Joe Locke In Real Life
Editorial Director
Bryan Kong
Photographer
Christopher Fenner
Fashion Editor and Creative Direction
Ben James Adams
Joe Locke knows what he wants, and he’s figuring out how to get it. The newly turned 21-year-old is enjoying the perfect reality, honing in on the person he wishes to be, the life he envisions, and the boundaries that are pivotal to his sense of success. He’s coming of age, figuratively and emotionally. He’s learning from his mistakes, and acquiring life experience. All the while stepping forward to an existence that seems nothing short of meant to be. Nothing short of tailor-made, for Locke; who stands 5 ‘9, and sports a head of low sitting curls, between his signature ears.
For a young actor like Locke, maturity and poise are often secondary to the charisma they already carry–but Locke’s comes with an added depth. A silent magnetism that’s apparent mere minutes into our meeting.
It’s Friday the 13th and I’m speaking with Locke at the Whitby Hotel in New York. He’s been staying here while on a press tour for Agatha All Along and today, in particular, he’s just come from a long line of morning show appearances. It’s a far cry from his home in London. When we meet, he has already spent the morning being televised to millions of Americans. And to the thousands of Joe Locke fan accounts that pick up his every move. There are lots of them. They praise him and admire him from behind their phone screens. At the ready for the latest photo or soundbite. It feels larger than life. Larger than my life at least. For a rising star like him, this will quickly become routine.
Joe Locke on the October 2024 Digital Cover of The Laterals. Photographed by Christopher Fenner.
Joe Locke wears Cartier
The “rising” part almost feels redundant, and unnecessary, for it feels like he has arrived. Hardly four years from his initial screen appearance, he’s tallied up quite the resume. A groundbreaking Netflix series with Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper, followed by a Broadway debut in the Sweeny Todd revival in January of this year. Now he readies for a whole new world with Marvel’s magically comedic Agatha All Along. I call people like Locke charmed ones. Blessed, not only with the opportunities that can define a life — but with the talents that make those opportunities possible.
I enter the Whitby Hotel eager to pick his brain and hopefully gain a sense of who he is off-camera. The Joe that everyone loves but few really know. The Whitby Hotel is on W 56th Street. It’s minutes from Central Park and the never-ending hustle and bustle of Manhattan’s 6th Avenue. It has a calming energy despite being located on a busy street full of black SUVs and lunch meetings. It’s delicately decorated with clashing patterns and pastel colors that have no business matching, yet create a seamless feast for any design enthusiast or anyone who remotely appreciates color theory. It’s a beautiful place to be. I can’t help but wonder about the memories made behind its black steel doors, and I know today will be no exception to that agenda.
We sit across from each other, towards the back, past the restrooms, in a dining area where cleverly designed skylights hover above us. The soundtrack is the faint clinks and clanks of fellow patrons and their silverware. Everyone here is making memories, whether they intend to or not. It’s that kind of place. We converse over Brussels sprouts — my order. And Cacio e Pepe macaroni — Locke’s. It feels like a good day to get to know someone, and I intend to do just that.
DIO ANTHONY — Have you eaten here before?
JOE LOCKE — I’ve been staying here, so I’ve eaten a lot of the room service, but I have a really bad throat infection, so I can’t really swallow anything. The only thing I’ve been able to eat is the Cacio e pepe mac and cheese, because it slips down without hurting my throat.
DIO — That’s unfortunate and a tad bit hilarious. I’ve also stayed here in the past–but I’ve just had the chicken strips.
JOE — It’s nice, isn’t it?
DIO — Oh, yes. Very nice hotel.
JOE — I might try a salad, but I’m not sure that’s gonna go well.
DIO — How’d you get your throat infection
JOE — I get them all the time, but this one’s just lingering, which is annoying. But today’s the first day it’s starting to get better, which is nice.
DIO — So, I’m wondering, you’re on a press tour and just did an appearance on Good Morning America this morning. An appearance like that feels like a right of passage when it comes to press tours. Are they as nerve wracking as they seem?
JOE — Right? I feel like that too. It was my first time doing it. I think it’s the same with filming. When you film, you’re not thinking about the millions of people that are watching it, because there’s only 20 people in the room.
