Nicola Coughlan also knew she could lean on former leading ladies Simone Ashley and Phoebe Dynevor if need be.
From one Mr. Bridgerton to another: Luke Newton opened up about how he took inspiration from former Bridgerton leading man, Jonathan Bailey, before taking on one of the main roles in the hit Netflix series’ third season.
Newton and Bailey joined co-stars Nicola Coughlan, Claudia Jessie, Simone Ashley, Ruth Gemmell, Adjoa Andoh and more of the the show’s cast and crew on the blue carpet in New York City on Monday to celebrate the world premiere of Bridgerton season three.
While speaking with The Hollywood Reporter at the premiere, Newton — who portrays Colin Bridgerton, one of the main love interests this season — revealed that he began tuning into Bailey’s approach to Anthony Bridgerton last season.
“I watched Johnny like a hawk in season two and how he just sort of conducted himself so graciously uncertain and tried to take elements of that and also keep it true to myself, and you know, just focus on the character really,” he said.
Despite Bailey’s busy schedule since wrapping the show’s second season — which included filming parts one and two of Wicked, as well as Fellow Travelers — he never failed to check in and make sure things were going smoothly for Newton on the Bridgeton set. “I just feel very lucky that we kind of have a brotherly relationship between all three of us you know, Lukie T [Luke Thompson] as well,” he said. “Johnny has been there the whole time.”
Coughlan, who portrays Penelope, the other love interest in season three, shared that she also knew she could turn to former leading ladies — Phoebe Dynevor and Simone Ashley — at any point if needed.
“Both Simone and Phoebe have been incredible. They basically were just like, ‘We’re here for you if you need us,’ which was so, so wonderful and so kind of them,” she told THR, noting that she took the leading lady role very seriously. “I was like, ‘I’ve got to commit to this like I’ve never committed to anything before.’ It’s eight months. It’s a real marathon, but thankfully, I had a great partner in Luke, and we both felt the same and really cared, and we’re really invested in the show.”
Luke Newton and Nicola Coughlan at the Bridgerton season three premiere DIMITRIOS KAMBOURIS/GETTY
Ashley, who takes on the role of Viscountess Kate Sharma opposite Bailey’s Viscount, echoed Coughlan’s sentiment, explaining that she was on hand to cheer on the Derry Girls star and champion her the best she could. “She’s such a confident soul and a beautiful soul, and she’s so talented,” the Sex Education actress shared. “And I think a lot of women can look up to her.”
While fans can likely expect Penelope and Colin to have their happily ever after once season three wraps, chances are it will be a tough road to get there. Season two ends with Penelope’s best friend, Eloise (Claudia Jessie), learning that Pen is Lady Whistledown, the town’s gossip columnist, who has wreaked all sorts of havoc on the ‘Ton with her society pages.
Now that Penelope and Colin are meant to go from friends to lovers over the course of eight episodes, the fact that Eloise knows Pen’s secret is almost guaranteed to play a part in the upcoming season — and Jessie thinks so, too.
“There’s one thing finding out your best mate’s Lady Whistledown, and then the next thing finding that Lady Whistledown wants to bonk your brother,” she said. “It’s big news. I don’t think she’s going to be that happy about it. I think it’s just it’s going to take her a little bit of time to get used to it, but don’t lose hope in Peneloise, but there’s a bit of a battle before that happens.”
“You need to know what happened between Pen, Colin and Eloise to set up the season,” she said. “It’s important to remember that Pen and Eloise had a giant blow-up fight after Eloise realized that Penelope is Lady Whistledown, and then Pen immediately after that walked out and hears Colin saying he would never, ever court her. So, our girl is in a really low place coming into season three, but she’s a fighter, so she’s not giving up.”
Season three is based on the fourth novel in Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton series, Romancing Mr. Bridgerton, one of the most beloved titles in the eight-book ensemble. Each novel in the series follows a different Bridgerton sibling’s love story, with Colin stepping into the lead role in this one.
Chris Van Dusen, who created Bridgerton but stepped back after season two, revealed that Romancing Mr. Bridgerton is his favorite book in the series, and he’s been eagerly awaiting this season since he cast Coughlan and Newton in 2019. He also shared that he knew Coughlan was his Penelope Featherington as soon he saw her self-tape.
“So smart, funny, brilliant. I was aware of her from Derry Girls, she killed it,” he recalled. “Luke Newton, we saw in a casting session out in London, and he has this really searing intensity behind his eyes but also this endearing quality about them, and the two of them have this quiet strength together that I think fans are really going to root for and relate to.”
