There are many things to be excited about when it comes to the Bridgerton premiere on Dec. 25, but one of them is the stellar cast.
And while some people, like Julie Andrews and her narration as Lady Whistledown, need no introduction, there are plenty of faces on the show that might be new to you.
Here’s our list of TV shows to watch to get to know the Bridgerton cast a bit before it premieres.
For the People
Regé-Jean Page is absolutely perfect in Bridgerton as the handsome and dashing duke, Simon Basset. That eyebrow arch is everything, and we are all prepared to swoon over him on Christmas Day.
But if you want to start crushing on him early, check out his run on the canceled-too-soon show – For the People. Page starred as Leonard Knox, one of the new assistant U.S. Attorneys at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Leonard is one of the best in his office and he knows it. He constantly pushes for better cases and even ends up leaving for a better job for a while.
For the People is a legal procedural and there are plenty of heartfelt moments.
Derry Girls
Penelope Featherington is one of the favorite characters for those who have read the books and we are all looking forward to seeing Nicola Coughlan bring her to life. Those unfamiliar with her should check out Derry Girls on Netflix.
Coughlan plays Clare Devlin, honestly our favorite character, in the sitcom set in 1990s Derry, Northern Ireland. Of the four girls, Clare is most reasonable one. Though that’s probably due to her fear of all those in authority. Her freaking out over every scenario is often comedy gold. Clare comes out as a “wee lesbian” to her friends during the first season. We love her, and can’t wait to see Coughlin bring her passion to the role of Penelope.
If you want to catch her in a historical setting, Coughlin appeared as Hannah Dalton in Harlots, which streamed on Hulu.
Vanity Fair (2018)
When we tell you that you will love Eloise Bridgerton when the show premieres on Netflix, we are not exaggerating. She’s an opposite to her eldest sister Daphne as can be – definitely not interested in coming out into society and seeking a husband. Our beloved Eloise is brought to life beautifully by Claudia Jessie.
This is not Jessie’s first foray into historical drama. In the 2018 TV miniseries Vanity Fair, she played Amelia Sedley. Amelia is the good-natured daughter from a wealthy family and invites social climber Becky Sharp to stay in her London home. Vanity Fair is streaming for free if you subscribe to Amazon Prime Video.
Broadchurch
Anthony Bridgerton is the protective, and often vexing, oldest brother of the family – but we still love a super hot viscount. Anthony is portrayed brilliantly by Jonathan Bailey.
A baby-faced Bailey can be seen in seasons 1 and 2 of the BBC crime drama, Broadchurch (also starring Doctor Who’s David Tennant and The Crown’s Olivia Colman). Bailey plays Olly Stevens, local reporter who covers the murder investigation and in season 2, the trial.
Broadchurch can be streamed on Netflix.
Bailey also starred in the British comedy series Crashing written and featuring Emmy winner Phoebe Waller-Bridge about a group of people living in an abandoned hospital. The series is also on Netflix.
The Lodge
Did you know that the Bridgerton cast features the star of a Disney show? Third Bridgerton brother Colin is played by Luke Newton starred in Disney show, The Lodge. The show is a British musical teen drama and is streaming now on Disney+.
Newton plays Ben Evans, an employee at the lodge and the one who fixes just about everything. He is an outdoorsy and good guy, and caught up in a love triangle with Skye, who also has feelings for Ben’s best friend.
Other Bridgerton Cast Sightings
Members of the Bridgerton cast can be seen as recurring characters on many shows, so chances are you will recognize them when you see them. Here are a few of their notable appearances:
- Phoebe Dynevor, who plays Daphne Bridgerton, has been on the TV shows Snatch, Younger and Dickensian.
- Adjoa Andoh, a.k.a. Lady Danbury, has credits that include Law and Order UK, Doctor Who and The Tomorrow People.
- Though it was a small part in Game of Thrones, it was memorable. Sabrina Bartlett, who plays opera singer Siena Rosso, played the servant girl who was really Arya Stark before she killed the entire Frey family. She’s also been in Knightfall and Poldark.
While watching all these shows may not fill our Bridgerton appetite, they will at least slightly tide us over before the show premieres Christmas Day on Netflix.