Yasmin Finney, who plays Elle Argent in the beloved Netflix series Heartstopper, was announced by Deadline as the lead in the short film Mars. The film is based on a Yungblud song of the same name.

The song ‘Mars’ is based on an encounter Yungblud had with a young fan while on tour.

“This whole journey started with an encounter. Then it became a song, now it’s becoming a movie,” said the singer in a statement.

The short film will follow Yasmin Finney’s character, a teenager called Charlie Acaster, “who has only ever wanted to live a normal existence but an extraordinary night makes her reassess what truly matters”.

Mars is written by Chris Bush, who describes the film as how “the mundane and magical sit side by side”.

Furthermore, while talking about Finney, director of Mars, Abel Rubinstein, stated that “she has the ability to tell a whole story with a single look. She utterly embodied the character of Charlie whilst also bringing so much more.”

According to Deadline, a commitment to securing on- and off-screen LGBTQ+ talent was made by the production.

“I’m hugely proud to be working with Yungblud and the fantastic creative team we’ve assembled. The queer kids are alright,” said Chris Bush.

Yasmin Finney immediately got everyone’s attention after playing Elle in the Netflix hit show, Heartstopper, a live-action TV show that is an adaptation of Alice Osman’s graphic novels.

Elle Sargent is “a Trans girl who was forced to switch schools due to bullying and alienation”. While the main plot of the series focuses on Charlie and Nick’s love story, “Elle’s story operates as a more grounded and riveting B-plot as she finds confidence and acceptance in her new environs”.

Heartstopper became an instant success as soon as it launched, becoming one of Netflix’s most-watched English-speaking productions.

“I admire Elle so much, […] a Trans teenager who moves to an all-girls school after leaving her friends at the boys’ school where they’ve spent the majority of their formative years,” said Yasmin in an interview with Elle Magazine. She continues, “I was bullied for being queer at my first high school. At the time, I didn’t know I was Trans, but for Elle to know that she is and to move schools because of that is bravery on another level.”

But Yasmin Finney’s success did not stop there. The actress was announced in May as part of the new Doctor Who production, which will have Sex Education’s Ncuti Gatwa as the protagonist.

Mars is set to premiere at the London Film Festival next month.