superbly genuine manner — giving a lot of them ample area to come back out in their very own time — the compassionate messaging behind the present seems to have been misplaced on many, as evidenced by what Connor went by with a number of the present’s viewers.

On Oct. 31, The “Rocketman” star wrote a tweet saying he’s bisexual, however he added that he felt compelled to come back out after being harassed by followers. The actor wrote, “again for a minute. i am bi. congrats for forcing an 18 12 months previous to out himself. i believe a few of you missed the purpose of the present. bye.”

Moments after Connor’s tweet, supportive feedback flooded his timeline, each with love for the star and anger on the circumstances below which he felt he needed to make the announcement. “Heartstopper” author Alice Oseman responded by tweeting, “I actually do not perceive how individuals can watch Heartstopper after which gleefully spend their time speculating about sexualities and judging primarily based on stereotypes. I hope all these persons are embarrassed as F*CK. Package you might be wonderful 💖.”

Joe Locke, his “Heartstopper” castmate who performs Charlie, replied by tweeting, “You owe nothing to anybody. I am so pleased with you my pal 💕.” Kizzy Edgell, who performs Darcy Olsson, tweeted, “love u equipment im sorry this has been so disgustingly tough on you. been handled so unfairly,” whereas costar Sebastian Croft, who performs Ben Hope, wrote, “Package Connor, the world does not deserve you. Love you my pal ❤️.”

The toxicity that prompted Connor’s tweet was largely attributable to him being accused of queerbaiting by followers following footage of him holding fingers together with his costar in “A Cuban Woman’s Information to Tea and Tomorrow,” queer actress Maia Reficco. Resulting from troubling feedback directed on the actor, he give up Twitter in September, writing, “This can be a foolish foolish app. bit bored of it now, deleting twitter :),” but he made a fleeting return to set the report straight.

Connor had additionally beforehand spoken about pointless hypothesis surrounding his sexuality and his unease at being labeled. “To start out kind of speculating about our sexualities and possibly pressuring us to come back out when possibly we’re not prepared. For me, I simply really feel completely assured and comfy with my sexuality,” he mentioned on the “Reign With Josh Smith” podcast in Could. “However I do not really feel the necessity to actually, you understand — I am not too huge on labels and issues like that. I am not large about that.”

Many followers have been fast to reply to Connor’s tweet and voice their frustration. “Studying tweets like that is heartbreaking . . . particularly when Heartstopper taught so many individuals all over the world the true worth of somebody’s private popping out story. I am so sorry you had this second taken away from you Package, however let’s hope individuals will study from it!” one wrote. One other tweeted, “I am so disillusioned on this fandom.”

Connor himself summed up the weird phenomenon of judging, labeling, and making unwarranted theories of these within the public eye. “It feels a bit unusual to make assumptions about an individual’s sexuality simply primarily based on listening to their voice or seeing their look. I really feel like that is a really fascinating, barely problematic kind of assumption to make,” he mentioned.

But once more, we’re reminded that celebrities are human, too; followers aren’t entitled to the whole lot. Nobody ought to really feel pressured to publicly announce their sexuality earlier than they’re snug in doing or saying so — particularly a youngster.