Kit Connor
Kit Sebastian Connor (born 8 March 2004) is an English actor. He has appeared in the films Get Santa (2014), Rocketman (2019) and Little Joe (2019). On television, he had a recurring role in the CBBC series Rocket's Island (2014–2015) and a voice role in the BBC One and HBO series His Dark Materials. He gained recognition for his starring role as Nick Nelson in the Netflix teen series Heartstopper (2022), for which he won the Children's and Family Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Performance in 2022.
Kit Connor | |
|---|---|
Connor in 2022 | |
| Born | Kit Sebastian Connor 8 March 2004 London, England |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 2013–present |
Early life and education
Kit Sebastian Connor was born in the South London Borough of Croydon on 8 March 2004.[1][2][3] A local of Purley,[4] he attended the Hayes Primary School in Kenley and then Whitgift School in South Croydon,[5][6] where he completed his A Levels in drama, English literature and history.[7][8]
Career
Connor made his onscreen debut at the age of eight with minor appearances in Chickens on Sky One,[9] the television film An Adventure in Space and Time, and the soap opera Casualty.[10] In 2014, he starred as Tom Anderson in the holiday comedy Get Santa, and as a recurring character Archie Beckles in the CBBC series Rocket's Island.[11][12]
Connor recurred as young Petya Rostov in the miniseries War & Peace and as Bob Sheehan in the miniseries SS-GB.[13][14] He made his stage debut in Welcome Home, Captain Fox! at Donmar Warehouse.[15]
Connor had roles in the 2018 films The Mercy,[16] The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society,[17] Slaughterhouse Rulez,[18] as well as the BBC One television film Grandpa's Great Escape.[19] He starred as Alexander in the Old Vic Theatre production of Fanny & Alexander.[20]
In 2019, Connor portrayed a teenaged Elton John in the musical film Rocketman, and played Joe Woodard in the drama Little Joe.[21][22] That same year, he began voicing Pantalaimon in the BBC One and HBO fantasy series His Dark Materials.[23][24]
In April 2021, it was announced that Connor would star opposite Joe Locke in the Netflix series Heartstopper, an adaptation of the webcomic and graphic novel of the same name by Alice Oseman.[25] He originally auditioned for the role of Charlie, but ended up cast as the other lead, Nick Nelson.[26]
Connor is set to star in an upcoming film adaptation of the novel A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow by Laura Taylor Namey.[27]
Personal life
In October 2022, Connor came out as bisexual in a Twitter post.[28][29][30] Connor, who had objected to speculation on his sexuality in the past,[31][32] had quit Twitter the previous month due to harassment and claims of queerbaiting after he was photographed holding hands with actress Maia Reficco.[29][33] In his coming out tweet, Connor criticised fans for "forcing an 18 year old to out himself" and having "missed the point of [Heartstopper]".[28] A number of fans expressed support for Connor and condemned his treatment, as did Heartstopper creator Alice Oseman, co-stars Joe Locke, Sebastian Croft, Kizzy Edgell and Olivia Colman, journalist Mark Harris, and Labour Party MP Nadia Whittome.[29][33][30][34][35]
Filmography
| Denotes works that have not yet been released |
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Get Santa | Tom Anderson | [11][36] |
| 2015 | Mr. Holmes | Boy | [37] |
| 2017 | The Mercy | Simon Crowhurst | [16][38] |
| 2018 | The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society | Eli Ramsey | [17] |
| Ready Player One | Reb kid | [39] | |
| Slaughterhouse Rulez | Wootton | [18] | |
