The Best of Bridgerton: A picture holds a thousand words
“The English summer is not a reliable thing,” says Adjoa Andoh, who plays Lady Danbury. “There was one day when we were filming this fabulous Queen’s garden party, and there were stalls everywhere, cakes, [decorations] and ladies in gorgeous frocks. It’s supposed to be summer and I’m shooting a scene talking to somebody and just out of the corner of my eye, I see a hedge go splat! The crew is yelling, ‘Just keep going, keep going, the wind is blowing; we have to get the scene in the can!’ And there are all these lovely assistants, working their butts off, sticking the roses back [into the hedge] before they blow away.”
In between scenes, Golda Rosheuvel, as Queen Charlotte, attempts to stay warm during the English spring; this lavish picnic was meant to take place during the summertime!
Regé-Jean Page spars in between takes. Page says that one of the great challenges of playing Simon Basset, The Duke of Hastings, was the constant physical and mental training he put himself through. “There were lots of early mornings, lots of boxing training, Rocky montages, taking a run before the sun was up and doing an hour of boxing training, hopping on a horse and falling off a horse and trying to keep the horse in control… oh, the horse drama. And smooshing thousands of words into my head each week.”
“I learned how to box and get in shape,” says Martins Imhangbe, who plays Simon’s best friend and sparring partner, Will Mondrich. “And I learned them specifically to that era because the boxing style and the way men got in shape back then was completely different from what it is now. Playing Will made me think about the confidence in staying true to who you are, despite societal expectations. Because I imagine it must’ve been so difficult in the 1800s when the odds must have been so against [a Black businessman].”
Costume designer Ellen Mirojnick worked with 238 costumers and seamstresses to create close to 6,000 costumes. Daphne alone had 104 dresses. Because they were re-imagining the classic Regency look in an entirely new way, Morojnick needed to use modern fabrics and techniques.
“Daphne is not afraid to do what she feels is right,” says Dynevor, seen here in one of the opening shots of the show as she’s about to be presented to the Queen. “At first, we don’t see that, and then, well, she punches Nigel Berbrooke in the face. So, as much as she is conforming and following the rules, there’s also this other side of her who will not do anything she doesn’t want to do. I guess you could say that’s where her strength comes from.”
“Everyone did such an incredible job helping to make Bridgerton,” says creator and showrunner Chris Van Dusen. “There were many times during shooting when I would look around at everyone in this massive cast and crew and think to myself, ‘Is this real life?’ Because at one point this was all just in my head, and there on set, it was all happening live and in color right in front of me.”
