Heartstopper star Yasmin Finney has said landing her breakthrough role came at a time when she was at “rock bottom”, but gave her the opportunity to support the trans community in a meaningful way.
Speaking at the inaugural We Are Queer Health Summit in London, the actor reflected on her journey to stardom and the impact of the trans characters she has portrayed, including Elle Argent in Heartstopper and Rose Noble in Doctor Who.
Finney told audiences that while her career has provided a powerful platform, there remains significant work to be done to improve understanding and inclusion for trans people.
“Elle has inspired millions of people to kind of be themselves,” she said. “Rose has inspired so many people to be themselves authentically and to live in the trans experience.
“But there's still so much confusion when it comes to trans people. I feel like my role as Yasmin is to show people that it's possible, to show people that there is a world where you can be an actor if you are trans, where you can live authentically as yourself, truthfully.”
The actor made the comments during The Beauty of Transition panel at the summit, organised by Fabsolutley Creative Studios and now available to watch on QueerAF’s YouTube channel.
Finney also spoke candidly about the challenges she faced before being cast in Netflix hit Heartstopper at the age of 17. “I was at rock bottom, and it was really difficult,” she said. “It came at a time in my life where I also got to give back to the community in a way that could be impactful.”
She added that she has sought to use her profile to advocate for trans inclusion and visibility. “Even though I've been given this platform and this privilege, I kind of want to use my voice to advocate for what's important, which is ultimately including trans individuals, making sure they have a seat at the table, making sure that we're visible.”
During the discussion, chaired by Not A Phase chief executive Danielle St James, Finney reflected on her transition and the confidence she gained after beginning hormone treatment three years ago.
“I started to see the results while I was filming Heartstopper and filming other things,” she said. “Hormones have changed my life, my mind, just everything. Obviously physically as well. But it really has helped me kind of come together and get confidence.”
Finney said the experience of transitioning while working in the public eye brought additional pressures, particularly within what she described as the predominantly “cis straight world” of television and film.
She credited her chosen family and her dog, Coco, with helping her navigate those challenges, while highlighting the barriers many trans people still face when trying to enter the entertainment industry.
“I'm just a small part of that,” she said. “I know so many trans people that want to be in the industry but just don't know how. It's really about making it more inclusive for everybody.”
The panel also featured trans academic Samuel Moir-Smith and Injectual co-founder Joëlle Rotsaert. Discussions explored trans healthcare and wider LGBTQ+ health inequalities as part of a summit that raised funds for Not A Phase and LGBT Foundation.
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