Everyday I get to write about my Bridgerton obsession is a good day. Bridgerton is being hailed as a pivotal moment in TV history because of its blind casting and modern take on period dramas. And because of Bridgerton’s diverse casting, it has drawn a much larger audience. Plus some people are wanting to become the spoon which the Duke of Hastings licks in one of the episodes (some people are me). Many fans are talking about those steamy love scenes that focused on a woman’s pleasure.
And you since we are all nosy about those romping sex scenes, the cast are being asked during their press junkets about how they were filmed and how their family has reacted to them. Last week, Rege-Jean ‘the god’ Page hilariously recounted the story about how one of his cousins missed his WhatsApp message warning about all of the steamy love scenes. Said cousin stated that she had to make herself several tactical cups of tea. Now Phoebe Dynevor, who plays Daphne Bridgerton, said she had to fast forward through the scenes when watching the show with her grandparents. Phoebe was on The Drew Barrymore Show with co-star Rege where she talks about how she made Bridgerton a PG-13 experience for her grandparents. Below are a few excerpts from the interview via People:
In the series, Dynevor’s character, Daphne Bridgerton, and her costar Regé-Jean Page’s character, Simon Bassett, the Duke of Hastings, have several intimate scenes that take up a lot of screen time as their romance progresses.
Despite all the action, Dynevor decided to view the Shonda Rhimes-produced series with her grandparents for a good reason.
“I did, but only because and I find it really hard to watch myself, but I had to if they were going to watch it,” she explained on The Drew Barrymore Show on Friday.
“So I had to stand there with the remote ready at any given point to fast-forward for them not to see any of the things I didn’t want them to see,” the Bridgerton actress added.
Page chimed in and said, “That’s very responsible of you what a good grandkid.”
“We got through it. It was PG-13 for my grandparents,” Dynevor assured.
I was cracking up when Drew said she would like to see Phoebe’s fast forward version of Bridgerton. I agree with Rege, that would be a whole different show. I truly enjoyed watching Drew and Ross fangirl over Rege and Phoebe. It was so sweet. Seeing Drew and Ross dressing up in the time period and fanning themselves took me out. I also liked what Rege said about how Puritan period shows usually are but what makes Bridgerton different is that it unashamedly embraces its joy. Those were great words from Rege and they feel very true to the essence of Bridgerton.
The more I watch Rege and Phoebe in interviews the more I fall in love with them. Rege is extremely witty and charming and Phoebe is very forthcoming. I love this story about how Phoebe fast forwarded through the love scenes. Although, wouldn’t it be hilarious if Phoebe’s grandparents decided to go back to see what she was trying to hide? The mortification. I know I couldn’t watch Bridgerton with my mom despite our openness about sex. Anyhow, I have gone almost a week without watching episodes five and six and I am very proud of myself. I feel Drew when she said some things were awakened and that she is going back on a dating app at some point, she’s not dead after all.
I am looking forward to season 2 although it has not been confirmed by Netflix yet. But Phoebe says that if they do get the greenlight for season 2 that they more than likely won’t start filming until everyone is vaccinated. And if Season 2 follows the books, I may not get to see my beloved Rege much, but that’s ok. Either way, Bridgerton is now one of my favorite shows on Netflix along with The Witcher. I cannot wait to watch future seasons so that I can escape into their colorful and beautifully crafted world.
Here is the full interview:
I am also too old to be this jealous of a spoon. pic.twitter.com/KiSuG3qNar
— Out of Spoons, Only Have Knives #BlackLivesMatter (@EDFPhotos) January 19, 2021
Photos via Instagram and also credit Liam Daniel/Netflix
Not ashamed to say I watched it this weekend for the third time. The setting, costumes and ofc all of the characters are so enjoyable. And can’t say enough about Simon and Daphne. Love it all.
They had such phenomenal chemistry that it was like they were having sex even when they weren’t having sex.
LOL, if I were to watch it with my mom – I think we would be okay? I’ve watched Outlander with her so if we can watch that together, we can handle Bridgerton I think lol. But not with my dad. That would be too awkward.
I wish they would just announce Season 2 already. We all know its going to happen. And I bet they do something with the storyline to make Simon a bigger character. Or the pall mall game (which I assume is similar to croquet?) needs to be a very big scene, LOL.
I do love that Bridgerton showcases the sexuality of the characters. Period dramas can be very restrained sometimes – often reflecting the source material, such as a Jane Austen book – but obviously people in the early 19th century enjoyed sex and flirted and touched each other etc.
I wouldn’t say it’s anything worse than Outlander. The appeal is mostly I think the chemistry. You’re really not seeing many bare parts. Mostly chemistry enough to do it in the rain and such. Outlander has the same stuff.
I know, that’s why I said we could handle Bridgerton 🙂 (I’ve seen both, I’m not sure if my mom has watched Bridgerton yet.)
I think the sex scenes are on par with Outlander, but there’s none of the sexual violence of Outlander. Those elements of Outlander has made it hard for my husband and I to watch the way we have devoured Bridgerton.
I say this and I’ve read all of the Outlander books more than once. I am definitely a fan.
