CHLOÉ On a high

Chloé Hayden on healing, Heartbreak High and finding her happily ever after

- ADRIENNE TAM

Growing up, Chloé Hayden didn't see anyone like her on screen. Bullied and ostracised by her school peers for being "different", she was diagnosed with autism at the age of 13 and switched to home education after attending 10 schools in eight years. She spent many of her teen years blogging about her experience with autism under the pseudonym Princess Aspien and, to her surprise, thousands of people reached out in response, thanking her for making them feel that they weren't alone.

Today, the 26-year-old is once again paving the way for neurodivergent people all over the world with her Logie-award nominated portrayal of autistic character Quinni in Netflix's Heartbreak High series reboot. The hit Australian show, which is shooting its second season, was lauded globally for its grittiness as well as its diversity and truthful representation. While previous depictions of autistic characters were mainly played stereotypically by neurotypical men, Hayden's rendering is nuanced and authentic.

As well as starring in Heartbreak High, the actor is the host of the new podcast Boldly Me, where she interviews high-profile personalities about being their true, bold selves. Hayden is also the author of last year's release Different, Not Less: A neurodivergent's guide to embracing your true self and finding your happily ever after, which is a practical guide as well as a personal and at times heartbreaking - account of what she went through as a child. In it, she tells of finding notes in her school locker telling her to kill herself. Once, she had a sleepover party and gave BFF necklaces to the girls who attended, only to discover they'd thrown them in the bin the next day, saying, "We'd never be friends with you." Teachers told her she needed to "grow up" and gave her detention when she cried about not understanding her lessons.