Heartstopper’s Corinna Brown On Season 3: ‘I Cry With Fans!’

Corinna Brown is a bad-ass sword-wielding Viking (no, seriously – catch her in Vikings: Valhalla). But more than anything else, she’s been looking forward to Heartstopper season three for a year – like us – and we sat down with the star ahead of its release to find out what we can expect.

Interview: Corinna Brown Talks Heartstopper Season 3

It’s been a year since Heartstopper season two came out. What have you been up to in that time? 

Loads of stuff – auditioning, then I went to Glastonbury for the first time – I’m very much in my festival era – I also went to Wilderness festival and British Summer Time…

Which BST did you go to? 

I was there for Robbie Williams. 

Oh, cool. I heard that was crazy. 

It was so random. He bought Danny Dyer out, and my guilty pleasure is a bit of EastEnders. I’ve just been doing different projects, enjoying life, and then we’ve been ramping up to publicity for season three, so seeing sneak peeks. But that’s really it. And I went to the Edinburgh Fringe… 

As a performer? 

Oh, no, just going to watch. I watched my friend in the Gwyneth Paltrow musical.

Ooh, which one – there are two! I saw the lip sync/drag race version. 

I saw the one that Arlene Phillips choreographed – I Wish You Well! I knew two people in it, and I had no idea what the story was all about. I wish I was at the Fringe for a bit longer. There were so many shows that I saw flyers for. 

And I hear you’ve been doing stunt work! 

Yes! Supacell, I was the double for three of the lead girls, and also Vikings: Valhalla. I saw myself in that the other day – which was really fun – towards the end of one of the last episodes in the newest season, there’s this big battle, and you see my little face. 

You trained in stage combat and acting, right? Is it cool to get to use that side of the skill set?

I’ve really loved it. I’m a bit of a busy body – I can’t sit down. I started in dance when I was little, so to get back into the physical side of performance more… I loved the rowdiness of Supacell, it had lots of wires and flying. If there’s a wire rig, I’ll do it. I love using my stunt skills. Let’s just have a little explosion in the [Heartstopper] science lab next season…

My favourite [stage combat] has always been blades – sword and shield. I’m about five foot nothing and it gives me so much power. I’ve always imagined myself as going about with a little sword.

Speaking of… Season 3. What can you actually tell me? Is it all completely under wraps? 

Most of it is, but if you’ve read the comics – it follows that story. The characters get more mature, the themes [of the show] are getting more mature. It goes into Charlie’s life and the things that he’s going through. While still revolving around the friendship group. It’s very much still Heartstopper though, with all that sentiment and feeling! But we delve into more adult things. I think I can say that they’ve started looking at uni options. More in a way you would at that age.  

They’re coming into sixth form. How are they all feeling about it?

Different mixes of emotions. I know that Tara, she’s having a bit of a harder time, she feels a lot of pressure on her. I think the series explores all the emotions that you feel at this time. It’s nerve wracking but it’s exciting. 

Did you go to sixth form or college? 

I went to Sixth Form College. I went to a sixth form college in Islington, so I could do a dance course, and it was interesting – very structured, still a sixth form, but with the freedom of college, no uniform, you just turn up. That was super weird to me – you didn’t have to be smart, I could just come in in my leggings. 

Were you nervous when you started? 

I was very nervous. I was leaving all my friends. I didn’t know anyone. And it was in Islington, so it was like a train and then a bus… It also feels like it’s really in the city, I felt like such an adult person, like: ‘oh my god, there’s people with their briefcases going to work!’ 

I found friends, though, had a good bunch. Also doing creative subjects, you spend a lot of personal time together as you rehearse. I think I was lucky.

Do you draw on that memory of school when filming Heartstopper or just let it be its own thing?

I do draw on some aspects. It’s hard because Tara has a lot going on. She’s a prefect, does dance, but I think the pressure she’s under with school is higher than it was for me at school. I knew I needed to get alright grades so my mum would let me go and perform, but Tara is an A* student, wanting to be the best. She puts that pressure on herself. She very much likes to be in control and studious. She cares about it a lot. I leant into what I knew, and then heightened it a bit, basically. 

Where did we leave Tara and Darcy at the end of season 2?

