Heartstopper star’s new rom-com gets release date and teaser
Sebastian Croft and Tanner Buchanan in new rom com How To Date Billy Walsh. (Prime Video)
Heartstopper star Sebastian Croft’s new rom-com How to Date Billy Walsh finally has a release date, as well as a new teaser trailer.
Croft, 22, is swapping his role as Heartstopper‘s closeted bully Ben Hope for that of a lovelorn teen who has to fight to keep his best friend from falling in love in Prime Video’s How to Date Billy Walsh.
Archie has been besties with Amelia, played by Bridgerton star Charithra Chandran, since childhood, and while he’s happy to be by her side, protect her and laugh at all her jokes, he wants to take their relationship further.
Before he can make his move though, Amelia becomes smitten with adorable American transfer student Billy Walsh (Cobra Kai‘s Tanner Buchanan).
Archie’s frantic attempt to stop them falling in love only end up pulling them closer together and, as his plan fails, he risks losing Amelia altogether.
The Prime Video original film was originally set to drop in September, but was postponed by the Hollywood strikes. Now, it’s finally been given a new release date, and will stream on Prime Video from Friday 5 April.
Alongside the release date announcement, Prime Video also shared a short teaser trailer. The brief clip begins with the arrival of Billy, and Amelia declaring to Archie: “I have something to tell you, I love Billy.”
Archie’s reply is a muted: “F**k no.”
Amelia goes on to say: “I’ve never felt this kind of attraction to someone before,” as Billy takes a step out of a swimming pool, flexing his abs.
Previously released stills from film appear to show Archie covered in a whole manner of food, from spaghetti to chocolate cake.
Addressing his mucky appearance in the film, Croft wrote on Instagram: “Yes, a large amount of this film is me being covered in different food, generally thrown about.”
In a new statement, he added that he is thrilled to star in the “uniquely British” rom-com, and is “eager to see it bring the same level of joy into people’s homes that we experienced while making the movie”.
How to Date Bill Walsh is directed by Bridgerton‘s Alex Pillai, while Nick Frost (Shaun of the Dead), Tim Downie (Good Omens) and Lucy Punch (Bad Teacher) co-star.
Croft is one of many of Heartstopper’s stars to find their next big projects, with Joe Locke, who plays Charlie, currently appearing in Sweeney Todd on Broadway and Yasmin Finney (Elle) recently appearing in Doctor Who.
Meanwhile, season two addition Bradley Riches recently confirmed that he’s been cast in the second season of queer BBC horror series Wreck.
Croft’s Ben Hope will not be making a return to the “raunchier” Heartstopper season three when it drops later this year, after the character was seen departing for a new school at the end of season two.
