This text accommodates spoilers for Half 1 of Season 4 of “Bridgerton.”
Luke Thompson and Yerin Ha are lounging on a blue velvet sofa in a swanky inexperienced room within Netflix’s places of work in New York, bracing for the whirlwind that inevitably envelops each pair of actors who turn out to be the central couple in a season of the favored romance drama “Bridgerton.” And so they’re nonetheless settling into the thought of being romantic leads.
“It doesn’t feel real,” Ha says recent into their first press day in early December. “Because for a very long time, I didn’t think that it was possible for me — maybe I should have dreamed bigger. To keep saying that I’m the lead of a season feels really bizarre.”
“But maybe that’s a way of coping with it,” Thompson says. “I remember in Season 1, I just finished a Zoom call and I just sat in my living room and it was the first time I really touched into the idea that millions of people are watching this thing. Millions of people. And I never did it again.”
“You just did it for me now,” Ha says with a smidgen of dread that launches the pair into laughter. “That’s not really helping.”
Thompson, although, isn’t feeling the strain of protecting the romance alive and intensely meme-able as they take up the mantle of the Regency-era fairy story.
“It’s a show that’s proven time and time again that there’s huge appetite for romance,” he says. “It was a genre that might have been, not looked down on, but not really taken very seriously. To be able to incarnate some projection of romance for people, particularly in January and February, when people are feeling a bit miserable, maybe, it’s lovely to be part of that.”
The duo play Benedict and Sophie, affectionately dubbed #Benophie, a pair whose story offers the traditional Cinderella story a little bit of steam and is one which readers of Julia Quinn’s “An Offer From a Gentleman,” which impressed this season, know properly. Thompson’s Benedict, whom “Bridgerton” viewers have come to know because the inventive, pansexual second-oldest son of the Bridgerton clan, has lengthy proven disinterest in settling down or adhering to societal norms. However then in Half 1 of Season 4, launched Thursday, he meets Sophie Baek, a maid in her abusive stepmother’s house, at a masquerade ball hosted by his mom. Viewers ultimately be taught Sophie’s servitude is pressured after her parentage is revealed — she’s the illegitimate daughter of an earl.
Yerin Ha as Sophie Baek and Luke Thompson as Benedict Bridgerton throughout their masquerade ball meet-cute in Season 4.
(Liam Daniel / Netflix)
Showrunner Jess Brownell says this season, they had been is concerned with prodding the wish-fulfillment fantasy many people had been launched to at a younger age.
“We learn about them as children from Disney movies,” she says. “For us, though, in interacting with this trope, it was really important to interrogate it a little bit. I think what our interrogation hopefully reveals is that oftentimes it’s the prince figure or the man of a ‘higher station’ who … needs to do some work on himself, to step out of his fantasy life a little bit and step more into reality to be worthy of the love of a Cinderella-type. It’s not to say that the Sophie character doesn’t have her own journey to go on, I think that she absolutely has to let her walls down and has to allow herself to dream of and believe in the possibility of love.”
Over a video name from that cozy sofa inside Netflix’s places of work, Thompson and Ha mentioned navigating the highlight as the most recent “Bridgerton” couple, this season’s very unromantic declaration of affection and attempting to seize a swoon-worthy meet-cute behind an outsized masks.
The joy for this season is already in full impact. How are you feeling about Benophie because the couple title? Am I even announcing it proper?
Thompson: I don’t know!
Ha: I feel that’s proper. I initially stated Ben-off-ee like Banoffee pie, however then I spotted it wouldn’t make sense as a result of it’s So-fee. So Ben-o-fee would make extra sense.
Thompson: There’s been a few enjoyable AI footage.
Ha: I really simply bought one yesterday from my mother about our children, our future children. [Thompson laughs.] And I used to be like, “Mom, why are you on the internet looking at these things?” So it’s actually on the market, and I’m actually being fed it out of my very own will, nevertheless it’s superb to see folks already so enthusiastic about it and desirous to create issues and future prospects. It’s fairly superb. And the followers are literally so beautiful.
Thompson: I feel that’s among the best issues about social media, really; that entire facet of individuals projecting or imagining themselves or creating stuff generally. That’s one thing that we by no means used to have the ability to actually get a deal with on, however to have the ability to see the quantity of vitality and thought that folks put into it’s form of superb.
Ha: Additionally artistic artistry. So many followers are drawing, sketching. It’s unbelievable. The quantity of expertise that folks simply share with us, it’s actually stunning.
