Joe Locke is already making a name for himself in the entertainment world after starting his career in 2021. Known for his role as Charlie Spring in Netflix’s coming-of-age romantic comedy-drama series Heartstopper, he has now joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the mysterious Teen in the upcoming Agatha All Along. However, after the Disney+ series’ trailers sparked some backlash due to his “campy gay stereotype role,” Locke has clapped back at fans criticizing his queer character in the MCU.
In an interview with Variety, Locke revealed that he’s already preparing for online reactions to his character in Agatha All Along after fans, including those from the LGBTQ+ community, negatively reacted to his role. Marvel Studios has kept the details of his character in the dark, only naming him as Teen and describing him as a “gay” character with a dark sense of humor who serves as the assistant to Agatha Harkness’ (Kathryn Hahn) coven.
“It was like, ‘Oh, why has Marvel done this campy gay stereotype?’” he said. “It really annoyed me because I was like, ‘You can’t ask for authentic casting and then be upset if you have a camp character.’”
The actor stressed that he is fully aware that the Marvel fandom is “far less nice” than the fans of Heartstopper, where he also plays a gay character and is the boyfriend of Kit Connor’s Nick Nelson. However, if there’s one thing he has learned in this business in the last two years, it’s that he can’t please everybody.
“There’s going to be a lot of people that just hate everything about the character and everything about what I’ve done with it, and I just have to be OK with that,” he continued.
Locke takes pride in being a part of the MCU. So, no matter what Marvel fans say, he will not be affected as he is the one who has a Marvel show, living the dream that others wish to do.
“Marvel fans are very open with their opinions,” he added. “But they’re not in a Marvel show, so I’m doing the one thing that they really wish they could be doing. Sorry!”
What role will Joe Locke play in Agatha All Along?
Marvel Studios has yet to reveal Locke's true role in Agatha All Along, referring to him only as Teen in the scripts. However, there are rumors that he will take on the role of Billy Maximoff, a.k.a. Wiccan, the son of Vision and Scarlet Witch, first introduced in the 2021 WandaVision. These claims have been heightened by Variety revealing that his “character’s true identity is a crucial story point on the show.”
Given his costumes in the trailers and the fact that Teen is gay, fans are convinced he will be Wiccan in the series. It’s also worth noting that there are not many queer teenage boys in the Marvel canon, which gives credence to the rumors. So, as he joins Tessa Thompson, who plays Brunnhilde / Valkyrie, as one of the few out actors to portray a queer superhero in the MCU, Locke admits it feels like a dream to him.
“I’ve never really thought about it,” he said. “It’s one of those things that gets a bit stressful if you think about it too much. But being in a Marvel series is the most pinch-me thing.”
Despite the negative reactions to his character, Locke is confident in himself and what he’s about to bring to the table. If he does indeed play Wiccan, he could be a game-changer in the MCU, making Locke a perfect fit for the role.
Agatha All Along is set to be released on September 18 on Disney+.
