Charlie Spring

Last updated
Charlie Spring
Heartstopper character
Charlie Spring Heartstopper.jpg
Joe Locke as Charlie Spring in Heartstopper
First appearanceSolitaire (2014)
Created by Alice Oseman
Portrayed by Joe Locke
In-universe information
Full nameCharles Francis Spring
NicknameCharlie, Char
GenderMale
OccupationStudent
FamilyJulio Spring (father)
Jane Spring (mother)
Tori Spring (sister)
Oliver Spring (brother) [note 1]
Significant other Nick Nelson
Relatives
  • Nancy (maternal grandmother)
  • Richard (maternal grandfather)
  • Emilio Spring (paternal grandfather)
  • Kathleen Spring (paternal grandmother)
  • Antonio (uncle)
  • Jules (aunt-in-law)
  • Clara (cousin)
  • Esther (cousin)
  • Rosanna (cousin)
  • Wendy (aunt)
  • Sofia (aunt)
  • Omar (uncle-in-law)
NationalityBritish
EducationTruham Grammar School for Boys

Charlie Spring is a primary character in the Alice Oseman graphic novel series Heartstopper as well as its 2022 Netflix adaptation, where he is portrayed by Joe Locke. [1] His first appearance was in the 2014 novel Solitaire.

Contents

Character overview

Charlie Spring is the boyfriend of Nick Nelson (Kit Connor) in the graphic novel series Heartstopper and its 2022 Netflix adaptation. In the franchise, Charlie is gay, a skilled drummer, and a book lover. Charlie loves Nick deeply and aspires for him to be happy. Charlie's character is quiet and insecure but fond of animals. He is fairly tall, with dark, curly hair and blue eyes. Outside of the Heartstopper franchise, he also appears in other works by Alice Oseman, such as Solitaire, Nick & Charlie, and This Winter.

Character history

Charlie was born on 27 April to Julio and Jane Spring. He is Tori Spring's younger brother and Oliver Spring's older brother [note 2] . His father is of Spanish descent, and his mother is British. Charlie was accidentally outed as gay to his entire school by his best friend, Tao Xu. Due to frequent bullying, being outed, and the toxic relationship with his ex-boyfriend Ben Hope, he suffers from multiple mental illnesses, primarily anxiety, anorexia, depression and OCD. [2] [3]

Personality

Charlie is uptight, shy, sensitive and insecure. He is also empathetic and hates seeing other people cry, especially Nick. Charlie is fond of reading, dogs, and playing the drums. He also enjoys Ancient Greek classical literature and Keith Haring's work. Charlie's MBTI type is ISTP/The Adventurer. [4] Tori describes him as being nice, a characteristic she believes is underrated and can be taken advantage of. Charlie is portrayed as left handed in the graphic novel but as right handed in the show due to his actor being dominant in his right hand and not his left.

Appearances

Literature

Television

Reception

Charlie's journey in Heartstopper unfolds as a remarkable tale of self-discovery and growth. Charlie's battles with past bullying and self-doubt showcase his resilience. When he confides in Nick about his struggles with self-harm, it not only deepens their bond but also exemplifies Charlie's bravery in confronting his demons. His quest for love and acceptance connects strongly with viewers, especially when he finds it in a charming character like Nick. He was ranked 1st in a 2023 ranking of the 10 Best Heartstopper Characters, Ranked by Likability by Collider . [5]

Footnotes

    1. In the television adaption, Oliver is portrayed as Charlie and Tori's cousin.
    2. In the television adaption, Oliver is portrayed as Charlie and Tori's cousin.

    See also

    Related Research Articles

    <i>Nemi</i> (comic strip) Norwegian comic strip documenting the activities of Nemi, a quirky female goth

    Nemi is a Norwegian comic strip, written and drawn by Lise Myhre. It made its first appearance in 1997 under the title Den svarte siden. At that time, it was a tonally dark cartoon concerning heavy metal subcultures. Over the years, Myhre made the comic generally brighter and more comedic, though still frequently published with strips about serious issues, especially in the larger Saturday panels. The strip was renamed Nemi after its protagonist, a young goth woman.

    This is a list of artistic depictions of dyslexia.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Imogen (given name)</span> Name list

    Imogen, or Imogene, is a female given name of uncertain etymology.

    <i>Stranger Things</i> American television series

    Stranger Things is an American television series created by the Duffer Brothers for Netflix. Produced by Monkey Massacre Productions and 21 Laps Entertainment, the first season was released on Netflix on July 15, 2016. The second and third seasons followed in October 2017 and July 2019, respectively, and the fourth season was released in two parts in May and July 2022. The fifth and final season of Stranger Things is expected to be released in 2025. The show is known for its cast of characters, plot, nostalgic tones, and mix of the horror, drama, science-fiction, mystery, and coming-of-age genres.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Sebastian Croft</span> English actor (born 2001)

    Sebastian Theodore Kemble Croft is an English actor. He began his career as a child actor on stage before making his television debut as Young Ned Stark in Game of Thrones (2016). He earned a BAFTA Children's Award nomination for his role in Horrible Histories: The Movie – Rotten Romans (2019). He has since starred in the Netflix series Heartstopper (2022–2023).