1. The “Bridgerton” {couples} over the seasons: Simon Basset (Regé-Jean Web page) and Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor) in Season 1. 2. Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley) and Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) in Season 2. 3. Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) and Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) in Season 3. 4. Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) and Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha) in Season 4. (Liam Daniel / Netflix)
Luke, you’ve had three seasons to look at how others have taken on this mantle. Did Jonathan or Luke impart any phrases of knowledge as you stepped into lead duties? Did you may have any observations in watching them navigate the highlight and the depth of this?
They had been at all times very, very open to providing recommendation — Regé[-Jean Page, who led the first season as Simon Bassett, the Duke of Hastings], as properly; all three of them. That’s been actually, actually useful to know that it’s there. By way of observing them, that’s why I’ve had a little bit of a fortunate experience, actually, as a result of I bought to observe them. I imply this in a constructive manner — Regé may be very severe. There’s one thing in regards to the nature of the present that might encourage you to be a bit extra mild about it, however I feel he actually took it very significantly. Johnny [Jonathan Bailey, who plays Anthony Bridgerton] has this superb vitality that’s extraordinarily contagious. I watched that and the way that impacts the environment on set. After which Luke [Newton, who plays Colin Bridgerton] may be very delicate and he’s very cautious and clued when it comes to how and when he expresses himself. I’m so fortunate I bought to observe all of them do it and admire them and take into consideration them and assume additionally about how it could work for me.
What about you, Yerin? You’re a newcomer to this fictional world being thrown into the deep finish. Did you get any helpful suggestions from Nicola Coughlan or Simone Ashley?
I didn’t have the years of wanting on the different leads really expertise it. However Nicola and Simone, from the get-go once I was solid, they provided to present me recommendation and be like, “We’re here for you if you need it.” However the factor about it’s, everyone seems to be so completely different and distinctive with what they really wrestle with and what will be their problem. I didn’t actually know what I needed recommendation about, nevertheless it was simply at all times so good and supportive to know that they had been there if I wanted them. But additionally, Luke, who was my important scene associate, was in “Bridgerton” for years, so I used to be in a position to additionally lean on him and likewise the opposite fellow castmates if I felt insecure or if I didn’t actually know find out how to go about issues.
Luke Thompson on “Bridgerton”: “It’s a show that’s proven time and time again that there’s huge appetite for romance,” he says. “To be able to incarnate some projection of romance for people, particularly in January and February, when people are feeling a bit miserable, maybe, it’s lovely to be part of that.”
(Tyler Twins / For The Occasions)
This being “Bridgerton,” the chemistry between Benedict and Sophie is so essential to the magic of their story and the way it develops over time. Inform me in regards to the chemistry learn. What do you bear in mind about assembly one another?
Thompson: It was like this.
Ha: You’re third wheeling with us.
Thompson: It was on Zoom.
Ha: I used to be in Korea. It was 11 p.m. and I used to be attempting to handle my nerves all the day, which was fairly demanding. After which I logged on, you [Thompson] had been there. You had a striped shirt on, I bear in mind — fairly vividly, really. I stated that he appeared fairly drained. Perhaps it was me projecting, considering that he was having a lot of auditions, studying with a lot of folks by then.
Thompson: I’m attempting to assume what number of; we hadn’t auditioned that many individuals as a result of it’s a really specific half. What we had been asking or searching for was pretty specific. That’s the opposite factor I believed: How are we going to have the ability to do a chemistry learn on Zoom? With all of the awkwardness of doing it on Zoom — having to fake that you simply’re turning your again and there’s a lake and having to kind of mime in entrance of the digicam is so, so tacky — regardless of all of that, I simply bear in mind studying scenes with you and feeling very relaxed. You realize it once you see it. As quickly because the Zoom name ended, I informed you, Tom Verica [an executive producer and a director of the series] was a bit teary, and we had been like, “Well, obviously it’s her.”
Ha: Clearly the stakes are so excessive on my finish, as a result of he’s already within the present, so I used to be so centered on simply attempting to be current and never attempting to drive something. I feel that’s when it will get just a little bit bizarre. I simply bear in mind you within the display, and Luke’s such an open particular person in any case, and so it was fairly straightforward to do the scene, regardless of that there was a lot of interjections within the audition scene that we needed to do, however we simply pushed by means of.
What had been the scenes that you simply needed to do collectively that day? The lake scene —
Thompson: The lake scene and the tea scene. Simply two.
