Heartstopper movie confirms British TV favourite in recast for Nick's mum after Olivia Colman drops out film

As we gear up for Charlie (Joe Locke) and Nick's (Kit Connor) final outing in movie Heartstopper Forever, Netflix has confirmed two British acting legends are joining the cast.

Motherland legend Anna Maxwell Martin is taking over from Olivia Colman as Nick's mother, Sarah. Colman wasn't in season 3 of Heartstopper due to scheduling conflicts, and won't be returning for the film either.

Meanwhile, Derek Jacobi is set to appear in a cameo role, with the details yet to be announced.

Author Alice Oseman has opened up about Sarah's recasting, telling Tudum: "While in Season 3, we were able to tweak the story to avoid any appearance of Sarah, it felt nonsensical for her to be absent from this final chapter, given some of the emotional struggles Nick faces.

"Sadly, Olivia Colman was not able to join us for the film, so we made the very difficult decision to recast the role, rather than exclude the character. We are deeply grateful for Olivia's beautiful performance as Sarah in Seasons 1 and 2 of Heartstopper, through such iconic moments as Nick coming out as bisexual, and we know that her performance will live on in the hearts of every Heartstopper fan."

She added: "We are overjoyed to welcome the incredible Anna Maxwell Martin into the role of Sarah for Heartstopper Forever.

"Anna perfectly embodies Sarah’s gentle, down-to-earth energy, and it was magical to witness her scenes with Kit Connor during the film shoot. I can’t wait for Heartstopper fans to experience her interpretation of Sarah Nelson.”

Martin is known for roles including DCS Patricia Carmichael in Line of Duty, Julia Johnstone in Motherland, Beelzebub in Good Omens, and she's set to lead the upcoming For All Mankind spin-off Star City as Lyudmilla Raskova.

Jacobi, meanwhile, has had a varied career across screen and stage, in the likes of I, Claudius, Cadfael, Gladiator, and The King's Speech.

Heartstopper Forever will conclude the beloved Netflix series based on Oseman's graphic novels, following the romance between teens Nick and Charlie.

The movie is set to follow the couple as they navigate a long-distance relationship, with Nick preparing for university and Charlie finding new independence at school.

Hearstopper Forever is set to be released this year.

Heartstopper seasons 1-3 are available to stream on Netflix. Sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glassand Virgin Media Stream.

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