Darragh Hand Unpacks The Twisty Ending Of How To Get To Heaven From Belfast

In How to Get to Heaven from Belfast, Lisa McGee’s vibrant, genre-hopping follow-up to Derry Girls, three 30-something besties take a trip to the wake of their old school friend. But this quest proves to be a twisty one after discovering that said friend Greta (Natasha O’Keeffe) isn’t quite as dead as she seems. The pals try to get to the bottom of her disappearance — and their own shared trauma — with some help (and pushback) from a small-town Donegal police officer, Liam (Darragh Hand).

The kind but stoic Garda lends a delightful frisson to the Netflix series (streaming now), as he develops a romantic connection with one of the posse, TV writer Saoirse (Roísín Gallagher).

“Liam’s a natural kind of protector. He has a softness that comes from genuinely caring about the work he does and the people he interacts with, and I think that was quite important,” Hand tells Bustle over Zoom. “Because he’s also a young man who perhaps is still figuring out who he is.”

Spoilers ahead. The first season ends with Liam piecing together the truth about Greta’s disappearance. As teens back in school, the girls helped Greta bury the body of a journalist (Josh Finan) who threatened to expose the truth about her role in a tragic fire as a young child. When the past catches up with Greta, she fakes her own death with a secret organization that helps women in dire situations. Liam helps the long-lost friends achieve a cathartic reunion, but also shows the journalist’s son, Andrew, exactly where his dad is buried, complicating hopes for a happily ever after.

Of course, the series balances its heaviest twists with what McGee has described as Scooby-Doo-inspired hijinks. “I think what really helped was [that] the whole crew, the cast, production — everyone on that set was hilarious,” Hand says. “With that sense of openness and curiosity, we were able to carve what the show was.”

How to Get to Heaven from Belfast marks the beginning of a big year for 27-year-old Hand. The Olivier-nominated actor from Croydon, England — who previously had a breakout turn on Heartstopper in 2024 — can next be spotted in the National Theatre’s production of Les Liaisons Dangereuses from March 21.

“I felt 2025 was kind of like a learning year for me,” says Hand, who recently picked up Brazilian jiu-jitsu, ballroom dancing, rock climbing, running, table tennis, and guitar. “It was a year to poise myself to be ready to really attack the year and try and get the most out of it, while still having a bit of fun.”

Below, Hand opens up about the season finale, watching women lead, and what’s to come in Heartstopper Forever.

What made you excited to step into this world?

Lisa McGee being tied to the project was a big thing for me. The way she writes comedy is second to none. I don’t really think there’s anyone who is able to blend real-life topics so seamlessly with humor. And the opportunity to go back to Ireland to shoot this was a big thing, because my mum’s from there. I was constantly blown away — I couldn’t believe people genuinely got to wake up and look at these horizons every day.

On the phone in the final episode, Andrew asks Liam, “If the girls know where my dad’s body is, why would they tell us now? What’s changed?” And Liam says, “I have.” What do you think this journey has stirred in him?

Liam’s whole thing is morality. [Throughout] the show, he’s trying to do the right thing, but the right thing is getting harder and less obvious to do. He’s torn in loads of different directions. And that moment is when he rediscovers what he set out to do in the first place, which was to seek justice. That was an important beat for him.

I feel like there are repercussions to be had in a potential Season 2, but what do you make of that decision he’s made to reveal what he’s learned about the girls?

It’s a heart-and-head dilemma. He’s really helped Andrew in this situation — like, he’s given him the catharsis that he’s been looking for his whole life. But potentially at the cost of [Saoirse], whom he may have grown to love. They were like Bonnie and Clyde. That duality is something everyone can relate to.

What do you think is in store for them?

I’m as curious as you are. I think they’re both looking for something in each other: Saoirse’s drawn to his order, and Liam’s drawn to her chaos.

As a viewer, there’s something special about seeing this one male presence who isn’t fighting the women on their journey. There’s push and pull, but he’s letting the women lead in a lot of ways.

Yeah, Liam is very aware of the strength of these girls throughout. His whole thing is getting out of their way, letting them be amazing, and allowing them to be as mad as they want on this journey. And it’s probably what attracts him to Saoirse. It is an intrinsically feminist story. These are three women who could lie down in their lives, [but] are deciding, “We can still charge through.” That’s a really nice message.

Liam is a big departure from your beloved role as Michael on Heartstopper. Is there anything you can tease about the upcoming film?

The fans of that show are some of the most loyal, dedicated fans I’ve ever experienced. It means so much to them as an audience, so I don’t know if there’s much I can give away. But it is the final installment, so we will be saying goodbye to these characters, which is sad and beautiful — especially for a lot of the other cast [members who have] grown up with this show.

Are you feeling that kind of parallel in your own life — the beginning of a new chapter?

Definitely. I will always be so grateful for Heartstopper because it introduced me into the TV/film realm in the best way possible. Even down to the comics — my character, Michael Holden, looks a bit different from how I look. And I would see people online absolutely crushing any narrative of, like, Oh, this is not how he looked in the comics. This is not how his hair was in the comics. They really vouched for me. They genuinely had my back, which was a bizarre but lovely thing. For that to be my introduction was beautiful. Hopefully, now, with How to Get to Heaven, we can start to venture into different realms. I think it will be a good year.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.