Who is in the Bridgerton cast? Since its exciting debut, Bridgerton has proven to be a hit with both critics and audiences alike. The cultural impact of the show is so huge that there was even a Secret Cinema-inspired reenactment ball, as people couldn’t get enough of the romance, chemistry, and four-string covers of Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish hits.
After Bridgerton made a triumphant return as one of the best Netflix series in March 2022, it quickly became clear that this was the Diamond of the Season and one of the best drama series on our screens. So much so, the only records left to be broken were the ones set by the series in the first place.
According to Netflix, Bridgerton season 2 was viewed for 251.7 million hours in its first full week, breaking its own record for most hours spent watching an English-language series. A lot of the success of one of the best TV series based on books can be attributed to the (very attractive) Bridgerton cast, so let’s find out more about them.
The main Bridgerton cast
Here are all the main players in the Bridgerton cast list:
- Jonathan Bailey as Anthony Bridgerton
- Phoebe Dynevor as Daphne Bridgerton
- Regé-Jean Page as Simon Basset
- Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington
- Simone Ashley as Kate Sharma
- Claudia Jessie as Eloise Bridgerton
- Golda Rosheuvel as Queen Charlotte
- Adjoah Andoh as Lady Danbury
- Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton
Jonathan Bailey as Anthony Bridgerton
Viscount Anthony Bridgerton is swiftly pushed into position as head of the Bridgerton family after the untimely death of their father. Because of this, he’s burdened with responsibility and pressure, which becomes evident when he takes on the lead role of the second season. When we first meet Anthony, he’s something of a philanderer, but quickly gets straightened out as time goes on and he falls in love with Kate during season 2.
As the dashing Viscount Bridgerton, it won’t surprise anyone to learn that this isn’t Jonathan Bailey’s first foray into 1800s roles. When he was just eight years old, he portrayed Gavroche in the musical Les Miserables, and also captured hearts as Tiny Tim in A Christmas Carol for the RSC. You can see him appear in one of the best musicals soon in the upcoming Wicked movie.
Outside his illustrious theater and musical career, for which he has been nominated for multiple awards, 33-year-old Bailey has also tried his hand at voice acting for iconic games such as Final Fantasy XIV, and has also appeared in films and TV shows like St Trinians and Leonardo. He’s also appeared in various Shakespeare productions like King Lear and Othello, the former of which he starred alongside Ian McKellen. In 2020, he spoke to McKellen about their shared experience of being openly gay in the entertainment industry.
Phoebe Dynevor as Daphne Bridgerton
Daphne Bridgerton is the character who more or less kick-starts the entire events of Bridgerton. During season one, Daphne makes her debut in society, where she quickly become the object of all the men’s desires. However, she grows frustrated by Anthony’s interjections, so she, together with Simon Basset, plot to falsely court each other in order to be left alone. But fake affection quickly turns to very real love…
Like her on-screen brother, Phoebe Dynevor (whose mother, Coronation Street star Sally Dynevor, is no stranger to screens), started her acting career as a child. She portrayed a student in UK school drama Waterloo Road and later had roles in TV shows like Snatch and Younger. In 2021, she had her feature film debut, playing 1930s artist Clarice Cliff in biopic The Color Room. She’s currently filming Anniversary, an upcoming thriller movie starring Diane Lane and Kyle Chandler.
Regé Jean-Page as Simon Basset
Simon Basset is the troubled and tortured object of Daphne’s affections throughout Bridgerton season 1. He has no desire to engage with the usual society events, and convinces Daphne to form a fake match with him so he can be left alone. However, he can’t help but fall in love with her, and he must overcome his traumatic past with his father in order to secure his future.
In a coincidental twist of fate, Page, like his on-screen wife, also appeared in BBC school drama Waterloo Road, although they didn’t appear at the same time. He was critically acclaimed for his performance in 2016 ABC drama Roots, an adaptation of the 1976 novel chronicling a Black man and his descendants throughout the slave trade and beyond.
He was then cast in the Shonda Rimes-produced legal drama For The People before reuniting with Rimes once again in his breakout role as The Duke of Hastings in Bridgerton in 2020. Page was nominated for a Primetime Emmy award for his portrayal of the troubled Duke, and recently starred in the Dungeons and Dragons movie.
Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington
Penelope is the best friend of Eloise Bridgerton, and like her, equally despises the idea of being presented to court. But she also harbors a dark secret that involves a certain Lady Whistledown. Ultimately, she spends some time pining after Colin Bridgerton, who doesn’t show much interest in her to begin with. The season 2 finale leaves her in a spin, since she overhears Colin saying he would never court her.
When real-life Galway Girl Nicola Coughlan first appeared on Bridgerton as timid wallflower Penelope Featheringston, many already knew who she was. Her breakout role was two years earlier as part of one of Britain’s best comedy series, Derry Girls. It followed a group of teenage friends at the height of the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
Coughlan has really been able to show off her acting chops as Pen – especially with her unrequited love for Colin (Luke Newton) and double-life as mysterious gossip fiend Lady Whistledown. The Bridgerton season 3 release date will see Nicola take the center stage and explore her budding romance with Colin Bridgerton.
