Joe Locke has given fans a glimpse of his latest addition — a tiny duck tattoo tucked beneath his arm.
The Heartstopper star revealed the new ink in an Instagram photo dump looking back at his summer, captioning the carousel: “Summer of friends, fun, and duck tattoos in Ibiza.”
And naturally, fans were immediately obsessed.
The final photo shows the small outlined duck sitting just below Locke’s armpit, with commenters describing the tattoo as “cute”, “perfect” and exactly the kind of unexpected first tattoo reveal we would expect from him.
Friends, Ibiza And A Very Gay Summer
The photo dump also offers a glimpse into what has apparently been a particularly good summer for the 22-year-old actor.
Locke shared snaps with fellow Heartstopper star Tobie Donovan and trans activist Dylan Mulvaney, along with photos from a trip aboard the Orient Express with his mum.
He was also pictured with Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten, who became the Netherlands’ first openly gay prime minister earlier this year.
Honestly, friends, luxury trains, Ibiza and a tiny duck tattoo? Not a bad few months.
Goodbye Charlie, Hello Big Screen
The new ink arrives during a major transitional year for Locke.
Heartstopper Forever landed on Netflix in July, bringing Nick Nelson and Charlie Spring’s story to an end after three seasons of the beloved queer series.
Locke and Kit Connor both stepped behind the camera as executive producers on the feature-length finale, alongside returning to their roles as Charlie and Nick.
For Locke, saying goodbye to the character who made him a global star marked the end of a huge chapter.
But his post-Heartstopper career is already very much underway.
What’s Next For Joe Locke?
Locke is appearing in two films heading to this year’s BFI London Film Festival.
In Elsinore, he joins Andrew Scott and Olivia Colman in a drama about the final years of gay Scottish actor Ian Charleson, whose acclaimed performance as Hamlet came while he was living with AIDS.
The film opens the London Film Festival in October.
Locke also stars in queer mystery drama Black Church Bay, playing Jasper, a sixth-form student whose disappearance sends a Welsh coastal community into turmoil.
The film also stars Tom Cullen and will screen at the festival later that month.
After breaking out as one of queer television’s most recognisable young stars, Locke appears determined to make his next chapter considerably darker and more varied.
But for now?
It’s summer memories, good friends and one extremely small duck.
