An actress, a stunt performer, and a poet, Corinna Brown can do it all. With season 3 of Heartstopper back on our screens, Brown shines as Tara Jones. It would be cheesy to say she has a bright future ahead, but the proof is in the performance. The show itself is very much an ensemble piece, with Nick (Kit Connor) and Charlie (Joe Locke) at its center, it’s the friend group, the relationships around them, that provide loving support. The wonderful thing about Heartstopper is that even though it’s packed with characters, each gets their moment in the sun. The show’s popularity has catapulted Brown and the cast into the mainstream, providing a safe space for those watching along at home. Touching on topics such as mental illness, eating disorders, academic pressure, and coming out Heartstopper doesn’t shy away from these very real issues, along the same vein it illustrates healthy ways to cope, to heal, and to hope.
But beyond the world of Heartstopper, Brown has proven herself as a multi-talented threat. Not only a trained actress but a trained and talented stunt performer, her work has featured in the likes of Netflix’s Supacell, Vikings: Valhalla, and The Kitchen. She’s continuing to rack up the credits. Encouraged into combat training by her teachers at East 15 Acting School, Brown found herself in love with the discipline. With a whole new skill set to learn and an added extension of character work, she pushed herself to the limit, finding new ways of exploring her insatiable love of the performing arts.
In conversation with 1883 Magazine’s Dana Reboe, Brown discusses Heartstopper season 3, the responsibility of paying it forward, how she became a stunt performer, and more.
I binged Heartstopper last night, which was probably unhealthy [laughter]. We’re on season three now, so what has it been like for you to watch the popularity of the show blossom in real time?
Oh, gosh, it’s been crazy. It’s so mind-blowing to see. When we started season one, it was just our little show. We hoped people loved it. To see the response now three seasons in, it’s incredible. It’s overwhelming and exciting, but lovely.
Each couple gets their moment to shine this season. Isaac gets his moment to shine. Can you walk us through the evolution of Tara and Darcy’s relationship, and what your favourite thing about their relationship is?
I think for Tara and Darcy, we see Darcy’s having a bit of a harder time at home and in family life. What rings true to their relationship is that they are very for each other, and want the best for each other. Tara continues to support Darcy through that and through their pronoun change, and figuring out how they’re discovering themselves. For Tara and Darcy, it’s about communicating. Because they are each other’s people. That’s what I love about them. I think that’s my favourite thing. No matter what they’re faced with, they will get through it together. And there’s always love there, which we’ve seen since season one.
One of my favourite moments from the first episode this season is the very real conversation between Tara and Darcy about needing space. Tara was apprehensive about having that conversation, but at the end of the day, they are each other’s safe space. I really enjoyed seeing that openness in communication, especially in a show with this much reach. Another thing that was touched upon throughout the series for Tara is the academic pressure. It’s mentioned that she should join Oxford Prep, and then the topic of her becoming a prefect is brought up, and her mum adds an additional bit of pressure. Why do you feel it’s so important to show that particular nuance with Tara since she is a woman of colour?
It’s so nice to portray and important to portray. Because like you said, it’s nuanced. However, so many people can relate to that. It’s like, ‘Oh, you have to be high achieving. You can do it because you have been doing it. So, you’re going to do it.’ But then, within yourself, you will have those doubts. To be able to show Tara’s feelings and to portray that and show everyone else who can see themselves in that way is so important and speaks volumes. Tara does open up eventually, but I feel like she does do a lot of inward work. She does have a chat with Nick in the car. But I feel like it’s after she’s had that epiphany. She’s spoken to Charlie, had a panic attack. Then she goes away and does that herself. I think it’s beautiful that that’s shown. I’m so glad that Alice had that written in.
Honestly, to see the healthy ways in which these kids are dealing with things like academic pressure and eating disorders so frankly is refreshing. I think a lot of people find Heartstopper a safe space for them to see themselves portrayed. It’s so lovely. I found myself crying at least two or three times.
You and me both! [laughs]
Moving away from the show for just one second, I was scouring through IMDb and I noticed that you have stunt credits!
I do indeed.
Can you talk about that? Because how did you fall into it?
I trained at the East 15 Acting School in the acting and stage performance course. So, in the fight performance course, you learn fighting on stage and screen. We did many different weapon systems. I didn’t see myself going down this road. This is the crazy thing about this industry. Originally, I was auditioning for musical theatre [laughter]. When I did my East 15 audition they were like, ‘We think you should do combat.’ It was perfect for me though. We train in the weapons, we do mo-cap. I’ve done stunts via that. I did a wire course and an aerial course as well. I was obsessed with the physical theatre course where we did silks and hoops, I did a little short course in that as well. I was just obsessed with the wonderful world of stunts.
