Bridgerton Season Two of the Regency Romance Is Expecting More Drama
Since the release of the riveting Regency romance Bridgerton on Christmas Day 2020, the upper class has been eagerly awaiting news of the noble family’s latest exploits. They’ll be pleased to know that the long wait is almost over. With a splashy appearance by the Sharma family, a quest to uncover the identity of the Queen’s Lady Whistledown, and a particularly gripping game of Pall Mall — the second season of the series is set to bring even more drama, as the Shondaland favorite follows the family’s head, Viscount Anthony, on his quest to find his wife.
Anthony sets his sights on marrying into the Sharma family, who have just returned from Bombay. He begins his courtship of the wonderful Edwina Sharma (Charithra Chandran): “Edwina presents herself as a very innocent, shy character, and Charithra came in and she read for the role, and she did a great job,” says showrunner Chris Van Dusen. “Even though she brings out this innocent quality, there’s also a sharpness and wisdom in her eyes.”
As much as Edwina is drawn to the Viscount, his antagonistic relationship with her sister, Kate, complicates things. “Kate has spent her whole life taking care of Edwina and putting her sister’s needs ahead of her own, which is to her detriment,” says Van Dusen. “Anthony and Kate both see themselves as the protectors and matriarchs of their families—and they don’t believe in love for themselves. Somehow, these two characters are able to find those similarities in each other and bring out the best in each other.”
Sex Education’s Simone Ashley was cast as Kate Sharma, a rebellious, corgi-loving girl who finds herself reluctantly drawn to Anthony. “We needed someone who was uncompromising, and we needed someone who was strong and sharp,” says Van Dusen. “Simone is that person.” Because Anthony is pursuing his sister, their romance is forbidden. “With Anthony, it’s a longing look, a look like, Do you feel the same way? Do you feel what I feel?” says Ashley. “I would definitely sum up this season as a lot of sideways glances.”
As hostess to the Sharma family and trying to guide Edwina to a successful marriage, Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh) finds herself with her hands full. “Kate is the eldest in the family, so when she stays at the Danbury house, she’s a guest there and she can’t always get her way,” says Ashley. “She pushes back against Lady Danbury quite a bit, but she also really respects her and listens to her. She meets her match that way.” Golda Rosheuvel returns as the impeccably groomed Queen, who decides to unmask her rival Lady Whistledown (although viewers learned her true identity at the end of Season 1): “At the beginning of the season, I think the Queen misses her a little bit,” says Roshevel. “I think if she wasn’t her match, they’d be partners. There’s a kind of female power dynamic going on. There’s some lovely falling out.” Nicola Coughlan, who plays Lady Whistledown, er, Penelope Featherington, added: “I think it was the smartest thing to let the audience know about the super secret from the start because it’s going to be interesting for them to watch Penelope now, knowing that she’s been sneaking around and what she’s been collecting.”
What would Bridgerton be without the elegant balls? Along with Anthony, young intellectual Eloise (Claudia Jessie) reluctantly enters the marriage fair. Despite her character’s feelings about it all, Jessie has a blast wearing some gorgeous outfits. “There was one dress I wore and I cried because it was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen in my life and I got to wear it,” she said. The elaborate choreography was fun, too. “All the cast are a bit obsessed with the dancers,” Jessie said. “We think they’re the most amazing people in the world.”