DIO — Right…
JOE — It sort of was a bit like that. I was also not really awake yet, and I’m also ill. I think it helped me worry less about everything else. I was focused on being sick. Maybe that’s a positive. Maybe that’s why I’ve been able to do everything this week.
DIO — I love that outlook.
JOE — Well, because I’ve been trying to find the positives and there aren’t many. It’s been literally the worst week to be sick.
DIO — How early do you have to be at the studios? I wonder because the anchors on these morning shows seem to have this superhuman energy so early in the morning.
JOE — Today was not that early. Around 7:40. I was talking about this earlier. I love the lifestyle of being a morning show person. They must have to go to bed at 6pm. I wish I was a morning person. I wouldn’t say I’m a Night Owl either. I’m just always tired. Today I’ve been trying to save my voice, so outside of being on-camera I’ve been mostly silent all day.
DIO — You’ve had quite the day before our lunch. Do you have lots ahead of you?
JOE — This is my last thing, and then I’m gonna have a nice nap. I’m going to watch OH, MARY! tonight.
DIO — Oh! I’m so jealous.
JOE — I watched it when it was downtown because I was here in New York then. I got to know Cole [Escole], and they’ve become a good friend of mine. I just think they’re just genius. I’m excited to see it in its new life.
DIO — Yes! Genius is a perfect term. You mentioned being here for the downtown run of the show. I’m curious about your New York experience. Was there ever a moment where you were reminded that you were in this crazy unpredictable city? Was it everyday? Was it a smoother transition than you imagined it’d be?
JOE — You know, honestly, I feel like out of any city in the world, New York has the most personality. You don’t really get the energy you get here anywhere else. This is what I’ve missed. I get really energized off, like–not necessarily being active and busy, but being around other people. Even if they’ve got nothing to do with me. Just you know, being in a busy city like that.
DIO — It’s stimulating to you.
JOE — Right, I find it really… safe? I feel the most at home when I’m on my own in a new place. I’ll be on my own in a city, but I’ll feel safe if there’s people around.
DIO — I can totally relate to that. Did it feel like you had your dream New York life when you lived here?
“I think my privacy is like a power, and the idea of losing that is like the loss of that power.”
JOE — I loved it. I was living in the west village, and it was great. I’d take the subway up to work everyday. I really love being back here now because I’ve really missed it. I feel like my dream is to one day just have somewhere here, and a home in London–splitting my year between the two.
DIO — What’s your life like back home?
JOE — I’d say my life back home is great. I have a really great life outside of work and I try to keep them very separate, which is really nice. I think my privacy is like a power, and the idea of losing that is like the loss of that power.
DIO — That’s so interesting to say.
JOE — I guess that’s the thing I hold onto the most dearest. Because that’s the bit of me that is still unaffected by anything else.
DIO — Does it feel difficult to hold onto that?
JOE — Sometimes.
DIO — In what ways?
JOE — You know, like going to certain places with people I love. Those kinds of things. But I don’t not do things because I’m worried about that. I make a point not to. I make a point to do things because I don’t want it to affect that.
DIO — Do you find that you get recognized a lot more in the UK versus here? Or have you experienced the same?
JOE — It’s pretty much the Same. It’s all fun. A friend of mine was with me and Kit [Connor] hanging out once. He started laughing and we asked him why? My friend, he’s not in the industry, and said that Kit and I, whenever we see a group of teenagers or gay people, we both put our heads down. [laughs] But we don’t even realize we’re doing it.
DIO — It’s like a reflex.
JOE — Exactly. It’s not like we’re afraid of them. It’s just that sometimes when you’re trying to get somewhere, it’s a bit easier to just, ya know..
DIO — I love that. So, Joe, my technique for today is to ask you questions I’m curious about. Questions about yourself and your life, rather than tie them too deeply to the characters you’ve played. I hope this is fun for you.
JOE — Great! One of the hardest things is trying to answer the same question you’ve been asked a hundred times differently. It can become quite hard to.
DIO — Have you ever read something and forgotten you said it?
