Kizzy Edgell
The English actor Kizzy Edgell was born in Wandsworth, South London, on 15th August 2002, and is known for his portrayal of Darcy Olsson in Netflix’s “Heartstopper”. A biological female, Kizzy began using they/them pronouns and identifying as non-binary early in his career; however, in August 2023 he came out as queer and trans masculine, also informing fans that he would be using he/him pronouns as well as they/them from then on.
Career
After attending Orleans Park School, Kizzy reportedly studied psychology before landing his big break as Darcy in “Heartstopper”. The coming-of-age rom-com slash drama was written and created by Alice Oseman, who just happens to be the author of the graphic novel and webcomic of the same name.
“Heartstopper” focuses on the story of gay schoolboy Charlie Spring (played by Joe Locke) as he falls in love with his new classmate Nick Nelson (played by Kit Connor). Kizzy’s character, Darcy, was one of Charlie and Nick’s close friends, and enjoyed plenty of screentime as a fan favorite on her own sexuality journey.
Season one of the show premiered on Netflix in April 2022, having been filmed a year prior, and was an instant success. Receiving critical acclaim for its portrayal of LGBT individuals, as well as nine nominations and five awards at the first Children’s and Family Emmy Awards, the series was soon renewed for a second and third season.
Darcy, who is described as ‘chaotic’ and ‘extroverted’, won over millions of young viewers thanks to her resilience in the face of her verbally abusive and homophobic parents. Although she left home in season two, her storyline in the third season of “Heartstopper” – which is set to premiere in 2024 – has yet to be revealed.
Kizzy clearly takes his role seriously. In a 2022 interview with Glamour magazine, the actor said: ‘You feel a sense of responsibility, which is strange. I’m 20. I have nothing figured it.’ However, Kizzy was also inspired by his character and credits Darcy with helping his self-esteem.
At the time of the interview, Kizzy was using they/them pronouns and still figuring his sexuality and gender identity out. Since the actor came out as trans masculine, some viewers have questioned whether he should continue to play a lesbian character; however, most “Heartstopper” fans feel that it wouldn’t be right to have anyone else in the iconic role.
For those who want to delve into Kizzy’s filmography and check out the rest of his roles, we’ve got disappointing news: the actor hasn’t had any projects to date, apart from “Heartstopper”, possibly due to contractual obligations.
Personal Life
Kizzy ended 2022 with a sweet Instagram message to his fans, in which he described the year as ‘so intense’. ‘I left uni to pursue acting, I moved in with my best friend, I started my trans journey,’ the Londoner wrote. ‘I am a bit sentimental… so excited to see what the world has next for me.’
Obviously, gender identity is important to the actor, who has made it one of his main talking points in recent interviews. During Pride Month 2023, Kizzy sat down with Glamour magazine and spoke about the importance of having short hair when it comes to his gender expression. By that point, Kizzy’s followers were already referring to him as a trans male, but some “Heartstopper” viewers were still unaware of his trans journey – which is why, a couple of months later, the actor took to his Instagram Stories to write: ‘I am trans masculine (not a girl) and my pronouns are he or they btw’.
It’s also possible that Kizzy’s role as Darcy was an influential part of his trans journey. During season one of “Heartstopper”, Darcy publicly declared ‘her’ love for girlfriend Tara (played by Corinna Brown) with a romantic kiss that has since gone down as one of the most impactful LGBT moments in TV history. The show’s cinematographer, Diana Olifrova, said herself: ‘I was crying when I shot it, and I cry now watching it because it’s a big blast of positivity and happiness.’
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Although the series’ intimacy co-ordinator David Thackeray has worked tirelessly to ensure that both actors feel comfortable with their scenes, the on-screen chemistry between Kizzy and Corinna is undeniable – Kizzy even describes the actress as his ‘rock’. Both thespians have developed a close bond since they joined the cast of the show, and in an October 2023 interview with Hunger magazine, Kizzy also gushed about his relationship with the rest of his co-stars.
‘We all looked after each other and have become lifelong friends as a result,’ Kizzy declared. However, despite being an open book when it comes to his “Heartstopper” experience, the actor refrains from discussing his dating life in interviews. As such, he’s believed to be single.
Regarding Kizzy’s physical stats, he’s listed as being 5ft 7in (170cm) tall with a weight of approximately 123lbs (56kgs).
Co-Stars
Moving on to Kizzy’s co-stars, many of them have also made headlines for discussing their sexuality since the show first aired. This has led to some of them moving away from social media platforms – Kizzy rarely posts on Instagram, and even stopped using Twitter for a while. Kit Connor, who portrays Nick Nelson, previously Tweeted about feeling that he’d been ‘forced’ to come out as bisexual following relentless accusations of queerbaiting and aggressive fan speculation.
Meanwhile, actor Joe Locke, who plays Kit’s on-screen boyfriend, confirmed his sexuality at the peak of his fame in an interview with Teen Vogue, revealing that he’d been openly gay since just 12 years old. ‘I haven’t ever corrected anyone because I haven’t felt the need to,’ he said.
Fans of the show were left disappointed in May 2022 when Kit and Joe confirmed that they were just good friends. Although neither actor had ever hinted that they were dating, the number of intimate scenes that they performed together led some viewers to believe otherwise.
Another proud member of the LGBT community is co-star Tobie Donovan, who plays Isaac Henderson, Charlie’s asexual best friend. With that said, it’s interesting to note that every single actor and actress of “Heartstopper” is believed to be single, despite starring in a show that focuses on teenage relationships and exploration.
