Agent Carter's Hayley Atwell returning to comic book TV with new role

Hayley Atwell is no stranger to the comic book genre. The esteemed actress is best known for playing Peggy Carter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe sandbox, debuting in Captain America: The First Avenger, before reprising the role in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Ant-Man and Avengers: Endgame (while also appearing as alternate versions of Peggy in other projects).

Her most significant stint as the character, however, came from the Agent Carter TV series, which ran for two seasons on ABC between 2015 and 2016. Though its first season had strong viewership, its period-setting and declining viewers in season 2 resulted in its premature cancellation, with fans calling for a revival ever since.

While Atwell has returned to the MCU on multiple occasions, she's enjoyed a great deal of success on the big screen in other projects, most recently the Mission Impossible franchise. Now, however, she's set to make a comeback to the small screen in a very different comic book TV series.

Hayley Atwell to star in Netflix's Heartstopper

Hayley Atwell is returning to the comic book TV genre, as it has been confirmed that she will be appearing in Heartstopper season 3. The Netflix series became an overnight global phenomenon when its first season premiered in 2022 as audiences fell in love with Nick Nelson and Charlie Spring's love story.

Atwell will be playing Nick's aunt Diane who, as reported by Variety, "takes him on a summer holiday to Menorca to impart some tough advice about his relationship with Charlie". As fans of the show will know, the Nelsons often go on a summer holiday to Menorca as Nick's mother Sarah Nelson spoke to him about it in the season 1 finale right before he came out to her in one of the show's most acclaimed moments.

Sarah is portrayed by Olivia Colman, who recently revealed that she unfortunately wasn't able to shoot scenes for the third season of the show. That could be why Aunt Diane has been called in to support Nick in this upcoming season. Atwell is a veteran of British drama so there is no better person for the job, and fans of the Marvel star are thrilled that she will be joining another beloved comic book TV series.

Fans are excited about the new additions to the season. That's right, Atwell isn't the only one appearing on the series, as she will be joined by Eddie Marsan, who will play Charlie's therapist Geoff, and Bridgerton's Jonathan Bailey as the Instagram-famous celebrity crush of Charlie.

Heartstopper season 3 will premiere on Netflix in October 2024.