The past year was a whirlwind for Joe Locke. After making his Broadway debut in the Tony-winning revival of Sweeney Todd last January, Locke did double duty in the fall as both fan favorite character Charlie Spring in Heartstopper’s third season and as Billy Maximoff, aka Wiccan, in Marvel’s Agatha All Along, lending his talents to the MCU’s queerest project yet.
Now, Locke is being recognized by the Human Rights Campaign for his contributions to queer culture. He’s receiving the HRC’s Impact Award, which is given for “bringing meaningful LGBTQ+ stories and voices to audiences across the world,” per a press release from the organization.
Locke reacted to the award in that same press release: “I am so honored to be recognized by the HRC in this way,” he said. “It’s been a joy and a privilege to be a part of telling LGBTQ+ stories and contribute to a world where everyone, regardless of who they are or who they love, can live authentically and without fear.”
Locke’s fans celebrated his achievement on social media. “this is so big guys and he absolutely deserves it,” one fan gushed.
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“We’ve moved on from that sort of thing,” Locke said of the previously unconfirmed movie in an interview last month.
“I was just like, ‘Oh, such a shame, everyone. I’ve just got too big of a bum,'” Locke recalled in a new interview.
Locke will receive the award at the 2025 HRC Greater New York Dinner on February 1, alongside fellow honorees Louisa Jacobson and RaeShanda Lias. U.S. Representative Sarah McBride and singer David Archuleta will also appear at the event.
“I’m thrilled to be joined at this year’s dinner by such talented honorees who share a strong commitment to bringing LGBTQ+ visibility and storytelling to the forefront of entertainment and digital content spaces,” HRC President Kelley Robinson shared in the press release. “Joe Locke, Lousia Jacobson and RaeShanda Lias unapologetically embrace their LGBTQ+ identities and show audiences that our existence, our voices and our experiences matter and must be heard and seen. The advancements they’ve made for LGBTQ+ equality and representation have been invaluable and we are pleased to recognize their profound accomplishments at this critical turning point in the history of our movement.”
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