| 2019 | Little Joe | Joe Woodard | [22] |
| Rocketman | Young Reginald Dwight | [21] | |
| TBA | A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow | [27] |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | An Adventure in Space and Time | Charlie | Television film | |
| Casualty | Barnaby Lee | Series 28, episode: "Away in a Manger" | [10] | |
| Chickens | Clem | Episode: "Episode Six" | [9] | |
| 2014–2015 | Rocket's Island | Archie Beckles | Main role | [12] |
| 2015 | The Frankenstein Chronicles | Joey | Episode: "A World Without God" | [40] |
| 2016 | Grantchester | Charlie Jones | Episode: "Episode 5" | [41] |
| War & Peace | Young Petya Rostov | 3 episodes | [13] | |
| 2017 | SS-GB | Bob Sheenan | Miniseries; recurring role | [14] |
| 2018 | Grandpa's Great Escape | Jack | Television film | [19] |
| 2019–2022 | His Dark Materials | Pantalaimon (voice) | Recurring role | [23][24] |
| 2022–present | Heartstopper | Nick Nelson | Main role | [42][43] |
Theatre
| Year | Title | Role | Venue | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Welcome Home, Captain Fox! | Small boy | Donmar Warehouse | [15] |
| 2018 | Fanny & Alexander | Alexander Ekdahl | The Old Vic | [20] |
Video games
| Year | Title | Role | Developer | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | A Plague Tale: Requiem | Lucas (English voice) | Asobo Studio | [44] |
Accolades
| Award | Year | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children's and Family Emmy Awards | 2022 | Outstanding Lead Performance | Heartstopper | Won | [45] |
| Dorian Awards | 2022 | Best TV Performance | Heartstopper | Nominated | [46] |
| National Television Awards | 2022 | Rising Star | Heartstopper | Nominated | [47] |
| Queerty Awards | 2023 | Closet Door Bustdown | — | Nominated | [48] |
| Royal Television Society Programme Awards | 2023 | Leading Actor: Male | Heartstopper | Won | [49] |
References
- ^ Strong, Louis (3 May 2022). Kit Connor (Podcast). Headstrong. Event occurs at 30:57. from the original on 22 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
- ^ Cleal, Sam (producer) (29 April 2022). Kit Connor and Joe Locke take the BFF Test. BuzzFeed UK (Online video). Event occurs at 00:24. from the original on 21 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
- ^ Schofield, Blanca (5 May 2022). "The young stars of Netflix's Heartstopper who have to stay in to revise". The Times. from the original on 5 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
- ^ Fisk, Robert (13 November 2014). "Christmas is saved by 10-year-old Kit Connor from Purley after Santa Claus crashes his sleigh in Get Santa festive film". Sutton & Croydon Guardian. from the original on 23 April 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
- ^ "Week Beginning 1st December 2014". The Hayes Primary School. 27 November 2014. from the original on 23 April 2021. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
- ^ "Whitgift student appears in BBC drama". John Whitgift Foundation. 8 February 2016. from the original on 23 April 2021. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
- ^ Connor, Kit (22 June 2022). i take this stuff seriously. TikTok (Online video). Retrieved 4 July 2022.
- ^ Strong, Louis (3 May 2022). Kit Connor (Podcast). Headstrong. Event occurs at 24:50. from the original on 22 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
- ^ a b Palmer, Ben (director) (26 September 2013). Episode Six (Television Production). Big Talk Productions. Event occurs at 21:35. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
- ^ a b Writer: Sasha Hails; Director: Robert Del Maestro (14 December 2013). "Away in a Manger". Casualty. BBC. BBC One. from the original on 15 December 2013.
