Heartstopper’s Yasmin Finney gets real about dating: ‘Men let me down all the time’ -TGN

Heartstopper star and trans pioneer Yasmin Finney isn’t sure she’ll ever find love. (Getty/Karwai Tang)

As anticipation builds for the return of Netflix’s hit teen love story Heart stopperthe show’s biggest breakout star, Yasmin Finney, has reflected on her own experience of finding love.

She may only be 19 years old, but Yasmin Finney’s massive celebrity status has already gotten in the way of her finding the one.

Since the monumental success of the Netflix adaptation of Alice Oseman’s graphic novel Heart stopperin which she plays the cool, calm and composed Elle Argent, Finney’s face has been everywhere.

She’s even had a major role in Russell T Davies’ upcoming series Doctor whostarring Ncuti Gatwa.

Still, fame apparently has some major drawbacks. Finney has previously spoken out about the hate she has received on social media, her only crime being a trans woman in the spotlight.

She’s also candid about the roadblocks that come with dating as a celebrity, tellingly El magazine earlier this year she was blocked from using the most famous dating apps for allegedly impersonating a celebrity.

Some guys, Finney explained, feel intimidated by her. In a new interview with Cosmopolitan UK however, she goes on and on, explaining that she gets disappointed by men “all the time”.

Speaking to British trans pioneer and author Munroe Bergdorf, Finney made a pretty bold claim: She doesn’t think she’ll ever find the right person to hang out with.

“I don’t think I’ll ever fall in love,” she shared. “I’m too sure of myself to belittle myself in front of someone else who isn’t ‘with me’. It’s what Eartha Kitt said: “I want to fall in love with myself and… I want someone to share me, with me.”

“It’s hard,” she added. “Men always let me down.”

If it sounds like a troubling predicament, her fans need not worry. During her Elle interview earlier this year, she said she really doesn’t mind being alone.

“If you have to rely on other people’s validation, you’re not going to survive in this world,” she said. “This world isn’t built for your boyfriend to buy you everything. Be your own sugar daddy!”

If Heart stopper‘s second season returns to our screens, much of the focus will be on how doe-eyed Nick Nelson (Kit Connor) will deal with coming out and making his relationship with Charlie Spring (Joe Locke) official. However, Finney’s Elle will also have some bumps in the road to deal with as she and Tao Xu (William Gao) figure out if they’ll ever be more than friends.

Finney is thrilled at the prospect of returning to the character that made her a Gen-Z national treasure.

“When I was cast as Elle at age 17, I was just happy to play this amazing trans girl who lives authentically. I was still figuring out who I was, so it was amazing to see the reaction to Elle,” she told Cosmopolitan. “She will always be my hero.”

However, her rise to become the UK’s most notable trans character and actress came at an odd time, with the country’s tolerance for trans people taking a step forward and 50 steps back. It’s something Finney has dealt with on her journey to the top.

“Who I am will always be something people want to talk about, but individuals should never be seen as a political playground,” she explained.

Her platform also comes with responsibilities and as such she is keen to raise awareness of the reality for trans women in the UK.

In April, she stated that the “NHS is a completely broken system” as she had been on a waiting list for gender-affirming care for eight years.

Going forward, Finney wants to devote more of her attention to addressing the very real problem of body dysmorphia that many transgender people face — especially for those who don’t have access to the gender-affirming care they need.

“I want to start a ‘love your body’ campaign for everyone who (lives) with body dysmorphia and gender dysmorphia. It took me so long to fall in love with my body,” she revealed to Bergdorf.

“When I look at myself, I want to exude confidence… I still have a long way to go, but if I could give something back to anyone, it would be my community.”

The Aug/Sept cover of Cosmopolitan UK will be on sale from July 25. Heart stopper season two will be streaming on Netflix from August 3.