Joe Locke’s embodiment of Billy Maximoff in Agatha All Along allowed Jac Schaeffer to set up a major mystery for the miniseries’ twist ending. Introduced to viewers as “Teen,” the actor was revealed as Billy when his head took the semblance of the Scarlet Witch in Episode 5. Billy and his twin brother Tommy (Jett Klyne) were part of the parent show WandaVision. However, Julian Hilliard portrayed the character in the 2021 miniseries also helmed by Schaeffer.
Hilliard reprised the Marvel Comics superhero in 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. But then, the character’s demise in WandaVision meant he couldn’t return to the role. Following his death, Billy possessed the body of an accident victim named William Kaplan for the events in Agatha All Along, wherein Joe Locke embodied the superhero. Here’s what to know about the life and career of the new Billy Maximoff actor.
Joe Locke Is A Manx Actor From Douglas, Isle of Man
The new Billy Maximoff actor was born on September 24, 2003, in Douglas, Isle of Man — a self-governing British Crown dependency. A self-professed “introverted extrovert,” Joe Locke was drawn to performing arts as a child. He was only 6 when he went for his first audition in a local production of The Wizard of Oz. Distraught by the requirement for a second audition, Locke cried and gave up the role.
But as he grew older, he became more determined to pursue his dream. Locke participated in multiple plays at Ballakermeen High School and was an active member of the Youth Arts Theatre group at the Kensington Art Centre. He performed in many local productions, including the National Theatre Connections production of Dungeness in 2020. Joe Locke intended to apply for a drama school when he learned about a casting call for the TV show that introduced him to a global audience.
He Gained Mainstream Recognition As Charlie Spring In Netflix’s Heartstopper
Joe Locke rose to stardom in 2022 when he began playing Charlie Spring opposite Kit Connor’s Nick Nelson in Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper. The Netflix coming-of-age romance drama revolves around Locke’s character, a gay student at Truham Grammar School who falls in love with his classmate after sitting together in class. The series premiered in April 2022 to rave reviews and is expected to return for its fourth and final season in 2025. Locke’s performance earned him UK’s National Television Awards nomination for Rising Star, among other miscellaneous accolades.
The Manx actor snagged the role after a family friend informed him of an open call for a new television show. He auditioned with a mobile phone and was chosen from at least 10,000 other aspirants who responded to the casting call. He feels incredibly lucky for getting the opportunity and is determined to make the best of it. “I’ve always wanted to be an actor, but I never thought it would actually happen,” he told the Isle of Man’s Department of Education, Sport and Culture.
Joe Locke Feels Like An Actor For The First Time Playing Billy Maximoff
Before landing his Heartstopper role, Joe Locke had quite a robust experience performing on stage. This informed how he navigated playing Charlie Spring. While he’s grateful for the role that launched his career, the Manx actor regards Billy Maximoff as his first genuine experience as a professional actor. Locke told RollingStone UK that he evolved significantly while shooting Agatha All Along.
“With Heartstopper, we were all kids,” he said, but with Agatha All Along, “I always felt like ‘This is adult shit. I’m going into this on the same plane as everyone else.’ It was a big change, but a good one,” explained the actor. “…I felt like an actor for the first time,” he added, “I don’t know how to describe it other than that… Agatha was the first time I was like, ‘Maybe I’m not so shit.”
The New Billy Maximoff Actor Is Gay
Like his characters in Heartstopper and Agatha All Along, Joe Locke is gay and proudly so. He came out to his mum at age 12 and then announced it on Instagram. However, he quickly deleted the post, claiming his account had been hacked upon realizing he wasn’t ready to tell everyone. “I went back in the closet for three years,” Locke told The New York Times in July 2023.
Now openly gay, the actor aspires to play Disney’s first gay prince. “I would love to play the first gay Disney prince. That would be a dream,” he told The Independent in April 2022. Also a queer rights activist, Joe Locke called out the Isle of Man for not allowing gay men to donate blood in August 2022. This prompted the island’s health minister to announce a review of the rule, which the actor described as “archaic.” Check out the best shows to watch if you like The Gentlemen.
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