Break out the rainbow confetti, because Heartstopper’s Joe Locke has officially won an Emmy! That’s right, the 22-year-old actor who makes us swoon as the ever-adorable Charlie Spring just bagged the Outstanding Lead Performer in a Preschool, Children’s or Young Teen Program award at the 2023 Children’s and Family Emmy Awards on March 2nd. We knew Charlie’s awkward sweetness would pay off one day!
In a twist that’s straight out of a Heartstopper storyline, Locke beat out his own co-star, Kit Connor, along with heavyweights like Lisa Kudrow, Jude Law, and David Schwimmer (yes, The One with the Emmy Nominee). It’s official: Heartstopper is now officially not just our favorite teen drama, but an award-winning sensation. And who says you can’t have both heart AND talent?
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Locke’s Charlie Spring: A Role That Gives Us All the Feels
If you’ve watched Heartstopper (and really, who hasn’t?), you know that Locke’s portrayal of Charlie is nothing short of magic. It’s hard to imagine anyone else capturing Charlie’s gentle vulnerability, emotional depth, and perfect awkwardness quite like Joe. From his journey through mental health struggles to his heartwarming romance with Nick, Locke made us laugh, cry, and wish we could steal his wardrobe. Seriously, where do we get those cozy sweaters?
But hey, Locke didn’t go home with the trophy alone. Heartstopper was also nominated for three other Emmys, including Outstanding Young Teen Series, Outstanding Writing for a Young Teen Series, and Outstanding Directing for a Live Action Series. The cherry on top? The show won the award for Outstanding Writing for a Young Teen Series, thanks to the tear-jerking episode “Journey,” where Charlie faces his struggles with anorexia and OCD. If you didn’t bawl like a baby, are you even human?
And let’s not forget the genius behind it all—Alice Oseman. The mastermind who created Heartstopper (both the graphic novels and the Netflix series) was there to collect the Emmy for writing, looking absolutely radiant while clutching her shiny new award. A perfect moment for a creator whose work is changing lives one episode at a time.
What’s Next for Charlie and Nick? (Cue the Tears)
Hold on to your tissues, because Heartstopper isn’t done yet. In fact, the series is wrapping up with a movie, Heartstopper Forever, set to hit Netflix this summer. In this final chapter, Charlie and Nick are facing the ultimate test: long-distance love. As Nick heads off to university, will their relationship survive the miles between them? If we’ve learned anything from this show, it’s that we’re going to need a lot of Kleenex, and probably a glass of wine (or two).
And for those of us who can’t get enough, Heartstopper Volume Six—the grand finale of Nick and Charlie’s love story—will be released on July 2nd. Start preparing your heart for the emotional rollercoaster that’s about to unfold. You’ve been warned.
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For now, though, let’s just bask in Joe Locke’s win—because Heartstopper isn’t just an Emmy-worthy show, it’s a movement. A movement that proves love is love, and that sometimes, the sweetest love stories come with a side of awards.
the 2026 emmys aren’t until this fall
THE EMMYs, yes, but if you read the first paragraph of the post:
That’s right, the 22-year-old actor who makes us swoon as the ever-adorable Charlie Spring just bagged the Outstanding Lead Performer in a Preschool, Children’s or Young Teen Program award at the 2023 Children’s and Family Emmy Awards on March 2nd.