The love story of Benedict Bridgerton and Sophie Baek has begun filming.

The fairy tale is officially beginning. That is, at least, how lead actor Luke Thompson feels now that Bridgerton Season 4 has started production in England.

Thompson’s charming aristocrat Benedict Bridgerton will lead Bridgerton Season 4 with his love interest, the determined and captivating Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha), a victim of tragic circumstances. You can see Thompson and Ha take the first steps of their Bridgerton journey in the enchanting photos below.

“What’s striking about Season 4 is that it’s the struggle between a proper old-school fairy tale — the romance of it — and the actual reality of the world,” Thompson tells Tudum after a day of rehearsals. “And both are true. You have to hold both of them — the romance and the reality — in your hand. In its best version, ‘true love’ happens in the middle of that.”

That’s right, the character who once mooed from the corner of the ballroom is now ready for his Bridgerton love story. In Season 4, Benedict will find himself on the hunt for Sophie. Unfortunately for Benedict, he knows the object of his affection only as the mysterious Lady in Silver.

Gavin Bond/Netflix

Series newcomer Ha has enjoyed the “playful, freeing, therapeutic” feeling of preparing for filming alongside Thompson. The pair first met during a dinner at showrunner Jess Brownell’s home. “I remember Luke stood there with arms wide open, just ready for an embrace,” Ha tells Tudum. “That was the moment I was like, ‘Ah, OK, I don’t need to stress about these little things now. I can just genuinely focus on the on-screen connection with him.’”

Sometimes building Benedict and Sophie’s romance means “special and very vulnerable” rehearsals, as Ha calls them. Other times, it’s dance training that “feels like a part of the characters’ journey,” Thompson says. Especially because, as he explains, “I get really excited by how many unexpected twists you’ll get in Season 4. A big one I’m sure I can mention is this one masquerade ball…”

So what surprises will we witness as Benedict and Sophie take over the Bridgerton mantle? And what else should you expect from Season 4? Keep reading to find out everything from Season 4’s plot to which new cast members — including one very magical new star — are coming to Mayfair.

Gavin Bond/Netflix

Who is Bridgerton Season 4 about?

Benedict Bridgerton is stepping into the center of Bridgerton with Sophie Baek. Season 4, as the logline reads, “turns its focus to bohemian second son Benedict. Despite his elder and younger brothers both being happily married, Benedict is loath to settle down.” That is, until an enthralling woman captures Benedict’s attention at Violet Bridgerton’s (Ruth Gemmell) masquerade ball. While Benedict knows his love interest as only the Lady in Silver, she’s actually Sophie, a resourceful maid with her own secrets and dreams.

Thompson can’t wait to bring this story to life. “The scripts that Jess and her team have come up with are dynamite. They’re really, really, really exciting,” he says. “The storyline is a bit of a twist on ‘Cinderella.’ You remember being told those stories as a child — the magic and the romance of them. It’s really exciting to have that weaved into the world that we know of Bridgerton … It’s such a great story, but it’s also, I hope, really relatable.”

One person already feels a deep connection to Bridgerton Season 4: Ha. While auditioning, she immediately enjoyed the “fun, play-like quality” she saw in the scripts. “What drew me to Sophie was that she immediately has obstacles — something that she constantly has to overcome,” Ha says. “Whether it’s this battle around social status or trying to hide her feelings from Benedict.”

Presenting Yerin Ha as Sophie in Bridgerton Season 4

Who are the new characters in Bridgerton Season 4?

As with previous seasons, we can expect to see some new characters spinning around the Bridgerton ballroom. They are:

Lady Araminta Gun, played by Katie Leung. Twice-married and twice-widowed, Araminta has two daughters debuting on the marriage mart this season and she’s feeling the pressure to get at least one of her girls married off. Fabulous, discerning, and blunt, Araminta does not respond well when anything — or anyone — threatens her standing in society.
Rosamund Li, played by Michelle Mao. Beautiful, vain, and eager to please her mother, Rosamund is Araminta’s eldest daughter and most prized possession. Rosamund sets her sights on Benedict this social season. And, just like her mother, Rosamund is determined to get what she wants.

Posy Li, played by Isabella Wei. Rosamund’s younger, kinder sister is also debuting this year. But Araminta rarely puts the spotlight on her second child. Posy’s chatty, overly friendly demeanor often has her putting her foot in her mouth.

And, although they aren’t new arrivals in Mayfair, you can expect to glimpse more of two already beloved Bridgerton characters. Emma Naomi (Alice Mondrich) and Hugh Sachs (Brimsley) will both be part of Season 4’s main cast.

L-R: Katie Leung, Michelle Mao, Isabella Wei

Photo L-R: Yellowbelly Photo, Abigail Gorden, Lorenzo Agius

Who is in the Bridgerton Season 4 cast?

A few recognizable faces will appear — along with some brand-new ones from the ton and beyond. So far, the announced Bridgerton Season 4 cast is:

Luke Thompson (Benedict Bridgerton)
Yerin Ha (Sophie Baek)
Jonathan Bailey (Anthony Bridgerton)
Victor Alli (John Stirling)
Adjoa Andoh (Lady Danbury)
Julie Andrews (Lady Whistledown)
Lorraine Ashbourne (Mrs. Varley)
Masali Baduza (Michaela Stirling)
Nicola Coughlan (Penelope Bridgerton)
Hannah Dodd (Francesca Stirling)
Daniel Francis (Lord Marcus Anderson)
Ruth Gemmell (Violet Bridgerton)
Florence Hunt (Hyacinth Bridgerton)
Martins Imhangbe (Will Mondrich)
Claudia Jessie (Eloise Bridgerton)
Katie Leung (Lady Araminta Gun)
Luke Newton (Colin Bridgerton)
Michelle Mao (Rosamund Li)
Emma Naomi (Alice Mondrich)
Golda Rosheuvel (Queen Charlotte)
Hugh Sachs (Brimsley)
Will Tilston (Gregory Bridgerton)
Polly Walker (Portia Featherington)
Isabella Wei (Posy Li)

How many episodes is Bridgerton Season 4?

The upcoming season of Bridgerton will consist of eight episodes.