Joe Locke - ‘At 20, I Felt Like I Was Already 35’

Sep 24, 2025

Joe Locke, the young actor who shot to fame as Charlie Spring in Netflix’s Heartstopper, dives into the whirlwind of celebrity life. He candidly discusses the challenges of balancing privacy and fame, admitting he felt like ‘35’ at just 20. Joe reflects on embracing youth, learning the value of failure, and the comfort found in female spaces thanks to strong role models. He shares his struggles with imposter syndrome, the impact of his career on family life, and why true growth often comes from accepting shortcomings.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

INSIGHT

Privacy As Power

Joe Locke treats his privacy as a personal power and deliberately guards it despite huge fame.
He stopped trying to be a manufactured role model and focuses on being his true self.

ANECDOTE

Overnight Fame From Heartstopper

Heartstopper shot Joe from 10,000 to 3 million Instagram followers within days after release.
The rapid fame was surreal and required a difficult public adjustment.

ADVICE

Be A Role Model By Being Real

Don't aim to be a role model; be authentically yourself instead.
If people see you as a role model, that's not your responsibility to manufacture.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app