JOE — All the time. Or like, I think my British humor gets misquoted a lot. There’s a lot of interviews more recently than ever that I’ve been, like, that’s not what I meant. Like, you’ve really, really taken out all of the context here. I think part of it is that my sense of humor isn’t always caught. The dryness of my British sense of humor doesn’t necessarily translate as well.
DIO — That’s so interesting to me personally. I’ve never spoken to someone that’s pointed out the differences of a British sense of humor. Perhaps that just means I don’t know enough British people. Do you feel like you’ve lost anything from your life in the last five years?
JOE — Umm. I’ve probably lost a sense of anonymity. But I’ve gained a lot.
DIO — What have you gained outside of the obvious things? Outside of fame and money.
JOE — I’m doing the job that I’ve always dreamed of doing. I’ve gained a sense of self. I’ve gained a career. I’ve gained adulthood. Maturity. There’s one thing about this industry–and that is that it will make you grow up faster than anything else.
DIO — Right.. Do you find that there have been alterations to the way you live your life? How you perceive things?
JOE — Yeah, I think so.
DIO — I know it’s a very broad question. But I’m curious about those moments where the switch changes. When things begin to change, things outside of the obvious.
JOE — You know, I think being in the public eye can change your perceptions. The media, and the entertainment world. Celebrity..
DIO — What it means to be that..
JOE — Yeah. I read an article about a celebrity being rude to someone, and I thought. Well, I bet this, this and this happened. Or that happened. But the press would never say that. You know, that sort of thing. Or sometimes you think, yeah, they’re just a c#nt.
DIO — [Laughs].
JOE — That’s an example of my dry British humor. Headline says “Joe Locke says ___ is a cunt”. Usually I don’t think that a lot of people are. [Laughs].
DIO — Do you feel like British people are a bit more–straight shooters?
JOE — Yeah, and also I think that we like to take the piss out of each other in a loving way more than Americans. I think Americans are more open about their emotions. Which I think I like about the American.
DIO — What would you say is the most American thing you’ve experienced while we’re here?
JOE — A baseball game.
DIO — Really, a baseball game? It’s funny. For some reason I think that any type of high school sport feels quintessentially American. I don’t know why? They have high school games everywhere.
JOE — I still don’t quite grasp my head around how big college sports are here. Mm-Hmm. The thought of a British university, and people caring about what their football team is doing. It is quite hilarious.
DIO — That’s funny.
JOE — It’s just so not in our culture.
DIO — Just not very common?
JOE — No, not at all. Like you’d be made fun of if you cared about university sports. But it’s a great part of American culture. I’ve really enjoyed the last few years. I’ve spent pretty much equal time here and equal time in the uk and I’ve been able to really get to know American culture and have a new appreciation for it. I think that a lot of people in Europe sort of make fun of it a bit whilst also glorifying it. Putting it on this pedestal while also making fun of it. It’s a weird mix, I’ve experienced it and I really appreciate it.
“I’ve probably lost a sense of anonymity. But I’ve gained a lot. (…) I’ve gained a sense of self. I’ve gained a career. I’ve gained adulthood. Maturity.”
DIO — That’s cool. I was in the UK a couple of months ago. One thing I noticed that I loved were the school uniforms. It sounds silly to say but I just thought it felt so Heartstopper. The formality of the uniforms is something about the culture that I love and appreciate. Was your uniform similar?
JOE — Yeah. My school uniform was a blue blazer with a tie. The tie had a stripe with a school logo. And if you were cool, you would hide the school logo, just have the color stripe, but then you’d get told off by the teachers.
DIO — [Laughs]. I’m obsessed with the uniforms. So, speaking about the UK, without divulging too much, what can you likely be found doing when you’re not working?
JOE — It’s weird. The last few months have been the first time I haven’t been working in about four years, and I found myself getting so bored. I’ve been reading loads of books. I’ve been socializing a lot. Going to the movies a lot. Just really spending time with the people that I’ve not been able to see.
DIO — You’ve been taking back your life.
JOE — Yeah. But I’ve also been itching to go back to work. I obviously have enjoyed my time off. I really enjoyed it for the first few weeks and now I am bored. I think I’m ready for the next thing.
