“I Felt As Though I Had Big Shoes To Fill”: Darragh Hand Is New In Town

Swapping the corridors of Heartstopper for a darkly comic Netflix mystery and the grandeur of the National Theatre’s stage, the British-Irish actor stands at the cusp of a career-defining leap. He talks stepping back into beloved roles, embracing expectation, and why 2026 is the year he’s ready to take even bigger strides.

Darragh Hand is on the brink of a defining year. The British-Irish actor, best known to global audiences as Michael Holden in Netflix’s Heartstopper, is starting the new year with a slate that moves seamlessly between screen and stage – from a hotly anticipated Netflix mystery to the hallowed stage boards of the National Theatre, and back again to one of the most beloved queer universes in recent TV history.

First up is How To Get To Heaven From Belfast, the new dark-comic series from Lisa McGee, the creator of the BBC’s beloved Derry Girls. Now streaming on Netflix, the eight-part offering follows three lifelong friends reunited at a wake, only to find themselves pulled into a twisted mystery that unravels across Ireland. Darragh stars as lovable Liam, the central romantic interest whose ‘caught-in-the-chaos’ approach proves pivotal. He’s equal parts charming, complex, and yet central to the storm of it all.

And that’s only the beginning. This March, he’ll join the cast of Les Liaisons Dangereuses at the National Theatre, starring opposite actors Monica Barbaro and Aidan Turner as Chevalier Danceny – the romantic idealist immortalised on screen by Keanu Reeves in the 1988 film adaptation. It marks a major moment for Hand, returning to the Southbank following acclaimed turns in Dear England and For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy, and signalling his growing presence in heavyweight theatre.

Come summertime, he returns to the role that made him a household name. Darragh reprises his sure position as Michael in the feature-length finale of Heartstopper, drawing the curtain on a series that reshaped the landscape for queer storytelling on mainstream television – and broke records, as few do. So, with prestige theatre, buzzy streaming drama and a fan-favourite franchise all converging, Darragh Hand moves from rising talent to bona fide leading man, and luckily for us, he spoke with Man About Town to discuss the exciting whir of it all.

What is the root of your love for acting and performing?

The root of my love for acting came at a very young age, I think. I’ve always been a bit of a natural performer. Whether that was doing Michael Jackson moves at the family function or being a bit of a class clown. I’ve always enjoyed performing. But it was during my training at LCM (London College of Music), when I really started to learn the craft of acting, that I understood how beautifully therapeutic this art form has the potential to be. It became less of something I’d “done” and more of a necessity for me to operate, as challenging as that can be sometimes. 

Who would you consider your role models in and out of acting?

I am lucky to have grown up in a big family and been raised with a lot of love and a lot of role models. I’m one of the youngest in the family and so I always had a lot of direction from my older friends and family and friends that I consider family. Guidance was something I had in abundance, and I’m so deeply grateful for that – from my mum, dad, sister, brothers, aunties, uncles, cousins and grandparents. I also had the divine luck of having mentors in my acting journey at every step of the way. From teachers in primary school, to secondary school and college, and all the way to drama school, they all know who they are and know the love I have for them. 

You’ve got plenty of experience on the stage, from performances in Rupert Gold’s Dear England and Ryan Calais Cameron’s For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy. What are the lessons you’ve learnt from the theatre? 

I’ve basically forged my craft/career on the stage, so it was definitely one of my great teachers on my journey. There is something very frank about performing on the stage. You have nowhere to hide, and neither do the audience, so best believe you will feel what the crowd are feeling and vice versa. For Black Boys was such a vulnerable and raw show that it was really educational. I learned what it was to be honest with an audience, to have something pass between you and them. Not something artificial but real. It’s the bedrock of what I try to do with my work. Then, of course, one of my biggest takeaways from Dear England was the art of collaboration. It was a show that demanded us as a cast to be as sharp as possible, physically and mentally, and that commitment to the cause really galvanised us as an ensemble. A hugely important thing I aim to take forward with me. 

What would you say are the main differences from the stage to the screen for an actor?

I’m not sure there are many HUGE differences between the two. They both deal in the same business, obviously, and so they should never stray too far from one another. This was at least a helpful realisation for me personally! I saw the two as very different at the beginning, and this was actually a hindrance to me. I now see them as different flavours of the same sauce! Screen, in my opinion, is more about being human and understanding that the lens is there to pick up every tiny detail you’d like to use to tell your story. The theatre is about performing for an audience fundamentally, so that should inform your performance, whether that is size or volume. It is your job on stage to fill the space and draw an entire auditorium of people into your journey. 

You’re back on stage at the National Theatre in March for Les Liaisons Dangereuses, alongside Monica Barbaro and Aidan Turner. How did the role come about?

It started with a standard audition coming my way from my agent. It was an opportunity to work at the National [Theatre] which was obviously huge, but then once I’d seen who was going to be attached to the project I was really intrigued, and finally when I read the play… I knew I had to do all I could to be a part of this production. 

You’ll be undertaking the iconic role of Chevalier Danceny. For those unaware, who is he? What can we expect from the show as a whole?

Chevalier Danceny has been a very dear character for me to explore. It has obviously been played by some greats in the past, which only adds to the excitement for me to leave my own mark on the role. The show as a whole will blow your socks off. It’s such a scandalous, devious, sexy rollercoaster, blending all sorts of themes – it will be sure to leave a lasting impression. It’s also breathtaking visually. Audiences are genuinely in for a treat. 

Most viewers would recognise you from Heartstopper, which you will be returning to for its final feature film this year. How did it feel to go back one final time?

Heartstopper is such a beautiful show; any chance to enter back into that world is welcomed with open arms. It was so warming, hopping back into Michael’s shoes for one final time. I can’t wait to share the movie with the lovely fans and hope that it is as much of a beautiful, lasting present for them as I know it is for me.   

How was it stepping into a series that was already so widely loved? How did you prepare?

Initially, I was slightly nervous. I felt as though I had big shoes to fill, especially considering how beloved Michael is as a character. However, meeting the crew and cast almost immediately set me at ease. I saw the culture on set, and it made sense how they were able to make such tender, vulnerable work. The room was taken care of, and so all I had to do was follow suit. Preparation for the role involved mainly a lot of study of the solitaire book (which I am the biggest fan of now) and really getting to understand Michael as a character and trying to refine and explore what his relationship to Tori meant for them both.  

Next up, you’re starring in a new Netflix series, How To Get To Heaven From Belfast. What’s the show about? How did you get involved? 

The show follows three best friends trying to figure out what had become of their long-lost school friend who passed away under very curious circumstances. My character Liam is brought along for the wild journey and finds himself at the heart of some pretty mental stuff. I initially sent in a tape and then built from there to eventually a chemistry read where I met Roisin! The audition process itself brought me a lot of joy, and I really enjoyed trying things out in the room with the crew and production and Lisa. It’s a testament to the skill of this team. 

The show is created by Lisa McGee, the mind behind Derry Girls. How was the process of working with her?

She is a legitimate genius. The way she was able to create this world and these characters and have them all work in synchronisation with each other was nothing short of a miracle. She’s deadly funny as a writer and a person, and so it made sense for the incredible things she was able to create. I really feel grateful to have worked with her. 

What else have you got coming this year? 

Right now, I am really focused on my current projects. I want to make sure that everything that is happening right now for me is dealt with care and consideration. I know that if I do that well, my horizon will be promising. 

What are your long-term ambitions in acting?

I want to be able to say that, through the long span of my successful career, I had the privilege to work with the world’s leading casting directors, actors, directors, producers, and was able to tell important stories to the biggest audiences possible.