Kit Connor on the red carpet
Image Credit: Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com

Who is Kit Connor? Learn more about the bisexual ‘Heartstopper’ star

Share This Post

Kit Connor may be just as well known for his personal life as he is for his acting career, but his performances in various movies and TV shows outshine any controversies. The English actor is best known for his breakout role in Netflix’s Heartstopper, where he plays Nick Nelson, a bisexual jock who becomes the love interest of the young-adult romance series’ main character, Charlie, who’s played by Joe Locke. As the show took off, so too did Connor’s rise to fame and fans quickly became interested in his sexuality off screen, which resulted in Connor reluctantly coming out as bisexual on Twitter. But there’s so much more to Kit Connor than his public controversies. Read on for everything you need to know about the young actor. 

Who is Kit Connor?

Kit Connor was born (March 8, 2004) and raised in Croydon in South London. A shy kid, Connor’s parents enrolled him in a drama program on weekends to help him become more outgoing and socially comfortable. From there, he started auditioning for and booking commercials and eventually landed a part in a Christmas movie called Get Santa. That role got him an agent, and then it was off to the races. 

He booked smaller roles in films like Ready Player One, and eventually played a young Elton John in Rocketman. Two years later, Connor booked the role of Nick Nelson in Heartstopper—written and created by Alice Oseman and based on her webcomic and graphic novel of the same name—even though he originally went in for the part of Charlie (Nick’s love interest). 

Kit Connor’s Coming Out Controversy

For better or worse, the success of Heartstopper thrust Connor into a whole new level of fame. He was exposed to the common phenomenon of being criticized on the internet. For instance, some viewers noted that Connor wasn’t as tall and buff as the drawings of his character, Nick. (Connor’s height is 6-feet, 1-inch, by the way.) This saw Connor hit the gym and get into twunky, fighting shape. (Anyone who’s seen his shirtless gym content with fitness influencer Nathaniel Massiah can attest!) 

But perhaps the main thing that people zeroed in on was Connor’s sexuality off screen, especially since his character, Nick, is bisexual. People started publicly wondering if Connor shared his character’s orientation, or if he was simply a straight man portraying a queer one, which led to accusations of “queerbaiting.” 

Connor wisely dodged the speculation as best he could, and even said on a podcast that he’d prefer to not label himself. But then, when he was photographed holding hands with actress Maia Reficco, people became even more invested in getting him to disclose his sexuality. Speaking to Vulture, Connor said of that time in his life, “I think I felt disappointed, because I was really trying, you know. I really was trying to set that boundary. It was my private life, and I can understand why people would want to know, but I was also, you know, an 18-year-old kid.”

Eventually, the pressure became too much, and Connor tweeted the naked truth. He wrote, “back for a minute. i’m bi. congrats for forcing an 18-year-old to out himself. i think some of you missed the point of the show. bye.” Fortunately, the response to his coming out was overwhelmingly positive, with his co-stars showing him tons of support, and creating a greater discussion about peoples’ obsessions with celebrities’ sexual orientations

Kit Connor’s Dating Life

Connor appears to not be dating anyone, though regardless of if he were partnered or single, he probably wouldn’t share it publicly based on his previous experience with revealing details about his private life. And as to whether he’s gay or bi, he’s only thus far shared that he is bisexual (in his now-infamous Tweet).


However, in an interview with The Guardian in July of 2023, he did state that he would be self-conscious about dating a girl. “I would – annoyingly. I would be more conscious and might be less open about it,” he admitted. “Although now I know that I’m queer, I personally don’t find it a super defining factor. I wouldn’t want to be defined by ‘queer actor.’ I want to play all parts. Hopefully, I can do that if my career lasts, if I flourish. Touch wood.”

More from So.Gay:

Who is Zane Phillips?

What is PrEP? Everything to know about the HIV prevention pill

At-Home HIV tests: Everything you need to know

Do condoms expire?

Read more Pop Culture news here

MENU

We participate in marketing programs, our content is not influenced by any commissions. To find out more, please visit our Term and Conditions page.