- ^ a b Felperin, Leslie (5 December 2014). "'Get Santa': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. from the original on 3 June 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
- ^ a b CBBC Rocket's Island – Archie talks to Grasshoppers (Television Production). CBBC. 16 June 2014. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
- ^ a b "War & Peace: Episode 3". BBC. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
- ^ a b "Meet the cast of SS-GB". Radio Times. 9 June 2017. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
- ^ a b "Welcome Home, Captain Fox!". Donmar Warehouse. from the original on 15 May 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ a b Davis, Joanna (9 February 2018). "Review: Committed performance from Colin Firth in yachtsman biopic part-filmed in Dorset". Dorset Echo. from the original on 6 March 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ a b "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (2018)". British Film Institute. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ a b "Slaughterhouse Rulez (2018)". British Film Institute. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ a b Walliams, David. "Grandpa's Great Escape". BBC. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
- ^ a b "Fanny & Alexander at The Old Vic" (PDF). The Old Vic. 2017. (PDF) from the original on 2 July 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ a b Rooney, David (16 May 2019). "'Rocketman': Film Review Cannes 2019". The Hollywood Reporter. from the original on 3 November 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ a b "Little Joe (2019)". British Film Institute. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ a b "His Dark Materials". BBC Media Centre. 25 October 2019. from the original on 24 October 2019. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
- ^ a b Pullman, Philip. "His Dark Materials". HBO. from the original on 27 May 2022. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
- ^ Stroude, Will (22 April 2021). "Heartstopper: Kit Connor and Joe Locke to star in Netflix adaptation of gay graphic novel". Attitude. from the original on 25 April 2021. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
- ^ Craig, David (14 April 2022). "Heartstopper's Kit Connor originally auditioned for Charlie – not Nick". Radio Times. from the original on 14 April 2022. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
- ^ a b Grobar, Matt (16 August 2022). "'To All the Boys' Producer Ace Entertainment Adapting Latinx YA Novel 'A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow'; Maia Reficco, Kit Connor & Kate del Castillo to Lead Film's Cast". Deadline. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
- ^ a b Connor, Kit [@kit_connor] (31 October 2022). (Tweet). Archived from the original on 31 October 2022. Retrieved 28 November 2022 – via Twitter.
- ^ a b c Butcher, Ryan (31 October 2022). "Heartstopper star Kit Connor 'forced' to come out as bisexual". PinkNews. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
- ^ a b Tinoco, Armando (1 November 2022). "Heartstopper Star Kit Connor Receives Support From Cast & Creator After Forced To Come Out As Bisexual". Deadline. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
- ^ Baska, Maggie (15 May 2022). "Heartstopper star Kit Connor explains why he refuses to label his sexuality". PinkNews. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
- ^ Baska, Maggie (3 May 2022). "Heartstopper's Kit Connor calls out fans trying to define his sexuality for him". PinkNews. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
- ^ a b Shafer, Ellise (1 November 2022). "Heartstopper Creator and Fans Rally Around Star Kit Connor After He's 'Forced' to Come Out as Bisexual". Variety. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
- ^ Saunders, Emma (1 November 2022). "Heartstopper's Kit Connor says he was 'forced' to come out as bisexual". BBC News. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
- ^ Saunders, Emma (1 November 2022). "Olivia Colman 'Proud' of Heartstopper Co-Star Kit Connor for Coming Out as Bisexual, Blasts 'People Who Bullied Him' on Social Media (Exclusive)". Variety. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
- ^ "Get Santa (2014)". British Film Institute. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ "Mr. Holmes (2015)". British Film Institute. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ "The Mercy (2018)". British Film Institute. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ "Ready Player One (2018)". British Film Institute. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ "A World Without God (2016)". British Film Institute. from the original on 16 May 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ "Grantchester 30/03/2016 (2016)". British Film Institute. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ "Heartstopper". Netflix. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
- ^ Thao, Phillipe (20 May 2022). "Heartstopper Season 2 Will Say "Hi" to More Queer Joy". Netflix. from the original on 20 May 2022. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
- ^ Kennedy, Victoria (6 September 2022). "Heartstopper and Bloodborne actors join A Plague Tale: Requiem cast". Eurogamer. from the original on 5 November 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
- ^ Schneider, Michael (11 December 2022). "Heartstopper Leads All Winners at 1st Annual Children's & Family Emmys (FULL LIST)". Variety. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
- ^ Tapp, Tom (18 August 2022). "Dorian TV Awards: LGBTQ Critics Pick Yellowjackets & Abbott Elementary As Year's Best Drama & Comedy". Deadline. from the original on 18 August 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
- ^ Earp, Catherine (13 October 2022). "National Television Awards: Full winners list". Digital Spy. from the original on 5 November 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
- ^ "Closet Door Bustdown Nominees". The Queerties. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
- ^ "RTS Programme Awards 2023". Royal Television Society. 29 September 2022. Retrieved 7 March 2023.