Heartstopper: Tobie Donovan and Bradley Riches are Attitude’s fourth cover of five dedicated to Netflix show
Meet the class (and cast) of 2023 with Attitude's exclusive Heartstopper cover feature and interview series
Tobie Donovan and Bradley Riches are the latest Heartstopper stars to appear on the cover of Attitude’s new issue – with our fifth and final cover to be unveiled tomorrow!
The pair follow Nima Taleghani and Fisayo Akinade, who appear on the first of our covers, Bel Priestley and Ash Self, who appear on the second, and finally Kizzy Edgell and Corinna Brown, who appear on the third.
Tobie of course plays Isaac Henderson, a friend to the core four characters in the hit Netflix show, who is asexual.
Meanwhile Bradley plays James McEwan, another Truham Grammar School student who has a crush on Issac. Bradley appeared briefly in season one and is bumped up to a recurring role in season two.
“It felt like I was always meant to be there” – Bradley
In our exclusive interview with Bradley, the rising star told us: “I got the role the week before we started filming [season two]. It was exciting because I felt like I knew people.”
Bradley then continued: “It was nice to be welcomed back. It felt like I was always meant to be there.”
“Reading the comics, I concluded [James] was gay, but he had a lot of internalised homophobia, because I feel like he wants to kiss Charlie, but he’s acting cool,” he also added.
“That’s been totally scrapped, and James is an openly gay character. I think it’s what James always wanted in the comics.”
Meanwhile Tobie said: “I think we should all be better allies to everyone in the [LGBTQ] community. […] I felt it was really important that I did the work and did justice to [the asexual community] community.”
Tobie furthermore added of Heartstopper creator Alice Oseman, who identifies as Aro/Ace: “Alice is the best resource for stuff like that. Not only is it their words that we’re saying — this is their lived experience — but also to be able to have them there to just be like, ‘Help! I don’t know what I’m doing’ is great. For everything — not just about Isaac.”
Heartstopper season two is available to stream on Netflix now.
Issue 354, the September/October issue of Attitude, is available to download now.
Words Alastair James Photography Olivia Richardson Creative and styling Joseph Kocharian Hair Randolph Grey Make-up Sophie Cox Grooming Samantha Cooper Fashion assistant Aaron Pandher Hair assistant Becky Jamieson Make-up assistant Morgan Armstrong