Heartstopper star Bel Priestley wants to be the “best role model” she can for trans youth
Bel Priestley has opened up about her coming out story with hopes of inspiring other trans youth. Since 2019, the young trans talent has cultivated a passionate fanbase on social media due to her candid and lighthearted videos about her gender identity, beauty and fashion.
In August 2023, Priestley gained more recognition when she made her acting debut as Naomi on Netflix’s wholesome coming-of-age dramedy Heartstopper.
While her star continues to rise within the industry, it hasn’t always been the easiest ride for the emerging star. In a recent op-ed for the BBC, Priestley opened up about her coming out experience and the bullying she endured growing up. “When I was growing up as a boy in Leighton Buzzard, I was very feminine, but being trans was not really a thing.
I didn’t know it was possible,” she wrote. “I have been bullied my whole life. I moved school at age six after punching one of my bullies in the nose, but I was bullied at my new school, too.” After coming out as gay at the age of 12, her inner turmoil continued to get worse – with the emerging talent suffering through multiple panic attacks.