At the end of season two, it was very focused on prom. We saw Tara being her extra self, getting involved in everything, sorting it out and wanting it to be perfect. She’s happy with the end result. But then she also finds out that Darcy’s family life isn’t the best, she’s trying to be a supportive girlfriend, and that’s where we leave them. And we see more of that. I’m not sure what else I can say, but those who’ve read the comics will already know, and it was very fun to pick up from here to see how the journey continued. 

You play a young queer woman who’s out and able to have a relationship with her family – this portrayal must’ve been pretty impactful for young queer folk. Have fans reached out around this? 

We just did a season three promotion tour, so we went to Glasgow, Liverpool, Brighton, etc. It’s one of my favourite parts. Actually speaking to people, hearing the stories and impact. Sometimes I get really overwhelmed. I’m crying with fans! It means so much, the shared community and having people resonate with it. People tell me they feel seen with it, and as an actor that’s all I’ve ever wanted to do, because if I were a kid watching that show, I’d be like: ‘oh my god, she looks like me, I can do that. I want to do that’. It’s so important. 

It feels like there’s a flourish of queer womxn-led content at the moment – a bit of a lesbian renaissance – with Bottoms, Love Lies Bleeding, Ethel Cain–

Billie Eilish!

Billie Eilish! Chappell Roan. Tara and Darcy are part of that canon now. 

Honestly – let’s go lesbians. 100 percent. 

Thinking about wider media, did you draw on any love stories, relationships or media when telling Tara and Darcy’s story? 

Not that I can pinpoint – maybe subconsciously, we’re always drawing from things we know and see. When I came in for season one, we did a lot of workshopping, which is where most of the relationships came through. Also, I think everyone read the comics before [going in]! And in those, their relationship was very strong and solid. Alice is an amazing writer, and I could really see what she wanted from the two characters. It was nice to be allowed to discover who the character was, too, with Kizzy. So I can’t really say I drew on any other couples or relationships. They just happened and we had great source material from Alice.

For sure. How much creative input did you get in, in sort of bringing the role to life?

Quite a lot – Alice and the creative team are so open to hearing our ideas, even down to costume, hair and makeup. When we first see Tara, she’s got her little afro out – and I love it – but then this season, for example, there’s this beach scene. And the team asking me how I’d do my hair. I said I’d definitely braid it up, less dealing with brushing curls out after, and they ran with it. 

It’s always been collaborative, down to the script. If we’re shooting and something doesn’t feel quite right, in terms of how it’s written, they’re open to us changing the words. It’s very improv too. This season you see that more. They’ll provide us an overview of what’s happening and then they’re like: go play. You definitely see a bit of Corinna in there. I guess it’s Tara now as well! 

Are there any moments on set you remember particularly fondly? 

So many. I don’t know if I can say specifically. But the group scenes are always my favourite moments because the cast is amazing – I get to see all my mates every day, so selfishly when those are happening, I love it! You get to be teenagers. It’s not all doom and gloom. Those moments are lovely. 

Quick Fire

I’m working on…

Moving house! I’m always creatively working – lots of shoots coming out, I love playing dress up – but basically just trying to find a house. If anyone knows of one?

I’m watching…

Grey’s Anatomy. I’m a late one on this but I’m on season 18. It’s my comfort viewing. 

I’m looking forwards to seeing…

Season 3 of Heartstopper… Obviously! And Snow White. I did stunts for that. 

I’m reading… 

The Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi. It’s about dying magic and African culture. The imagery is brilliant – I highly recommend it to anyone with an active imagination.

I’ve got this musician on repeat… 

Victoria Canal. California Sober is her new song, and I love it. My friend, Kali Claire, as well. And always Beyoncé. When is it not Beyoncé? 

My favourite gallery in London is… 

The Tate. I remember going – you know how they always change the galleries – and there were these three blank canvases. It fascinated me to see how many people were, like, reading into a blank canvas. Like, this is the art: watching people look at the art.

In another life… 

I’d not be an actor… I’d be an astronaut – in my wildest dreams. I’d love to go to space. I wish I were more science-y. Actually: that’d be a cool role.

Featured image: photography by Mollie Rose Skeffington; styling by Rachael Perry; makeup by Joy Adenuga; hair by Dionne Smith; location Shai Space; lighting assistant Danny Cozens; retouch by Edd Kaspar.

Heartstopper S3 is on Netflix from 3 October 2024, netflix.com