DIO — You’ve been going to the movies a lot–What’s the last movie you saw?
JOE — I watched Sing Sing, Coleman Domingo’s New film–and I thought it was gorgeous. I thought it was beautiful. I thought that it was really what filmmaking should be. Telling a really heartfelt story with really a great cast and really clever filmmaking.
DIO — Is there a movie you can watch over and over again?
JOE — The Goonies or the Devil Wears Prada
DIO — So different from each other.
JOE — Yes. so different, but comforting. I also love Bridget Jones’ Diary. I thought she was British for a long time. And I didn’t think there were many actors who did a really good British accent.
DIO — I think I just found out she wasn’t British with you. Wow!
JOE — Yeah, She’s American and she’s amazing.
DIO — Wow. That really is amazing. That film has always felt so British to me.
JOE — I was reading about when they cast her, there was a huge uproar. That you can’t cast an American in this quintessential British role. And then when the film came out, all the British people were like, fine. Fair enough!
DIO — That’s brilliant. I’m also thinking now how I’ve never seen her outside of that film.
JOE — She’s amazing in Judy, the Judy Garland film.
DIO — I’ll make a note to watch. It’s so interesting to never have watched someone outside of a character. I feel like that’s a luxury that you just don’t see much of now because of social media. There’s just so much out there about any given public figure.
JOE — I think there’s something quite cool about it. I don’t know.I have withdrawn a lot from social media over the last few years. I’m still on it. I still go on it and post work things on it, but I made an active choice, over a year or so to only post work stuff. I mean, maybe here and there I’ll post something that’s not work related, but pretty much exclusively. Just because I think, you know, if I want to be a private person, have a private life, I can’t be upset if I then post photos of my family and my friends over the weekend and then expect people to not talk about it. But if I don’t post that, then they have no right to. It feels like I am able to have that privacy.
DIO — Does it feel natural to you? Withdrawing from something that people your age use so naturally everyday.
JOE — I mean, I still use it. I still go on it. But if I’m going to post something that I’d be posting for my friends to see, I’ll post it to my close friends.
DIO — I always wonder, is it so difficult to police yourself about what to post when you have so many followers. It’s like, how will everyone perceive this? But it’s just a photo? What will they say?
JOE — I think I used to care way more. Like, I’ve lost 400,000 Instagram followers this year. It’s a lot of people actively saying, I don’t want you in my life anymore. That’s how I used to see it. But then I’d realize I unfollow people all the time. And it’s not because I don’t like them. Maybe I had watched their Netflix show two years ago and now I’ve moved on with my life.
DIO — [Laughs] of course..
JOE — Or like I would post ’em at certain times to make sure they got a certain amount of likes whereas now I just couldn’t care less. This Instagram is an extension of my work, of which I am part of the work.
DIO — I think I aspire to be that way because I feel like I love being on Instagram. I love that connectivity you can have. But I’m aware of the way that it can make you feel sometimes.
JOE — And it still does make me feel a certain way all the time. I’m not immune to any of that, but it definitely has helped trying and taking a step back.
DIO — Your comment about watching their Netflix show a couple years ago is funny because I feel like I’m such an easy follower. I’ll just follow anyone. I watched a Netflix show a couple weeks ago and I thought–ohh, cute! Follow! Then I find myself unfollowing mass amounts of people because that philosophy can be kind of unnecessary. Do I really need to be actively following this person? A few weeks later and it becomes clear that no, I probably didn’t need to.
What do you feel are the biggest misconceptions of the british? And about Americans now that you’ve spent some time here in the states and have been able to garner your own authentic experience among Americans?
JOE — I think there are loads–but there’s the obvious ones, like all British people being posh and drinking tea. For Americans? I don’t know. But I do have a list in my phone of things I find weird in America.
DIO — Oh! Show me!
JOE — I keep adding to it. It’s a really long list actually.
DIO — There’s this trend of tiktok where people talk about the things they find weird in America once moving here. This will be something like that. Go!
JOE — Things Strange in America.
-Gaps in public toilets. I just think there’s no excuse for it. It’s the weirdest thing ever. It’s so strange to me. Like when you sit in the toilet, you can see out.
DIO — What do you mean by gaps?
