Warning! This story has minor spoilers for Bridgerton Season 2! Read at your own risk.
I watched the first season of Bridgerton on a whim. I was casually scrolling through Netflix–as one does on an eventless Friday night–and chanced upon the trailer. Despite the fact that the Internet exploded when the show premiered–and then again when they found out the Duke wouldn’t be returning–I didn’t have any expectations. So I was shocked when I glanced at the time and realized I had sat through all eight episodes.
I fell in love with the series! I read seven out of the eight books and watched all their press interviews in two months. And the truth is, while the world was fawning over the Duke–who is, objectively, so divine–the eldest Bridgerton just had a stronger pull for me.
Who are the leads of Bridgerton Season 2?
The second season follows Anthony’s story, brilliantly portrayed by Jonathan Bailey, as he searches for his viscountess. But unlike his sister Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor), he is set on leaving love out of the equation, choosing instead to fulfill his duty as the head of the family.
Enter Kate Sharma.
Like the viscount, Kate is focused and headstrong. She is determined to help her younger sister, Edwina, find love this season. Kate is played by Simone Ashley, who found out she landed the role shortly after the first season premiered. She told Vogue Singapore, “It kind of all happened incredibly quickly. Season one came out on Christmas day in 2020 and they were already casting for season two immediately. I got a few messages to put myself on tape and then as the days went on, I met with Jonathan Bailey and we had our chemistry read. I later got a call saying that I got the role.”
Describing their chemistry as “explosive,” Simone said she and Jonathan got along really well even off-camera: “There was no real time to hang out, but we did manage to sneak off for a drink together one day when we were filming on location. We’ve always had each other’s backs from the start; it’s a partnership.”
But as fans already know, Kate’s bond with Edwina is just as important to the story. Newcomer Charithra Chandran brings the younger Sharma to life, and unlike in the books, Edwina plays a bigger role in the series. Charithra auditioned for Bridgerton even before the show came out–and it was for Kate’s role! Obviously, that didn’t happen and when she got called back to audition for Edwina, she was hesitant: “I didn’t want to do it as a consolation prize because I wanted to be able to candidly feel passionate about the character, rather than just desperately wanting to be on the show. Which I obviously did! So, I read the book again, and I heard what they had planned for Edwina, and I thought that, actually, this is a very important story to be told because so many young women across the world, particularly brown women, are in Edwina’s situation.”
In an exclusive interview with Cosmopolitan Philippines, the actress opened up about playing Edwina: “The main thing was making [her] feel as real as possible. I really didn’t want her to feel like a fairy or a Disney princess. She needed to feel grounded because she could easily be quite saccharine, and I hope I’ve avoided that.”
When asked about what she wanted to get across when her relationship with Kate shifts in the later episodes, Charithra said, “It was about really understanding her journey, and how every situation that she’s been in from Episodes 1 to 5 affects her and changes her and what that teaches her. Many people will think that the change comes in Episode 6 but I actually think that the change happens at the end of Episode 3, beginning of Episode 4, where she kind of faces disappointment. I imagine that she goes to bed that night and she decides, ‘Okay, I’m going to start taking control of my life. I’m going to start coordinating my future…I’m taking charge.’”
She added, “Season two is very morally complex. You can absolutely disagree with people’s decisions, but there’s not one moment when I don’t understand Kate and Anthony’s motivations. It’s all clear to me.”
What can you expect in Season 2?
Laughter, lingering looks, tears, and a whole lot of tension. In season one, the Internet was divided in their reactions to Anthony. There were those who found him meddlesome and problematic–and that’s valid. But you can’t help but notice that there’s so much good in him and it’s evident in the way he loves his family. Season two gives the audience a glimpse of his relationship with his father, Edmund, and how his passing shaped Anthony’s entire life. You feel the weight he carries on his shoulders, and his conversations with his mother, Violet, unpacks all of that this time around.
Book fans will be delighted to know that some key moments from The Viscount Who Loved Me made it to the show, including the pall mall scene!
During our interview, Jonathan and Simone talked about this turning point for Anthony and Kate, as it is when they both put their swords down and find common ground. Simone shared, “It’s the first time we see Kate and Anthony play a little bit more. They’re removed from their duties, and they’re able to escape…whether that’s unconscious or not. They’re within their little orbit.”
Jonathan jumped in and said, “They were key scenes to chart their progression, and the mud scene was always gonna be one that was exciting but really important to get right. This series is about obsession. They become addicted to the feeling of what it is to be around each other. It’s this sort of levity, of identity and understanding–which they don’t really understand at the time–but the mud scene is when they seem to really align for the first time. And to see Anthony laugh is kind of weird.” (Then Jonathan chuckled and I momentarily forgot my follow-up question, LOL.)
Simone described the pall mall moment as a “pivot” because “they finally get to that place where they’re just letting go and then obviously, Anthony spots his father’s grave and that’s a learning curve for Kate. She’s digging deeper and learning more about this person. I think that’s a bit of a landing point for her when she finds common cause with him because she has also gone through loss.”
“At every moment, they take two steps forward and then one step back,” Jonathan said, “they have so much to unpick for themselves before they can be there for each other.”
We also see most of the Bridgerton siblings play pall mall, and some of the best scenes in the series are when they’re all together. Cosmo asked Jonathan about his favorite sibs moments, to which he replied, “One of my favorites in season one is the milk scene with Daphne and the innate generosity of sibling love. Luke Thompson (who plays Benedict) put it beautifully: Your sibling is the best person to [get] advice from but also the worst because they can see you in a way that you can’t see yourself. And also, you see in them bits of you that you don’t like. The groundedness of family is what it’s all about.”
Tying it back to the first season once more, he said, “How amazing as well for the love story in season one, which was so beautiful, to then see how Daphne has become attuned to that intimacy and understanding of what it is to be in love. And for her to come back [in season two] and really, she roots for Kate along the way. I love the scenes with mom and yeah, with the brotown. It’s gonna be great. And I can’t wait to be there in the future for all of their love stories.”
Bridgerton is currently streaming on Netflix.
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