Netflix creatives on the authentic storytelling behind Heartstopper

myGwork sat down with Will Cartwright-Harwood and Aileen Mcintosh, two of the creatives behind the Netflix runaway sensation Heartstopper, to find out why representation from the LGBTQ+ community behind the lens is just as important as in front of it.

It’s not often a TV show scores 100 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s even rarer still when that show is representative of the LGBTQ+ community and has been embraced not only by the community but by people all around the world.

Will Cartwright-Harwood, who worked on the first series of Heartstopper as Manager, Kids and Family Series, believes this is one of the best things about the show. “I love that it no longer belongs to Netflix – it belongs to the fans. For the younger generation, it is this watershed moment of seeing young queer people living their lives and just being happy.”

“When we got the first cut, we knew we were going to do the community justice,” adds Aileen Mcintosh who worked on Heartstopper as Post-Production Manager. “I related to it immediately. It gave me goosebumps.”

Aileen and Will worked closely together on the hit programme. “I was part of the Content team so my job was to make sure we were doing everything possible to translate [author and creator] Alice Oseman’s vision,” explains Will.

This included working with the production partner See-Saw Films. See-Saw spearheaded finding a director of casting who shared the Netflix vision of inclusion. “We cast it as authentically as possible: the character of Elle played by Yasmin Finney is a young, trans woman of colour from the UK and we knew finding that person was really important. It just so happened we found one of the world’s best talents. We didn’t cut any corners,” shares Will.

“I work with the production partner and the post-production team to help guide and support through the editorial, picture, and sound finishing process,” Aileen adds. “As post-production, we also work really closely with our internal globalisation team, who help launch shows worldwide – and Heartstopper did in 190 countries, dubbed in twenty-nine languages, subtitled in thirty-one. When a show is subtitled or dubbed, you’re able to include and reach massive audiences.”

Both being from the LGBTQ+ community, Will and Aileen knew the importance of their lived experiences when it came to bringing the stories and the characters to life for a global audience. Will shares that authenticity was of paramount importance to See-Saw and Alice, which is why they worked with LGBTQ+ consultant Jeff Ingold as an extra step.

Aileen recently changed their pronouns from she/her to she/they. “I’ve also been on my own personal journey over the past few years, discovering who I am. It sounds like something really small, but it took quite a lot. The non-binary aspect of me has been really interesting to unravel, because I knew I never truly fitted into the ‘she category’, but I never wanted to be ‘he’,” shares Aileen. “Finally, at the age of 43, I feel like I’ve found my spot and I believe working at a company that allows me to be who I want to be has helped me do this.”

As a gay man, working on Heartstopper has been incredibly personal for Will too. “For an older queer audience, watching this show nostalgically is healing. When I first saw the [web comic] I thought, ‘If only I’d had this when I was 12’. Although growing up gay in a sleepy city in South Wales was sometimes tough, it was an absolute breeze compared to what previous generations of LGBTQ+ people went through. Plus, I had a phenomenal group of queer friends. Working on Heartstopper will always be something I feel so lucky to have been a part of. It has a great message of ‘the kids are all right!’. What’s staggeringly impressive about Heartstopper is how the team behind it made it accessible to a young audience – through the writing, music, animation, and casting.”

Talking about a show that’s captured hearts comes easily to Aileen and Will. But what is it really like working for a high-profile global company?

For Aileen, a significant part of working at Netflix is the role they play as a co-lead of one of the Employee Resource Groups, or ERGs, which are peer networks for marginalised communities. “We have several Employee Resource Groups, Pride@Netflix being one of them. They are employee-led and our aim is to try to create a space where people can reach out to each other, share their experiences and educate each other. That might be in the form of an amazing social event, to something as simple as a drop-in coffee morning. Our UK chapter is still in its infancy, so it will be exciting to see where we can take it as a group going forward,” shares Aileen.

They also go on to explain how it all connects to the day job. “When you are working on something you can directly relate to, you’re automatically more drawn in. I think it’s been really important for the community to have Heartstopper. Usually, when you see an LGBTQ+ character it’s associated with an unhappy storyline. Heartstopper is, importantly, joy-filled,” explains Aileen. What’s amazed me is the number of people who’ve watched it not from the LGBTQ+ community. That’s huge in terms of fostering allyship, which is just as important. We can’t make change without allies.”

Will also shares what the Netflix culture means for him: “We’re encouraged to take risks and to lean into spaces where people are underrepresented and to make bold choices in programming. When I was going through the interview process, I was advised to read the Netflix culture memo. I had reservations about how realistic it would be in action. There’s a line that reads ‘there are no brilliant jerks’ and genuinely, there are none in my experience. Netflix is the most diverse place I’ve ever worked, and it’s so much better for it.”

He also shares some words of advice for folks who are curious about working at Netflix: “The interviews are very different from your standard. Mine were stimulating conversations and debates about content versus snoozy questions about organisational skills.”

The entertainment industry still has a way to go though, according to Aileen. “The industry still isn’t diverse enough. If you’re trying to tell a story about a specific community, you have to do it working with the community in mind,” says Aileen. “That’s when I believe content is most powerful at effecting positive change.”

What other shows do Will and Aileen recommend for positive and authentic representation of the LGBTQ+ community? Aileen doesn’t miss a beat: “Obviously Sex Education. Feel Good is brilliant. And Umbrella Academy is a cracking programme but also for Elliot [Page’s] journey and the way it was handled on the show too.”

Will prefers stand-up comedy: “Joel Kim Booster’s [Psychosexual] is great, and Netflix’s Stand Out: An LGBTQ+ Celebration. There are so many great queer comedians.”

“Growing up before streaming services meant a lot of sneaking up past 11 p.m. to watch late-night TV,” concludes Will. “Netflix is always on and available – so to all the young LGBTQ+ kids here in the UK and beyond who may be a little frightened, or still figuring things out – please know that we made Heartstopper for you.”

Netflix is a proud partner of myGwork, the LGBTQ+ business community.