Heartstopper actress Olivia Colman has responded to co-star Kit Connor being pressured into coming out as bisexual.
In Netflix's hit comedy-drama – which was renewed for two more seasons back in May – the pair play mother-and-son duo Sarah and Nick Nelson.
On the red carpet for her latest Oscar-destined movie Empire of Light, Colman spoke to Variety about Connor's decision to go public, which he initially felt forced to do after endless speculation.
Related: Heartstopper season 2 set picture reveals first look at Nick and Charlie in Paris
"I am so proud of him, but I am not proud of how people bullied him," she stated.
"I think people should be allowed to have their own journey. But I'm incredibly proud of him as a young man to deal with all of that and be in the spotlight. It's unfair. But he's amazing. He's a very beautiful human being."
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On accepting her Heartstopper role, the Lost Daughter star revealed: "I said yes before I had read it and when I read it, I went, 'Oh, it's really important'.
"If any of my children experienced that, I'd want them to know that the world can be beautiful and accepting and loving."
Related: Heartstopper star accidentally made Olivia Colman cry on set
Earlier this week, Connor himself attended a Critics Choice Awards panel (alongside co-star Joe Locke) where the subject of onscreen bisexual representation was brought up.
"I think that the bisexual community is a community that has really a shockingly low amount of representation, especially male bisexual characters," he said.
"It is shocking because a huge amount of the LGBTQIA+ community is made up of bisexual people. It's a huge community but we really don't get much representation."
Heartstopper is streaming on Netflix. Seasons 2 and 3 have been confirmed.
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Reporter, Digital Spy
Dan is a freelance entertainment journalist. Beginning his writing career in 2014, Dan's work first graced the pages of cult publications Starburst magazine and Little White Lies before moving onto Total Film, Digital Spy, NME and Yahoo Entertainment.
In the film and TV universe, he kneels at the altar of Jim Carrey, Daniel Plainview, Mike Ehrmantraut and Paulie Walnuts.
