The role of Tao Xu is played by actor William Gao in Heartstopper, in both Seasons 1 and 2. The 20-year-old actor, who stands at the height of 6′ 3”, is also a musician.
Heartstopper season 2 has arrived on Netflix, bringing back Kit Connor and Joe Locke‘s fan favorites Nick and Charlie. Creator Alice Oseman has previewed much deeper travels for the leading Heartstopper duo as they negotiate their now-official partnership.
The show was such a success that it was instantly renewed for seasons two and three, allowing viewers to follow the on-screen journeys of favorite characters Elle, Tao, Tara, Darcy, and Isaac, as well as Nick and Charlie, into their GCSE year and beyond.
Tao Xu, who has been a prominent character throughout two seasons, has gained a lot of attention because of his personality. As a result, a lot of people want to know the actor behind the character. Well, we’ve got you covered.
William Gao Plays the Role of Tao Xu in Heartstopper, Both in Seasons 1 and 2!
William Gao (@will.gao_) plays the role of Tao Xu in Netflix’s Heartstopper. Even though many viewers believe the actors are different in Seasons 1 and 2, we confirm that William reprised the role in the second season as well.
Image Source: Netflix
Some thought William Gao no longer played Tao in Heartstopper season 2 since he had a different look in the episodes. In the first season, Tao had long hair that extended from his distinctive beanie. However, in Season 2, the character received a haircut before his meeting with Elle in Episode 3.
According to Radio Times, Gao’s hairstyle was changed during season 2 after fans grumbled about his character’s initial haircut in season 1. They disliked Tao’s hair in the first eight episodes and expressed their displeasure online. So, in Heartstopper season 2, episode 3, Oseman listened to the fans and decided to add an unplanned haircut for him before he had the nerve to take Elle out on a date.
More About the Tao Xu Actor, William Gao!
Image Source: Netflix
William Hardy Gao aka William Gao was born on February 20, 2003, in Croydon Town, England, to his mother Liping Hardy Gao, where he grew up under his parents’ care, although he hasn’t revealed anything about his father. He is currently 20 years old.
Standing at the height of 6 feet 3 inches, Hardy has loved music since he was a child, and he performed during a recent live session organized by National Youth Theatre, and with his passion for such music, he participated in many shows and competitions, which is why many people today know him as one of the best-emerging pianists, who runs Wasia Project with his sister Olivia Hardy.
As an avid music lover and musician, he and his sister have released Misfit Biscuit, U Deserve, Burning Eyes R Calling, and Why Don’t U Love Me on numerous music sites such as Spotify.
Heartstopper, like Joe Locke, is William’s first screen debut. After a four-round open audition, Casting Director Daniel Edwards cast him in the character of Tao Xu, who can be seen in a friendly love connection with Elle Argent.
William is a multi-talented artist since, prior to entering the professional acting industry, he worked as a theater artist in Shakespeare 400 at Royal Festival Hall and A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Glyndebourne Opera, as well as a model at London Fashion Week in New York.
Talking about his character in Season 2, Tao’s friendship with longtime friend Elle evolves as they consider if romance is the next natural step. Gao recently said,
Tao’s growing up and we see a big maturity in him as he discovers how he’s feeling and why he’s feeling what he’s feeling. This growth is also linked to his arc with Elle as their beautiful relationship unfolds…We get to see their love blossom with some hiccups along the way, but it’s all learning. And I think most of all, Tao learns a lot more about himself. By the end of the season, we have a much more mature and thought-through Tao than we did in season 1.
