Candlelit ballrooms, too-tight corsets, whispered confessions, and the all-seeing gaze of Lady Whistledown: Welcome to the Regency-era world of “Bridgerton,” where one misstep at a society event can ruin your reputation forever—and where the cast has learned that making bold choices, both in character and in life, is the best way to satisfy the heart’s deepest desires. Straight from the heart of Shondaland (and the Ton!), here’s the best advice from the cast of “Bridgerton” for actors at any stage of the game.
Believe in yourself.
“You start with your own instincts, and then you share with others in the room in real time. You academically approach text, then you emotionally explore it. Then you physically put it on its feet.” —Jonathan Bailey
“Always make a choice. You’re never gonna know whether you’re making the right one, but you might as well just try and then you can rein it back.” —Nicola Coughlan
“There’s so many peaks and troughs, there’s so much rejection, and to be able to be an actor and have really thick skin and also be able to emote is quite a difficult thing to do. I think when things started changing for me, it was [when I began thinking that] I’m not gonna go in and beg for a job. I just started going in and thinking: I’m just gonna give you what I think is right and either you like it or you don’t.” —Phoebe Dynevor
Find joy in the process.
“There’s so much you take on via natural osmosis. It’s what you watch and how you interpret things.” —Jonathan Bailey
“You’ve got to find the joy in whatever job you’re doing or lucky enough to have.” —Nicola Coughlan
“Fall in love with the process, because the outcome will take care of itself. The journey is the reward.” —Martins Imhangbe
“When I stop thinking that I can be the individual who has the answer, that my own inner life in some way is either the problem or the solution—in short, when the psychodrama is put aside and I stop focusing on the unsolvable problem of being myself, something else begins to happen: I’m able to stretch out of myself, able to play around with the problem in front of me and let the problem play with me, and then move on. And it all becomes a little easier—and a lot more interesting.” —Luke Thompson
Build chemistry through rehearsal and trust.
“We had to do so many dances throughout the show, so a lot of our time was spent rehearsing the amazing sequences. It really helped form chemistry. There’s definitely something to be said for having a dancing partner and trusting each other and having to create something together which then really informs the performance.” —Phoebe Dynevor
“Performing feels to me like an exchange more than anything else. It’s a spell that falls in the space between people. Like tuning a radio, it comes and goes.” —Luke Thompson
“We sort of hit the ground running, knowing exactly what was going to be required but also how to communicate throughout it. It felt immediately quite safe.” —Jonathan Bailey
Stay driven—and persevere.
“Stay hungry for it. If it’s not enough when you’re even performing in a fringe theater with 20 people in the audience, it’s still not going to be enough if it’s a big Hollywood movie.” —Nicola Coughlan
“It’s not an easy thing to do, but it really does make a difference, I think…. Just keep going and you have to keep believing in yourself, and don’t try and change for anything because what makes you unique is what’s gonna get you a certain part. It just has to be at the right time.” —Phoebe Dynevor
“Acting is actually one of the most emotionally and physically demanding professions.… It’s very important to embrace the discipline as well as the fun; otherwise, your potential is limited, and you may only go so far.” —Luke Thompson
