Aunt Diane

Diane is a relative on the periphery of a teenager's world in Heartstopper, the kind of adult family member who turns up at gatherings and has opinions about how the younger ones are getting on. Little else about her is shown at the outset beyond that familial, watchful presence.

Hayley Atwell brings a warmth and precision to even small, functional roles, the sort of actor who can make a brief appearance feel lived-in rather than decorative. With so little screen time to work from, what she offers is presence: an aunt who feels like she has a whole life outside the frame.