JOE — Like when you are sitting in a cubicle. When you close the door, you can see out.
DIO — Oh yes, yes, in between the stalls.
JOE — Like, just even slightly, but it’s so weird.
DIO — That’s not common over there? I guess I’ve never noticed.
JOE — Of course it’s not common.
DIO — [Laughs].
JOE — It’s very strange.
DOP
Fraser Stephen
Groomer
Sandra Hahnel / Caren
Manicurist
Jada Ellize using BOY DE CHANEL
Photo Assistant
Tom Lombard
Fashion Assistants
Bernadette Da Conceição
Freya Lennard
“They’re more resilient than adults. They adapt to a situation. Being a kid is a very hard thing.”
DIO — I guess that’s why you just don’t go number 2 in public toilets.
JOE — Well, if you need to go, you need to go. But then I can’t go ‘cause I can see the man over there staring at me.
DIO — Oh no, yes—it’s terrible. I’ve never known any other way.
JOE — Not using kettles. That’s a weird American thing. You guys have to venmo everything. You don’t just transfer from your bank. In the UK if I was sending you money, I’d just send it to your bank account straight from my bank account.
DIO — Like on Zelle?
JOE — No, we don’t need to use a secondary like Zelle or Venmo or anything. But you guys get charged for it. Here you say, I could care less instead of I couldn’t care less. We say I couldn’t care less, which makes sense. I could care less. It means you could actually care less.
DIO — [laughs]
JOE — But you’re trying to say that you couldn’t. Another weird one is everyone here seems to carry umbrellas when it rains, but like people in the UK don’t really.
DIO — Well maybe you guys are much more accustomed to the rain in London, no?
JOE — Yeah, I don’t know. Maybe it’s just a me thing. I never carry an umbrella.
DIO — It’s a very uncomfortable thing to carry, once you’re done with it. You’re either just walking around with this like a makeshift cane or it’s very uncomfortable. Would you just brave the rain?
JOE — Maybe. Maybe it is just a me thing.
DIO — It’s always gloomy over there. Actually that feels like such an American thing to say.
JOE — Not always. More gloomier than it is here. This year has been a particularly gloomy year.
DIO — What’s your town like? What does your life look like back home?
JOE — I live in quite a busy part of London. I love it. It’s really nice.
DIO — Is it your dream place to live right now? Are you living your London dream?
JOE — Definitely one of them. I’d love to live in Notting Hill one day. I’d love to have a house there, but they’re so expensive, so I need to get some more work fast.
DIO — I love picking your brain about things but I do want to settle my curiosity on some things that came to mind when watching your work on this newest season of Heartstopper. At the risk of sounding like a fan, I’m obsessed. Like the rest of the world is. I feel like there’s this element in the first half of the season–about the idea of teenagers parenting themselves when it comes to things they’re grappling with internally. When it comes to relationships, they can almost transfer over their stressors, right? From partner to partner. In the spirit of wanting to help. Was this something that was talked about on set at all?
JOE — That’s an interesting point, but I don’t think it’s something that came up for us. We’re in our twenties now and it doesn’t feel like we’re older looking at the younger characters. It almost just feels like we’re still these younger teenage characters. But to your point we did talk about Nick realizing that he can’t solve all of Charlie’s problems. We talked about that a lot, and about having to get outside help for something like that. Outside of just your partner.
DIO — That’s exactly what I was zeroing in on. I thought about that because I see it happen with younger people, with teenagers. They’re going through things at home or in these relationships they get into and it can be a lot to hold in. Whereas the inclusion of an adult, or a parent in this case could make all the difference.
JOE — Yes, I think that’s something we touched on. One could say It’s a lot to put on a kid, but I think kids are very malleable and can take on a lot. I think it’s a lot to put on anyone. I don’t like to say it’s a lot to put on a kid because it seems like they can take less. But I think some kids can take more than a lot of adults can.
DIO — That’s a really good point. Kids are resilient.
JOE — They’re more resilient than adults.They adapt to a situation. Being a kid is a very hard thing. So something like that can just be a lot to put on any human. I think the idea that should be pushed is that everyone should talk to other people about their issues.