Which do you prefer? The stunt side of things or the acting side of things?
I love it all. I couldn’t ever pick. I think I want to be able to merge them, like do them both. Have the beauty of following a character through all of their journey. But then also have the physical, because the acting doesn’t stop when you’re doing stunts. You’ve still got to do the fight and feel the emotions of the characters throughout it. So I think it’s just having the skill sets of both. I’m so lucky. I’m like, ‘Thank goodness I’ve got into East 15 because it means I can do it all and be well-rounded.
We love to see it. When did you discover your love of acting? Do you remember a moment when you decided that acting was the thing you wanted to do?
I did dance when I was little, I’d always be singing to whatever Disney was on the telly and acting it out and making my mum sit down and watch me do shows, and stuff in the front room. So for me, I think it was really, really young. I went to a performing arts school, a Saturday school called Anna Fiorentini at the age of eight. Me and my Saturdays, that was my favourite thing.
You said during an interview that your voice can be heard as a black woman in the arts. How does it feel knowing that you’re helping to contribute to that legacy and that feeling you had as a kid will be paid forward to a new generation?
It feels really good. Also in the same breath, it feels like I have to thank everyone who’s come before me to allow me to do this for a living. It’s a cycle. There’s room for everyone. It’s quite scary if you think about it all the time, I think. But you just got to do it.
I was scouring through TikTok, and you posted a live performance of your first poem, about tackling Impostor Syndrome, which really kind of resonated with me. Because you said, ‘Nothing and no one is perfect.’ Can you tell the story of how that poem came to be and why it was important to perform it live?
I met an amazing person called Hussain Manawer. This was through a thing Hackney Empire do. It’s like a young people’s talk, and they get industry professionals in to have a chat. It’s called Compulsory Subjects. So I met him there via Yamin and the Hackney Empire. We were talking about how I used to be a part of the ADP development program at the Hackney Empire. We were talking about how I used to write songs and we used to perform songs. Hussain said, “Whoa, you’ve actually got buzz, you know? Write something one day.” He WhatsApped me. I think it came at an interesting time actually, I just finished filming season one so I wasn’t too busy. I was quite bored. I was thinking, “Oh gosh, as an actor, you’re auditioning, you’re not getting jobs.” And then the strikes happened. It was a beautiful time to write how I felt. So, I wrote it and sent it to him and it gave me something to do. It was nice to write in that stream of consciousness and then come to the conclusion that I’m still going to do what I want to do. Like, this is still definitely my dream and, but the feelings are still here. Then cut to the amazing book release.
How was it to perform the poem on stage?
I was really nervous. I think I say at the beginning, I’m like, ‘Hi guys, I’m kind of nervous.’ But it is strange because that’s my job [laughs]. Normally I stand in front of people anyway. It’s never my words that I’ve written though. As much as I was nervous, I was really excited and it felt good. It was cool to see people reacting in real time. It was nice to feel not so alone in that moment, it was beautiful.
It must have felt very validating to see other people relating. It must have felt cathartic for you as well.
It was lovely to listen to the other readers as well because you’ve built this whole supportive community around you.
Will we see more poetry in the future, do you think?
Oh, absolutely. I never say never!
Turning back to Heartstopper, another thing I adored is the chemistry between all of you as a cast.It just seems so seamless. Do you have any fun memories from filming season 3?
Oh yeah, loads [laughs]. I’m not sure if I’m allowed to say because they’ll probably all kill me. There was so much group time. We had loads of fun times at the zoo. That was a good time. The scene where we’re feeding the giraffe – I was actually terrified. So, there were lots of photos of me standing next to a giraffe looking scared. They’re massive. Lots of great times, like when we’re in the garden, having a party. That’s always fun because that’s improv and we’ve just got good tunes on. It’s always amazing when we go back to film because we’re such, we’re good mates. Casting knew what they were doing.
Honestly, it doesn’t feel like I’m watching actors. It just feels like I’m watching a bunch of friends.
It feels like that when we’re filming.
What advice would you give to Tara this season?
I’d tell Tara to trust her instincts. Trust that gut and go with it. It’s not failed her yet. And to keep finding love and happiness in all the small moments.
I love that so much. And lastly, what do you hope audiences take away from this season?
I think audiences should take away love and joy and queer excellence, and brilliance. But also, the understanding that you may not be able to provide help to the people you love the most. So, communication and giving advice, even if it is hard advice, is still showing your love.
Heartstopper is streaming now on Netflix.
Interview Dana Reboe
Photography Mollie Rose Skeffington
Styling Rachael Perry
Makeup Joy Adenuga
Hair Dionne Smith
Location Shai Space
Lighting Assistant Danny Cozens
Retouch Edd Kaspar