Simone Ashley as Kate Sharma
Simone Ashley may have only appeared in season 2 of Bridgerton, portraying the fiery Kate Sharma and future wife of Capital ‘R’ Rake Anthony Bridgerton, but audiences soon fell in love with both Ashley and the love story she portrayed alongside Jonathan Bailey, who took center stage that season as the Viscount.
This isn’t Ashley’s first dalliance with Netflix: she’s appeared as part of Ruby Matthews’ Untouchables clique in Sex Education since the start, and is known for coining the infamous line: “It’s my vagina”. Away from the streaming service, Ashley also appeared in The Little Mermaid as Ariel’s sister Indira.
Claudia Jessie as Eloise Bridgerton
Eloise Bridgerton is the feistiest of all Bridgerton siblings. Unafraid to ask questions (like the validity of marriage, and ponderings about sex), Eloise proves to be a headache for her mother and other siblings. She strongly disagrees with the formulaic ways of society, and takes comfort in her best friend Penelope. That is, of course, until she discovers that Penelope has been gossiping about her via the Lady Whistledown newsletter.
In something Eloise would find fascinating, Claudia Jessie was born and raised on a canal boat. After being discovered and signed to an agent in 2012, Jessie had major roles in a string of TV productions, including CBBC series Dixi, historical miniseries Vanity Fair and cop dramas WPC-56, and Line of Duty.
Jessie made her feature film debut back in 2016 with the historical war movie Their Finest.
Golda Rosheuvel as Queen Charlotte
Along with her on-screen husband, King George III, Golda Rosheuvel is the only person to play a character who actually existed in the Regency era. Rosheuvel moved to the UK from Guyana when she was five years old, and has had an illustrious theater career with multiple Shakespeare productions, musicals, and acclaimed plays like Angels in America.
In a history-making moment, Roshevuel, who is a lesbian in real life, played a lesbian Othello in a 2018 production of Othello. As she continues to shine in her role in Bridgerton, she continued the Queen Charlotte true story with a prequel series.
The new show followed a younger Queen Charlotte as well as a younger Lady Danbury and Violet Bridgerton, who are played by Adjoa Andoh and Ruth Gemmell in the main show.
Adjoah Andoh as Lady Danbury
Lady Danbury is one of the most acid-tongued characters in the world of Bridgerton, as well as being a powerful figure amid the political and social wranglings of the ton.
There’s another Shakespeare veteran behind this role, with Adjoa Andoh playing Danbury. Andoh is known for her roles in Doctor Who, and made her major movie debut in one of the best Clint Eastwood movies, Invictus. More recently, she joined The Witcher cast as Nenneke.
Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton
Colin is the second Bridgerton brother to become a leading man in the Netflix series, as the highly-anticipated fourth season is set to be an adaptation of ‘Romancing Mr Bridgerton.’ This Julia Quinn novel, the fourth in the Bridgerton series, is based on Penelope and Colin’s romance, which has been a slow burn ever since season 1 of Bridgerton.
As well as appearing in various BBC and Disney TV series over the years, Newton appeared as Elder Price, the lead role, in musical The Book of Mormon.
Everyone in the Bridgerton season 1 cast list
Here’s everyone in the Bridgerton season 1 cast list, from main players to supporting cast members:
- Adjoa Andoh as Lady Agatha Danbury
- Lorraine Ashbourne as Mrs. Varley
- Jonathan Bailey as Anthony Bridgerton
- Ruby Barker as Marina Thompson
- Sabrina Bartlett as Siena Rosso
- Harriet Cains as Philippa Featherington
- Bessie Carter as Prudence Featherington
- Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington
- Phoebe Dynevor as Daphne Bridgerton Basset
- Ruth Gemmell as Lady Violet Bridgerton
- Florence Hunt as Hyacinth Bridgerton
- Martins Imhangbe as Will Mondrich
- Claudia Jessie as Eloise Bridgerton
- Ben Miller as Archibald Featherington
- Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton
- Regé-Jean Page as Simon Basset
- Golda Rosheuvel as Queen Charlotte
- Luke Thompson as Benedict Bridgerton
- Will Tilston as Gregory Bridgerton
- Polly Walker as Lady Portia Featherington
- Julie Andrews as Lady Whistledown
Both seasons of Bridgerton can be streamed now on Netflix. If you are looking for your next watch, why not check out our guide on everything new on Netflix this month? You can also seek more drama with the Ginny and Georgia season 3 release date, and visit another time period with The Gilded Age season 2 release date.
You can also read our Queen Charlotte review and find out why Bridgerton season 3 isn’t bringing back a major character. And if you love girls in pearls, check out our Barbie review!