DIO — I really don’t want to get too much into it, but I read this morning that you came out to your parents at 12 and that to me is so out of this world brave. I’m wondering now, several years older, do you remember just what kind of space you were in that made you say, okay, I’m going to say this.
JOE — I just had a very supportive family. That was sort of it.
DIO — You just felt like it was the safe space to say?
JOE — Yeah, I did.
DIO — Well, that’s so nice. There wasn’t too much of looking in the mirror and being like, okay, I’m going to say this. I’m going to say this.
JOE — Not really. I don’t know. I feel that I was very lucky.
DIO — That’s amazing. I could’ve never. I also read that you mentioned how great of an experience you had during the filming of Agatha All Along–and how you are most comfortable around women. I feel the same, and I’m wondering if you can pinpoint why that is for you?
JOE — I was raised by pretty much just women. My mom was a single mom and she had three sisters, and that’s what I grew up around.
DIO — Who are your role models?
JOE — My mom.
DIO — Your mom? Why? My mom is also my role model.
JOE — She’s just a very amazing woman.
DIO — Is there something specific? A trait you admire, something like that?
JOE — I think she’s an amazing mom. I wouldn’t want to infringe on her privacy and discuss.
DIO — I respect that. I really love your respect for her in keeping that boundary.
JOE — One of the best things I’ve learned in the last few years is that it’s not rude to not want to answer something. I think it’s about figuring out your boundaries. If you give cloudy boundaries, then that’s what people assume.
DIO — That’s right. Something about me is that I’m so deeply a family person that I naturally wonder about that element in other people’s lives–which is where that stems from. A curiosity to know.
JOE — It’s weird. My thoughts on all things, they change all the time. But my biggest fear is my career and life affecting the people I love. For it to mean that they have to change the way they live their lives. So far it hasn’t, and I hope to keep it that way.
DIO — This question is a bit more introspective. You’ve mentioned how working on Agatha All Along was so important to you in terms of self-discovery. Can you talk me through why that was?
JOE — You know, I think I was living in Atlanta, in a different country for the first time for six months on my own. I was 19. I was surrounded by these amazing people doing my dream job. It was the first time since, you know, getting Heartstopper, that I really had time to just think about who I was. How grateful I was for this career and how grateful I was for the life that I was living. And really sort of figure out who this new version of me was, and what I wanted him to be, and how I wanted to be perceived, and how I wanted to treat other people.
DIO — Brilliant. Okay, I know you have to go now, I have one final question. Do you believe in witches?
JOE — I’m open to the idea.
20 Comments
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Wolandowitsch, André-Pascal
What a beautiful interview, I celebrate and love Joe Locke so much for it and am very impressed with everything he has already achieved. We can only be excited about everything he will do next, I will definitely continue to support him
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P3
I thoroughly enjoyed reading through your conversation. Crossing fingers for more amazing projects for Joe. Thank you!
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Lin
I’m in awe of him. Still so young and figuring out who he is, what he wants and doesn’t want, fighting for his own privacy and most importantly, for his loved ones’. I’m not sure if me saying he is a rising star still applies…. he already is shining brightly.
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Cameron
I really loved reading this interview. The interviewer was thoughtful, respectful and asked really interesting questions. Joe Locke is amazing and for someone so young he’s very grounded, down to earth and very loved by his family, friends and fans. Thank you for the stunning photos too!!!
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Jete K.
I cannot help myself worrying. Joe’s been saying he’s tired/exhausted since he’s been on Broadway and his infected throat has been an issues since last December. Maybe he’s worn/burn out? He himself knows how busy he has been filming and promoting non stop and it’s never stopped, has it? He’s still so busy with double promo duty.
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Jasdy
Omg pun intended ? Just finish ep 5 and wow joes a superhero now ?! And out gay! Like lets celebrate !!
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I. K.
in the whole heartstopper cast, theres only one boy signed to an actual model agency and thats sebastian croft (bashy), so not haveing him but joe instead is such a weird choice…. but youre loss!
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Jasdy
What omg how rude!!! Joe looks like a high fashion model, face & body!!!
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Shweta
Brilliant interview and Joe locke is star