William Gao’s breakout year of navigating fame, friends and adulthood.
Catapulted into the spotlight following his role as Tao in Heartstopper, breakout British star William Gao is navigating fame and adulation while carrying on with everyday life in London.
William Gao wears Fila throughout.
Where do you call home right now in your life?
I was born and bred in South London but currently I live in the centre. I love it. I love London, I love the buzz of it, I love the creative energy that’s there. There’s just so much going on all the time. It’s also where I work, and most of my friends and family are here too. So that’s why I live there.
Which room do you spend the most time in?
Although I love to cook and I love the kitchen, I’d say the living room, because it’s a chill-out space. You can put some music on and your friends hang there.
Can you describe the first place you lived when you moved away from home?
I spent a lot of my teen years travelling for work. I remember the first time we went to Italy to do a show – I just remember the air felt different.
Can you remember the first time you felt homesick?
For me it’s an interesting one because I’m half Chinese. I’m mixed heritage, so I feel homesick in either place, when I’m in China or the UK. I have a slight yearning for the other. I do know the feeling of homesickness, it’s quite a raw feeling. I think homesickness is something that everyone carries with them somewhat, even if it’s not for a place.
Are you any good at DIY? If so, what was the last project you undertook?
I’ve been learning to do carpentry recently – I’m part of a community workshop and I have lessons every week. They’re really good and they’ve guided me to make a vinyl record table from upcycled wood. That’s been really fun.
What’s on your bedside table?
A lamp, a few magazines and the book by Charlie Mackesy, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse.
Do you have a special place you go to escape from the world? If that isn’t home for you, where is it?
It’s in the forest. Nature is the place where I decompress and go to escape the material world. I go to my rawest self.
Where do you see home being for you in 20 years’ time?
I have no idea! I’d love to live in different places. I’d love to see myself in or around London for the majority of my life, but also I’m keen to explore the States and China, and I’d love to live in Amsterdam… I have no idea!
When travelling, what does it take to make you feel at home?
I’d say breathing makes me feel at home, going on walks and taking time to decompress. I think you can achieve that wherever you go, although it’s difficult at times. I do love the nomadic life, though – there’s something quite exciting about it at this point in time.
Is your home a source of creativity and self-expression?
Absolutely! My work is very creative, I’d say I’m a creative person, so it’s vital, yeah. It’s where I write, where I think, it’s where I live, so for sure, a hundred percent.
How does the physical environment of your home influence your emotional well-being?
I think it’s pretty important. I like to have nice music playing, good food, good vibes. I think it’s really important to have a sense of home for all the senses. I’ve decorated my flat and I’ve got art around the room, good books to read, candles, good music; I’ve got a record collection, a turntable, a music set-up, which is really fun, and of course a piano which is everything to me and my work.
