The Astonishing Transformation of Tao in Heartstopper Season 2: You Won't Believe Your Eyes!

Warning: The following article contains spoilers from Heartstopper season 2.

Summary

Tao's actor, William Gao, returned to his role in season 2 of Heartstopper, dispelling any misconceptions that he had been replaced by another actor.

The change in Tao's hairstyle in season 2 left viewers puzzled, as they were accustomed to his long-haired look in season 1.

Alice Oseman responded to fans' negative feedback by giving Tao a spontaneous haircut in season 2, resulting in a noticeable change in his appearance compared to season 1. The second season of Heartstopper, which aired in August 2023, featured a familiar cast including Joe Locke as Charlie Spring, Kit Connor as Nick Nelson, Yasmin Finney as Elle Argent, Tobie Donovan as Isaac Henderson, Corinna Brown as Tara Jones, Kizzy Edgell as Darcy Olsson, Rhea Norwood as Imogen Heaney, Sebastian Croft as Ben Hope, and Olivia Colman as Sarah Nelson. While there were no doubts about the continuity of the other season 1 characters, Tao's transformation raised questions.

Tao, a character in the Netflix romance comedy-drama series, is portrayed as one of Charlie's closest friends. Initially, he believed that Nick was straight but as Charlie grew closer to Nick, Tao started feeling excluded and expressed his fear of losing his best friend. Fortunately, by the end of season 1, Charlie and Tao reconciled and mended their friendship. In season 2 of Heartstopper, Tao's storyline primarily revolves around his blossoming romance with Elle. However, after watching the new episodes, there are speculations among some viewers that Netflix may have recast Tao's character.

Tao Is Still Played By William Gao In Heartstopper Season 2

William Gao portrayed the character Tao in all 16 episodes of the Heartstopper television series, despite some speculation about a change in the actor between season 1 and season 2. Gao returned as Tao in the season 2 premiere and appeared in all eight episodes of the new season. Throughout the series, Tao's storyline primarily revolved around his evolving feelings for Elle, and their close friendship took a significant leap forward during a school-mandated trip to Paris, France in the middle of Heartstopper season 2.

Why Tao Looks So Different In Heartstopper Season 2

William Gao's portrayal of Tao in Heartstopper season 2 sparked discussions among fans when he debuted a new look. In the first season, Tao was known for his long hair that peeked out from under his signature beanie. However, in season 2, the character surprised viewers with a haircut, which happened before his much-anticipated date with Elle in episode 3.

According to Radio Times, creator Alice Oseman took into consideration the feedback from fans who had criticized Tao's original hairstyle in season 1. These fans openly expressed their dislike for his hair in the initial eight episodes. In response to their opinions, Oseman decided to incorporate a spontaneous haircut for Tao as he mustered up the courage to ask Elle out on a date in season 2, episode 3 of Heartstopper.

Source: Radio Times