There are period dramas, and then there’s OUTRAGEOUS—BritBox’s new six-part series that dives headfirst into the wild, brilliant, and often controversial world of the Mitford sisters. At the heart of the story is Nancy Mitford, played with fierce wit and layered vulnerability by Bridgerton alum Bessie Carter. In our exclusive interview with her, Carter opened up about stepping into the shoes of a woman who was both ahead of her time and very much a product of it. Ready?
Here we go!
Finding Nancy Mitford’s Voice
To play Nancy Mitford, the quick-tongued satirist and novelist of the Mitford clan, Carter went all in on research. “Well, as you know, the Mitfords, there’s a lot of information about them out there,” she said. “So I read kind of all of the resources I could get my hands on. Obviously Mary Lovell’s book, The Mitford Girls—or The Sisters in the States—that was what our series is based off of. And that had amazing insights into how, you know, how the sisters worked.”
But one of the most fascinating coincidences? Carter had already spent time inside Nancy’s world—years before she was cast. “I had helpfully narrated the audiobook of The Pursuit of Love, like five years before, completely coincidentally,” she shared. “So I’d already narrated her own novel that she wrote, which is loosely based on the Mitford family. That was really helpful to get into her voice.”
It wasn’t just about voice and words, though—it was about embodiment. Carter credits the costume design process with giving her a more tactile connection to the role. “I had a lot of fittings with our designer Claire before we started filming where we could find her shape,” she said. “We found, oh yeah, she looks… I felt more Nancy when I would wear sort of tight pencil skirts and little two-piece suits. It just—she suddenly started to feel more like me and I felt more like her.”
That blend of internal and external discovery gave the performance a particular edge. “There’s a sort of interesting blurring of the lines,” she added. “And then it’s the script. That’s the next thing. That’s the Bible—you have to do a lot of text work and work out what’s underneath what they’re saying.”
For Carter, it all came down to connection—on and off screen. “Your own character is only how they are based on how they interact with other people,” she explained. “So you sort of have to go off the story and off the dynamics from the script.”
MORE: Is Bessie Carter’s ‘OUTRAGEOUS’ Based on a Book?
A Role That Stretched Bessie Carter as an Actress
It’s clear that OUTRAGEOUS marks a significant moment in Carter’s evolution as a performer. “I love that question,” she said when asked what this role brought to her craft. “For me, Nancy’s arc throughout the whole six episodes—she goes on a real journey.”
That kind of character development is a gift and a challenge for any actor. “Tracking an emotional journey and some sort of growth is a really good challenge,” she said. “Because, you know, you have to be changed by the end. And she… I feel like she had to sort of mature as the series went on.”
But, as with most TV shoots, filming didn’t happen in sequence. “You might film the last scene of episode six halfway through filming, which we sort of did actually,” Carter revealed. “So you have to work out the journey so that then when you go into episode two, scene five, you know where you are emotionally. You know who Nancy’s talking to, who she isn’t talking to, you know how she feels towards everyone.”
It’s a puzzle Carter was eager to solve. “You really have to do your homework and I think that’s the challenge, which—I relish,” she said. “I enjoy that challenge. I like working hard. So for me, it was a good challenge.”
MORE: Where You’ve Seen the Cast of ‘OUTRAGEOUS’ Before
Women Breaking the Rules
At its core, OUTRAGEOUS is about women refusing to stay in their assigned boxes. From politics to art to scandal, the Mitford sisters broke boundaries—and Carter sees clear parallels with today.
“I suppose the interesting fact about the Mitford sisters is that they were all one family, but they all had completely different paths,” she said. “And I suppose the important message is to talk to the people around you, if they have very different views or opinions or, you know, outlooks on life.”
Her takeaway is deeply human and powerfully relevant. “We are all one family on this planet,” she said. “Without being too hippie—we are. We’re all one village. And so the answer is not to fight each other and ignore each other and disrespect each other. The answer is to empathize and listen and come towards.”
She hopes viewers feel that, too. “I think that’s hopefully what the audience takes away.”
MORE: 5 Things We Want to See in Bessie Carter’s ‘Outrageous’
Balancing History with Humanity
Though the events depicted in OUTRAGEOUS are all pulled from history, Carter emphasized that the storytelling is anything but dry. “That was the exciting thing about this job,” she said. “All of the events that happen in the series are 100% factual. But what Sarah Williams, our writer, did was imagine how the sisters would have felt about all of those things.”
That creative license allowed Carter to bring something modern and personal to her performance. “My job as an actor is to bring truth to the situation in the way that I would feel it matched with the script,” she explained. “So it’s a sort of weird dance where you are saying words which aren’t my own, but I have to make them my own.”
The key, she said, was staying emotionally honest while honoring the time period. “I suppose it is a balance,” she said. “It’s a balance of truth and being respectful and honouring the script.”
So what was her favorite moment to film? “Well, my favorite scene, I think is in the trailer, so I don’t think this is a spoiler,” she teased. “But it’s sort of the beginning of the trailer where we’re by a swimming pool and there is a big pool party.”
And yes, it was as fabulous to film as it looks. “That was just the best day on set,” Carter said, smiling at the memory. “I think probably a lot of the other sisters have said that because it was just like a dream. I was lying on a sun lounger by a pool all day with my sisters jumping into a swimming pool and you just felt, you know, like—pinch me. Is this real?”
It’s that spirit—joyful, glamorous, a bit wild—that defines OUTRAGEOUS at its best.
MORE: Everything We Know About Bessie Carter’s ‘Outrageous’
Bridgerton Season 4?
We couldn’t resist asking about a certain beloved Regency-era series. Will Prudence Featherington be returning for Bridgerton Season 4—and what about Sophie and Benedict?
Carter just laughed. “I can’t tell you anything. Sorry—I would if I could.” So we tried and maybe, no answer is an answer. Finger crossed.
If you’re a fan of historical drama that refuses to play it safe, complex female characters, and sharp, stylish storytelling, this series is for you. And Bessie Carter? She’s not just playing a Mitford—she’s redefining what it means to bring history to life.
OUTRAGEOUS premieres June 18 exclusively on BritBox.
