The Bridgerton Cast Looks So Different in and Out of Period Costume—Here’s a Look
Who knew Netflix’s Bridgerton cast looked so different in and out of period costume? With three seasons of the period show, it’s easy to forget that the Bridgerton cast are just actors and don’t actually live in 19th-century England.
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Who knew Netflix’s Bridgerton cast looked so different in and out of period costume? With three seasons of the period show, it’s easy to forget that the Bridgerton cast are just actors and don’t actually live in 19th-century England.
Bridgerton, Shonda Rhimes’ first Netflix show after leaving ABC in 2017, premiered in December 2020 and has since become one of the streaming service’s most-watched original series. The show, based on Julia Quinn’s best-selling book series of the same name, is set in the competitive world of upper-class Regency London and focuses on the Bridgerton family, a high-class English clan that includes Lady Violet; her four sons, Anthony, Benedict, Colin, and Gregory; and her four daughters, Daphne, Eloise, Francesca, and Hyacinth.
The show, described as a cross between Gossip Girl and Pride and Prejudice, is set during the social season when teenage girls are introduced to the court. “We knew we wanted to make the show reflect the world we live in today,” creator Chris Van Dusen told Collider in 2020. “And even though it’s set in the 19th century, we wanted a modern audience to relate to it and see themselves on screen no matter who they are. And, that’s what’s worked at Shondaland for a long time, since Grey’s Anatomy really, that’s what we do.”
Luke Newton (Colin Bridgerton)
Newton plays Colin Bridgerton, the third son of the Bridgerton family and the older brother of Anthony and Daphne. Newton’s on-screen roles before Bridgerton include guest appearances on shows like Doctors and Mr. and Mrs. Selfridge, as well as starring in shows like The Lodge and The Cut.
Nicola Coughlan (Penelope Featherington)
Coughlin plays Penelope Featherington, the youngest daughter of Baroness Featherington. Before Bridgerton, Coughlin, who was born in Galway, Ireland, starred in shows like Harlots and Derry Girls.
Jonathan Bailey (Anthony Bridgerton)
Jonathan Bailey plays Viscount Bridgerton, the eldest son of the Bridgerton family and Daphne’s older brother. He is a main cast member of Bridgerton season 2. Before Bridgerton, Bailey has starred in shows like W1A, Broadchurch, and Leonardo. He is also a talented stage actor, having won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical for his role as Jamie in the 2018 West End revival of Company.
Golda Rosheuvel (Queen Charlotte)
Rosheuvel plays Queen Charlotte, the wife of King George III and an ancestor of British royals such as Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II. Many historians also consider Queen Charlotte to be a black member of the royal family. Before Bridgerton, Rosheuvel had appeared in shows such as Silent Witness and Dead Boss. She is also a veteran stage actress, having appeared in plays such as The Frontline at the Shakespeare Globe Theatre in London in 2008 (pictured above).
Phoebe Dynevor (Daphne Bridgerton)
Dyvenor plays Daphne Bridgerton, the eldest daughter of the Bridgerton family and the lover of the Duke of Hastings. Along with Page, she was also one of the main cast members of Bridgerton season 1. Prior to Bridgerton, Dyvenor had a recurring role on Younger, as well as starring in shows like Snatch and Waterloo Road.
Regé-Jean Page (Simon Basset)
Page plays the Duke of Hastings, Simon Basset, and Daphne Bridgerton’s love interest. Since Bridgerton season 1 is based on Quinn’s first book, The Duke & I, Page is one of the main cast members of the series, along with Phoebe Dynevor, who plays Daphne. Page, who was born in Zimbabwe and moved to London at the age of 14, has starred in films like Sylvie’s Love and Mortal Engines. He also has a recurring role on another Shondaland show, For the People.