I thought I could watch Game of Thrones with my son and simply skip, tripping the scandalous, but I couldn’t do it lol. After a couple of episodes I said forget it, maybe we can watch together after say…. season four? Five?
Embarrassing story time…I loved GOT (read all the books and watched the show) and since my Dad had never seen it and it was on season 5 or 6 already I bought him the first season for Father’s day completely forgetting how much weird sex/incest was in the first few seasons, since they toned it down later. I was visiting my parents and staying with them (I live out of state now) and he asked if I wanted to watch a few episodes with him because he hadn’t watched it yet and I said sure. Then it slowly dawned on me what I had just agreed to and had to get out of there. I watched the first 15 minutes, said I was suddenly very tired and retired to my bedroom. I was so embarrassed, like what was I thinking giving my Dad a gift like that?? I asked him a few weeks later if he liked the show and he said “I didn’t finish it, too much violence”, oops.
I think if you read the books and then watch the show it’s easy gloss over the gratuitous sex scenes because the rest of the story is so darn good, but if you have no idea going into it what it’s about then it’s pretty shocking.
I had a dream last night that Rege died (!!!!) and I was so disappointed and sad that we only got a season of him on Bridgerton. I woke up VERY confused and it was one the rare times I wasn’t sure whether it was real or not. And in my dream I was thinking “but who will now play the Duke of Hastings??? They can’t recast him!!”
I actually watched Bridgerton with my mom (I would never watch with my dad and also my dad has always been so immature about love scenes on TV, even when it’s just kissing). I didn’t realize how odd that was until a friend of mine was like “You watched it with your mom???” I saw way more nudity as a kid in movies I guess than most because we had French movies in the house growing up (I’m half-French) and there are always topless women in French movies, even if there is no love scene involved. My mom has also watched Outlander on her own, the only reason I didn’t watch with her was because I watched it before she discovered it. I really didn’t think the love scenes in Bridgerton were that graphic (I found them sexy and very romantic) but maybe that’s because as time goes on we get so desensitized. I felt like they lasted way longer in Outlander, are more frequent, and more explicit. I also feel like the love scenes in True Blood were more intense given the whole vampire element (another show I would not watch with my mom!). But maybe that’s just me?
So they skipped episode 6 entirely then??!
Light entertainment is exactly what’s needed in times like these but I just could not get into this unfortunately.
Same here! Light and fluffy is great. I’ve been watching a lot of light and fluffy entertainment — a lot of comedies, a lot of old movies. And I love Regency, Jane Austen-type romances. But this show was just so poorly written to me. I’m happy that this show has brought people happiness in a dark time, but it also shocks me how popular it is.
It’s ridiculously bad. But also ridiculously entertaining. 🙂
It’s actually not “blind” casting and much of the commentary makes that point. The precept is Charlotte was indeed Black, which had some roots in history. There’s a theory she was descended from a Moorish branch of Portuguese royalty. And because of her marriage to George III, Black people were elevated from being a “curiosity” (the Duke’s word) to nobility. So it’s very intentional that everyone is aware of people’s skin color and other things matter now.
Its not blind casting but also it’s not the unproblematic triumph white women seem to think it is. The fine Duke is mixed race, fine. I love Rege. But did the shows unrelenting villain have to be the darkest black man on the show????? Its great that they gave us a second black man with a speaking part in the form of a boxer, his light skinned wife didn’t go unnoticed. Neither did the lovely Marina who is also light skinned. And also for some reason the only Georgian baby mama on the show. Not even lighter skin can save us from that plot device apparently. In fact the three POC women with even a semblance of a story arc are all mixed race or very light skinned black women (the queen, Marina and boxers wife). The sole dark black woman is not only too old to fall in the desirable bracket, it would appear she was always assexual. Shes the only noble woman whose marital relationship or status IS NEVER DISCUSSED. Was she always a marmie? No male or female interest in her eeeever? Notice also, that all four WOC are “strong, independent and sassy”. Even as her very life hangs in the balance, Marina never sheds a tear, never has a panic attack, isn’t gasping ad neuseum. This my friends, is an example of a harmful positive stereotype.
But if I could leave you with one thing let me leave with this. They gave us a Georgian baby mama, made her a WOC and it never occurred to anyone, “eeeeh this might not be a good idea”. Also, really bothered white women who are all over BLM are either ignoring our criticisms or are so wrapped up in their Rege fantasy that they forget the impact of media like this. Black men+White women pairings are already normalized now anyway, it shouldnt be getting praise at the expense of colorism, harmful tropes and misogynoir. I’m surprised that Oya didn’t pick up on this.
Julie — agreed and thank you for raising these points! This show was all about white women to the expense of other women, and I’m not here for that.
It is nice to see a period piece where POC are actually acknowledged to exist even if it is a total fantasy. POC were there in the real England of that time even though you would never know it watching the movies. Maybe it will spur some discussion
She is SO much prettier without the bangs.
Has anyone seen the Bridgerton musical videos on TikTok? Never knew I needed a musical before: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJTcm5ye/
That was such a cute interview. I love his answers. I think he’s got a really good understanding of why so many of us just fell in love with the show. LOL at Drew dressing up with a tiara. haha