How Heartstopper Changes Key Scene for Season 3

In planning for Heartstopper season 3, creator Alice Oseman recognized the necessity of including a pivotal scene from her original graphic novels. This emotional moment features Nick (played by Kit Connor) having a heartfelt conversation with his mother, Sarah, on the beach, addressing his boyfriend's battles with anorexia and depression. One of the key quotes from this scene is Sarah's assertion that "love can't cure mental illness."

However, Oseman revealed that Olivia Colman, the Oscar-winning actress who portrays Sarah, could not participate in the third season due to scheduling conflicts. "It's such an important, pivotal moment for Nick," Oseman shared with Entertainment Weekly. Recognizing the need for this conversation, she had to devise a backup plan.

In the graphic novels, Nick has an aunt and uncle, Diane and Richard, who make brief appearances. Oseman initially omitted these characters from previous seasons, feeling they didn't enhance the story. But with season 3 approaching, she saw an opportunity to include Aunt Diane, who is a therapist.

When it became clear that Colman's schedule wouldn’t allow for her return, the casting team quickly learned that Hayley Atwell, known for her roles in Captain America and Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning, was interested in joining Heartstopper. "She didn't audition; we knew she would be amazing," Oseman stated.

Atwell's casting was announced last April, and it was revealed that Diane would take Nick on a summer trip to Menorca, where she would offer him some tough love regarding his relationship with Charlie (played by Joe Locke).

Oseman noted that she couldn’t simply insert Diane into the story for just one scene, as it wouldn't feel authentic. Instead, she had to integrate new scenes that introduced Diane’s character, developed her relationship with Nick, and led naturally to the crucial final scene, ensuring it maintained its emotional weight.

Oseman is aware that fans of her graphic novels are anxious about how this moment will be portrayed due to their deep emotional investment. She described it as "definitely one of the bigger screenwriting challenges" to adapt the scene around Diane. "But I'm really happy with how it all turned out," she added. "I think it works really well within the episode and carries a lot of emotion."

Fans can look forward to seeing this pivotal moment when Heartstopper season 3 premieres on Netflix this Thursday.