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

Joe Locke shot to global fame as Charlie Spring in Netflix’s Heartstopper, a role that catapulted him overnight from a schoolboy on the Isle of Man to an Emmy-nominated actor with millions of followers. In this candid conversation, the Heartstopper star reflects on the whirlwind of early success, the pressure of being seen as a role model and why he once felt like he was ‘already 35’ at just 20 years old. Joe opens up about the challenges of guarding his privacy while navigating fame, learning to embrace his youth and discovering the value of failure in both life and career. From Broadway and Marvel to his West End debut in Clarkston, the Netflix actor shares what it means to grow up in the spotlight, how being raised by strong women shaped him - and why believing in yourself can be the hardest lesson of all. ✨ IN THIS EPISODE: 01:43 Guarding Privacy in the Spotlight 04:21 Theater and Personal Passions 10:08 Heartstopper and Cast Dynamics 14:38 Navigating Fame and Personal Growth 16:04 Balancing Youth and Career 24:31 Reverse Misogyny and Comfort in Female Spaces 26:37 Future Aspirations 27:48 Imposter Syndrome in Acting 28:52 Heartstopper Casting Call Experience 32:00 The Struggle with Self-Belief 34:55 Embracing Failure and Personal Growth 40:59 Eyebrows and Acting 💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER: ‘The only way I can be a role model is by being the true version of myself. I'm not aspiring to be a role model, and if that is something that people attribute to me, that's not my fault or my thing to worry about.’ ‘I have a lot of growing to do still. And that's okay. I think because of my life, I felt like I've had to be perfect and done and fully ready as an adult, and I'm not there yet. And that's fine.’ ‘I think the film industry [has] got a very strong relationship with the class system... And I think that open casting is a great way of making the industry more accessible.’ ‘I’ve got reverse misogyny because of my upbringing… if I was choosing a team of people for work, I would never choose a man over a woman. I feel far more comfortable being in spaces with women than I do men.’ 🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS: Joe is starring in Clarkston at the Trafalgar Theatre from 17th September - 22nd November clarkstonplay.co.uk Elizabeth’s Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/ Join the How To Fail community: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content 📚 WANT MORE? Erin Doherty - the Adolescence star on acting rejections, social anxiety and figuring out who she is: https://link.chtbl.com/gRxoOXyH Andrew Scott - on ‘failing’ to live a heteronormative life and the audition he’ll never forget: https://link.chtbl.com/18dVhMb_ Gugu Mbatha-Raw - on resisting type‑casting and handling tricky co‑stars. If you like honest reflections from actors, this is solid: https://link.chtbl.com/wDCLLc94 💌 LOVE THIS EPISODE? Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps more people discover these stories 👋 Follow How To Fail & Elizabeth: Instagram: @elizabday TikTok: @howtofailpod Podcast Instagram: @howtofailpod Website: www.elizabethday.org Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/ Elizabeth and Joe Locke answer YOUR questions in our subscriber series, Failing with Friends. Join our community of subscribers here: howtofailpod.com Have a failure you’re trying to work through for Elizabeth to discuss? Click here to get in touch: howtofailpod.com Production & Post Production Coordinator: Eric Ryan Sound Engineer: Matias Torres Assistant Producer: Suhaar Ali Senior Producer: Hannah Talbot Executive Producer: Carly Maile How to Fail is an Elizabeth Day and Sony Music Entertainment Production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices