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Who knew that Netflix’s Bridgerton cast would look so different in and out of their period-piece costumes? With three seasons of the period-piece show, it’s easy to forget that the Bridgerton cast are just actors and don’t really live in 19th-century England.
Bridgerton, Shonda Rhimes‘ first TV show for Netflix after she left 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 bestselling book series of the same name, is set in the competitive world of Regency London’s high society and centers on the Bridgerton family, an upscale English clan that consists of Lady Violet; her four sons, Anthony, Benedict, Colin, and Gregory; and her four daughters, Daphne, Eloise, Francesca, and Hyacinth.
The series, which has been described as Gossip Girl meets Pride and Prejudice, is set during social season when debutantes are presented at court. “We knew we wanted to make the show reflect the world that we live in today,” creator Chris Van Dusen told Collider in 2020. “And, even though it’s set in the 19th century, we still wanted modern audiences to relate to it, and see themselves on screen no matter who they were. And, that’s something having worked in Shondaland for so long, since Grey’s Anatomy really, it’s what we do.”
He continued, “We cast the best actors for roles in ways that represent the world today. And, we knew we’d had that same chance to do the same thing, and to do a similar thing with Bridgerton. Color and race is a part of the show, and it is a part of the conversation and it is, you’ll find it, written in the text or the scripts, just like class, and gender and sexuality are.”
The first season of Bridgerton followed Daphne Bridgerton (played by Phoebe Dynevor), the eldest of the Bridgerton daughters, and her relationship with the Duke of Hastings (a.k.a. Simon Bassett), played by Regé-Jean Page. Bridgerton season 2, which premiered in March 2022, centered around Anthony Bridgerton, the Viscount and the eldest Bridgerton son, as he searched for a Viscountess.
The second season sets up a love triangle between Anthony and two new characters: Kate and Edwina Sharma, two sisters from India who arrive in London with their mother, Mary, to find Edwina a husband. A love triangle starts when Anthony, London’s most eligible bachelor, and Edwina, the season’s diamond as anointed by the Queen, date and get engaged—despite Anthony’s feelings for Edwina’s older sister, Kate, who has a love-hate relationship with him.
So what does the Bridgerton cast look like out of their period-piece costumes? Read on for what some of the main actors look like out of their Bridgerton wardrobe.
Newton plays Colin Bridgerton, the third son of the Bridgerton family and Anthony and Daphne’s brother. Newton’s on-screen credits before Bridgerton include guest roles in shows like Doctors and Mr. Selfridge, as well as main characters in shows like The Lodge and The Cut.
Coughlin plays Penelope Featherington, the youngest daughter of Baron Featherington. Before Bridgerton, Coughlin, who was born in Galway, Ireland, had starred in shows like Harlots and Derry Girls.
Jonathan Bailey plays Viscount Bridgerton, the eldest son of the Bridgerton family and Daphne’s brother He is the lead of Bridgerton season 2. Prior to Bridgerton, Bailey starred in shows like W1A, Broadchurch and Leonardo. He’s also an accomplished stage actor, having won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical for his role as Jamie in the 2018 West End revival of Company.
Rosheuvel plays Queen Charlotte, the wife of King George III and an ancestor of British royals like Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II. Many historians also consider Queen Charlotte as the Black member of the royal family. Before Bridgerton, Rosheuvel starred in shows like Silent Witness and Dead Boss. She’s also veteran stage actress, having starred in plays like The Frontline at Shakespeare Globe Theatre in London in 2008 (pictured above).
Dyvenor plays Daphne Bridgerton, the eldest daughter of the Bridgerton family and the love interest of the Duke of Hastings. Along with Page, she was also one of the leads of Bridgerton season 1. Before Bridgerton, Dyvenor had a recurring role on Younger, as well as starred in shows like Snatch and Waterloo Road.
Page plays the Duke of Hastings, Simon Basset, and Daphne Bridgerton’s love interest. Because season 1 of Bridgerton is based on Quinn’s first book, The Duke & I, Page was one of the series’ leads, along with Phoebe Dynevor who plays Daphne. Page, who was born in Zimbabwe and moved to London at 14 years old, has starred in films like Sylvie’s Love and Mortal Engines. He also had a recurring role in another Shondaland show, For the People.
Ashley plays Kate Sharma, Anthony Bridgerton’s love interest and the older sister of Edwina Sharma, in Bridgerton season 2. Before she was cast in Bridgerton season 2, Ashley—whose full name is Simone Ashwini Pillai—starred in shows like The Sister, Sex Education, A Working Mom’s Nightmare, Casualty and Doctors, as well as movies likeDetective Pikachu and Kill Ben Lyk.
Chandran plays Edwina Sharma, another of Anthony Bridgerton’s love interests and and younger sister of Kate Sharma, in Bridgerton season 2. Before her role in Bridgerton, Chandran starred in projects like Class S, The Talents and Alex Rider.
Bridgerton is available to stream on Netflix. Here’s how to read the Bridgerton books for free.
For more about Bridgerton, read Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton book series. The book series—which consists of eight main books, one epilogue and four prequels —follows the Bridgertons, a well-respected, upperclass English family of eight siblings and their widowed mother during the Regency Era of England. Each of the books is centered on a different Bridgerton sibling—Anthony, Benedict, Colin, Daphne, Eloise, Francesca, Gregory and Hyacinth—as they search for true love. The first Bridgerton book, The Duke and I, followed the love story between Daphne Bridgerton and the Duke of Hastings (a.k.a. Simon Bassett) was the inspiration for season 1 of Netflix’s Bridgerton TV series. The second book, The Viscount Who Loved Me, which followed Anthony Bridgerton and Kate Sheffield (renamed Sharma in the Bridgerton show), was the inspiration for season 2. The third book, An Offer From a Gentleman, follows the relationship between Benedict Bridgerton and Sophie Beckett, and will likely serve as the inspiration for season 3. The main eight Bridgerton books are available on Amazon for $62.99, which savers fans about $30 from purchasing each book individually.
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