If you could play another character in the show, who would it be and why?
Phoebe: I originally thought, I want to play Eloise because she’s just the opposite to Daphne so that’d be really fun. And then I thought, actually no, if I could play any character, any Bridgerton, I’d want to play Anthony because well, he’s just a lot of fun isn’t he? He’s sort of like dark, and it’s also boiling inside him. Yeah, I think Anthony would be quite a fun one.
Anthony: Maybe we could switch moving forward [laughs].
Nicola: I think if you’re going to go for just over the top job just play the Queen. I can’t imagine anyone better than Golda Rosheuvel playing it but just like, you know, having your posse with you and that big old wig and the big dresses, that would be so much fun.
Anthony: I think Gregory for me, I’m the youngest in my family and I think I’m probably my siblings’ Gregory. Both him, Will Tilston, who will be playing Gregory and Florence Hunt who plays Hyacinth are so brilliant and mega, that they just looked like they were always having the most fun on set.
Phoebe: You just wanted to flick peas across the table.
Anthony: Yes. Very generous with the food [laughs].
Regé: It’s a little bit of a toss up, I’ve always been drawn to Colin’s character, I love his storyline. I think he has the truest love story and the purest love story in this book. And I’ve always kind of liked just how he throws himself so open-heartedly until everyone kind of gets stung for it in the most heartbreaking way.
But at the same time, I don’t like getting hurt so easily, so I kinda wish I was Lady Danbury. If I could just swish through life wielding a cane in a fuchsia dress as a strong black woman, I think that I’d be fine.
Why do you think stories from this period of history are still popular and relevant to this day?
Nicola: I think it’s mainly because it seems like a simpler time. I really think we have that in our heads that things, you know, there were such rules that you kind of knew where you stood in society and in the world and in relationships. And it’s also, it’s just romance. It just draws you.
I think Bridgerton feels so different because I can’t really think of another show that just allows it to [be so romantic in this] lavish, beautiful world that you can completely dive into, and it just feels really special.
Daphne: There’s something so flamboyant and epic about Regency England, and particularly high society. It was such an incredible, incredible time. There were so many riches and it was sort of ridiculous when you watch it. You’re like, “Oh my god” the spreads of food that they would have and the outfit for the costumes are amazing, the locations that we’ve got to shoot in. I mean, it was just all so over the top and ridiculous but absolutely stunning and I don’t think that there really was a period that is that flamboyant. That 1813 was an incredible period of time so yeah, I’ve always wanted to do the Regency eras. I just think that there’s something really magical about it.
Regé: What makes the Regency era so popular. Um, I think it’s just far away from us, that we get to remove ourselves from the situation in order to see ourselves better. So humans don’t change, no matter what’s happened, like 100 years ago, 200 years ago, thousand years ago, humans have the same basic needs. We want to love, we want to know who we are. We want to know how to be better.
I think the Regency period is so glamorous, particularly at this level of society, it’s dressed up so differently that you’re able to look at the screen and go “Why can’t you just let this happen?” you know, before realizing that you’re screaming at yourself. And so the magic trick is that it’s just far away, enough for you to make that attachment, but just close enough that you can learn about yourself through these people that seem so different, but are actually so similar.
Chris: And I would just add that it was such a time of fascinating excess and beauty, and it was over the top and there was this decadence to everything. And I think that’s why I love it so much, it’s a beautiful escapist world. It allows us, it affords us a chance to escape to these glittering ballrooms, these amazing country homes; we get to see these costumes and the dancing. It’s really about the fact that it affords an escape I think.