    Big Mouth is an American adult animated coming-of-age sitcom created by Andrew Goldberg, Nick Kroll, Mark Levin, and Jennifer Flackett for Netflix. The series centers on students based on Kroll and Goldberg's upbringing in suburban New York, with Kroll voicing his fictionalized younger self. Big Mouth explores puberty while embracing an openness about the human body and sex.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Kit Connor</span> English actor (born 2004)

    Kit Sebastian Connor is an English actor. He gained recognition for starring as secondary school student Nick Nelson in the Netflix teen series Heartstopper (2022–present). He won the inaugural Children's and Family Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Performance for the role.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Alice Oseman</span> English author (born 1994)

    Alice May Oseman is an English author and illustrator of young adult fiction. She secured her first publishing deal at 17 and published her first novel Solitaire in 2014.

    Ginny (<i>Friday the 13th</i>) Fictional character

    Ginny Field is a fictional character in the Friday the 13th series. She first appears in Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) as a child psychology student working as a camp counselor assistant trainer, in which she was portrayed by Amy Steel. Writer Ron Kurtz conceptualized the character, while director Steve Miner intended to utilize Ginny to carry further installments as the main protagonist. Ginny has subsequently seen representation in other media such as novels and fan labor.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Tanner Buchanan</span> American actor (born 1998)

    Tanner Emmanuel Buchanan is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as Leo Kirkman in the ABC political drama Designated Survivor and Robby Keene in the Netflix series Cobra Kai. He is also known for his role in the Nickelodeon television series Game Shakers as Mason Kendall.

    <i>Heartstopper</i> (TV series) British coming-of-age television series

    Heartstopper is a British coming-of-age romantic comedy-drama television series created by Alice Oseman for Netflix. It is based on Oseman's webcomic and graphic novel of the same name. The series primarily tells the story of Charlie Spring, a gay schoolboy who falls in love with classmate Nick Nelson, whom he sits next to in his new form. It also explores the lives of their friends Tao Xu, Elle Argent, Isaac Henderson, Tara Jones and Darcy Olsson.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Locke</span> British actor (born 2003)

    Joseph William Locke is a Manx actor. He is known for his lead role as high school student Charlie Spring in the Netflix teen series Heartstopper (2022–present), for which he received a nomination for the inaugural Children's and Family Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Performance. In 2024, he starred as Billy Maximoff / William Kaplan in the Marvel Cinematic Universe miniseries Agatha All Along and as Tobias Ragg in a Broadway revival of the musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

    Heartstopper is an ongoing LGBTQ+ young adult graphic novel and webcomic series written and illustrated by British author Alice Oseman. It follows the lives of Nick Nelson and Charlie Spring as they meet and fall in love. The series is a prequel to Oseman's 2015 novella, Nick and Charlie, although the characters originally appeared in her 2014 novel, Solitaire.

    Nick Nelson (<i>Heartstopper</i>) Fictional character

    Nick Nelson is a primary character in the Alice Oseman graphic novel series Heartstopper as well as its 2022 Netflix adaptation, where he is portrayed by Kit Connor. His first appearance was in the 2014 novel Solitaire.

    Joseph Balderrama is a Mexican-British actor. His films include Stan & Ollie (2018). On television, he is known for his roles in the Netflix series Heartstopper (2022–present) and the BritBox series Hotel Portofino (2023). His voice work includes the video games It Takes Two (2021) and Diablo IV (2024).

    Kizzy Edgell is an English actor. He is best known for his role as Darcy Olsson in the Netflix teen series Heartstopper (2022–present).

    "Colours of You" is a song by British singer-songwriter Baby Queen. It was released on 22 April 2022 through Polydor Records and was originally composed for the Heartstopper soundtrack. The song features on the deluxe edition of Baby Queen's full-length debut studio album Quarter Life Crisis (2023). The song was written for the character Nick Nelson in Heartstopper when he discovers his bisexuality.

    <i>Loveless</i> (novel) 2020 young adult novel by Alice Oseman

    Loveless is a novel written by Alice Oseman. Published by HarperCollins Children's Books on 9 July 2020, the novel follows Georgia as she begins university. Depicting her journey of self-discovery as an asexual and aromantic individual, the novel received positive reception from literary reviewers and media outlets.

    References

    1. Craig, David (10 August 2023). "Meet the cast of Heartstopper, Netflix's LGBTQ+ teen drama". Radio Times . Retrieved 21 August 2023.
    2. Barr, Sabrina (4 Aug 2023). "There were signs of key Charlie Spring storyline before Heartstopper season 2". Metro. Retrieved 21 Oct 2023.
    3. Wong, Curtis (July 4, 2023). "Nick And Charlie Venture To Paris In Heartstopper Season 2 Teaser". HuffPost. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
    4. Oseman, Alice (August 3, 2023). "Character Profiles". Vox. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
    5. Elauria, Jom (Aug 8, 2023). "The 10 Best 'Heartstopper' Characters, Ranked by Likability". Collider. Retrieved Oct 21, 2023.