Hold onto your rainbow-colored hats, folks – Joe Locke has a wild new career ambition, and it’s worlds away from the sweet, sensitive Charlie Spring we know and love from Heartstopper. Yes, the actor whose smile can melt icebergs is now manifesting a very different kind of role: he wants to play a “really macho straight man” in an action film. We’re talking big muscles, tough guy stances, and probably some slow-motion fight scenes. But not James Bond. Definitely not James Bond.
In a conversation with Dylan Mulvaney, the transgender actress and author who’s been killing it on her new podcast, The Dylan Hour, Locke confessed he’s already taking the first step toward his new, shredded destiny: working out with a personal trainer. Mulvaney, of course, couldn’t resist jumping in with a Bond comparison. But Locke was quick to shut it down with the enthusiasm of someone who’s been misquoted one too many times:
“No, not James Bond,” he insisted. “I got caught saying I wanted to play James Bond by someone, an unnamed report, and it really annoyed me, because I was like: ‘You put those words in my mouth. I never said that. You said ‘Would you like to play James Bond?’ and I said, ‘Mmm, whatever, sure.’ I didn’t say that!”
You have to admire his feisty defense of his own words. James Bond’s tuxedo just doesn’t seem to be in his future – or at least not yet. But that doesn’t mean Locke’s new role won’t involve some serious physical transformation. In fact, his quest for a new, more muscular persona has taken a very, um, personal turn.
Locke is embracing the gym with the kind of enthusiasm that only someone who’s been terrified of working out can have. “My dream would be to get paid a sh*t tonne of money to get really ripped,” he joked. “I can’t be bothered to organise it.” But wait – it gets better. Turns out, Locke isn’t just eyeing those biceps for the sake of masculinity; he’s got a very specific goal in mind: “I’m not a speedo guy. I’m trying to get my ass bigger this year so maybe this year’s the year I wear a speedo.”
We can almost see the headlines now: Joe Locke Rocks Speedo, Breaks the Internet.
But let’s get back to the real gem here: Locke’s journey with personal training. While he admits he’s long been “scared of the gym,” he’s now enjoying the process for the first time. And really, who can blame him? Getting ripped while having fun sounds like a dream – and honestly, if anyone can pull it off with charm and wit, it’s Joe Locke.
His desire to embrace a more “buff heterosexual man” is understandable, given his extensive queer roles in the industry. After all, Heartstopper gave him the heartwarming role of Charlie Spring, and he’s also brought to life the gothic gay superhero Wiccan in Agatha All Along. Plus, let’s not forget his Broadway debut as the straight (but bloody) Tobias Ragg. But now, it seems Locke is determined to explore another side of his acting range. As he puts it, “I want to play a really macho straight man in an action film.” And why not? He’s got the chops (and apparently, the trainer) to make it happen.
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When it comes to dream men, though, Locke hasn’t strayed too far from the dreamy territory. In his chat with Mulvaney, he revealed that his ideal celebrity crush is none other than Superman star Henry Cavill. Who can blame him? Cavill embodies that beefy, action-hero archetype Locke’s gunning for – and we imagine the two could probably trade fitness tips in between action scenes.
But before we get carried away imagining Locke’s transformation into a beefcake of epic proportions, we must pause and acknowledge a small (but important) reality: Heartstopper fans are still holding their breath for confirmation on whether Locke and the rest of the cast will be returning for season four. Netflix has kept things pretty hush-hush for now, but we’d like to think Locke has more than one project in the works, and this future macho role may just be the start.
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In the meantime, Locke will keep working on his ass-ets (pun intended) and manifesting his next big role – but with no James Bond talk allowed.
So, as Joe Locke works his way toward playing a “macho straight man” in a future action film, we can’t help but smile at the idea of this adorably sweet actor transforming into a literal powerhouse. Maybe the world isn’t ready for Heartstopper Charlie’s big muscles – but who knows? Maybe this is the year we’ll all be swooning over Joe Locke in a speedo… because that is a transformation we can all get behind.
You can watch the full podcast episode here.
Source: The Pink News