In Season 4, viewers know Sophie (Yerin Ha) is the woman whom Benedict (Luke Thompson) meets on the masquerade ball, however he hasn’t related the dots once they meet once more later.
(Liam Daniel / Netflix)
On the earth of romance, how two characters meet is commonly as necessary as how they get collectively. And the masquerade ball holds loads of pleasure and expectations for followers of the ebook. How did you’re feeling tackling that scene? Did the masks assist alleviate any nerves?
Ha: For me, it was a bit extra strain within the sense that my masks is so large [Thompson laughs], it’s laborious to really be fairly expressive when your cheekbones are hidden below this masks. I simply bear in mind generally Tom can be like, “You got to express more with your eyes and your lips.”
Thompson: It’s principally such as you had been carrying a paper bag.
Ha: Sure! So, that was a problem, but additionally, in a manner, generally masks make you’re feeling just a little bit invincible … Sophie, particularly in that night time, the masks makes her courageous and brave; when she takes off the bodily masks, that’s when the metaphorical masks really comes into play.
Thompson: You’re proper. The masks factor is integral to how they each meet. They even speak about it once they’re on the gazebo, the terrace; they’ve that entire scene the place it’s all about asking questions, not answering questions. To Benedict, [with] Sophie you’re continuously like, “Is she in earnest? Does she actually not know how to dance? Is she joking that she doesn’t know how to dance? Is she playing the role of someone?” There’s so many alternative questions on it — and I feel that’s what’s so romantic about it. It’s so recognizable as a result of that’s at all times what love at first sight is. It’s not that in that second, two folks utterly see one another; there’s a sport that begins occurring. It’s all about what they permit the opposite to see or not, and generally there’s these very nice bits the place they maintain lacking one another. There’s that incredible bit … when she’s spying by means of the door, after which simply as she leaves, Benedict seems to be. It’s the sample of their relationship, it’s the way it’s at all times been — and it begins on this superb little dream.
I think about there was there loads of discussions on what these masks ought to appear to be?
Ha: Sure. The costume staff are unbelievable; they’d, like, 5 completely different variations of it. A few of it was simply utterly masking my face with materials. After which they had been like, “Maybe not.” As a result of clearly Benedict sees her later as Sophie, and so why doesn’t he acknowledge her? They needed to play this actually high-quality line. However they’re so artistic and fast to alter and adapt and usher in new designs. It turned out actually superbly.
Thompson: One among my fears really studying the ebook was, “Oh, is it going to seem a little silly [that] Benedict doesn’t recognize her?” However really, it’s so ornate, the masks is such a factor. Once I since watched the episodes, I used to be like, yeah, I purchase that he can see and really feel one thing. He simply can’t put it collectively.
Yerin Ha on changing into a number one girl in “Bridgerton”: “It doesn’t feel real,” she says. “Because for a very long time, I didn’t think that it was possible for me — maybe I should have dreamed bigger.”
(Tyler Twins / For The Occasions)
Yerin, our first glimpse of you as Sophie was as she’s placing on the masks — she’s a thriller to each Benedict and the viewers in that first episode, however we come to be taught her story, which has echoes of Cinderella. What excited you about Sophie?
Ha: The factor for me is Sophie’s character and morals; it’s the truth that regardless of all of the obstacles and the challenges, she’s nonetheless in a position to lead and reside the world with a extremely caring coronary heart. She’s nonetheless witty and he or she nonetheless has a little bit of humor to her. However to be sincere with you, the factor for me that I actually related with Sophie was her journey and discovery into self-love and understanding that she’s additionally deserving of it. That’s one thing I, at the very least, speak about so much with my associates — and what does self-love appear to be and really feel like and imply to me? I realized so much by means of Sophie, as properly, and understanding that it’s who you resolve to convey into your life. Love isn’t just in somebody, it’s in regards to the folks locally that you simply created.
Benedict’s sexuality, his fluidity, has been one thing the writers have explored in constructing his total arc. How will that be mentioned or addressed as his relationship with Sophie develops?
Thompson: It’s a difficult one, proper? Benedict is sort of hanging as a personality — I can perceive why folks see all kinds of identities and phrases that may apply to him in a contemporary context. Loads of significantly male sexuality, usually, could be portrayed in fairly a box-y, angsty manner — the place it’s like, “Oh, you’re either gay or you’re straight, or this or that.” What’s good a couple of character is that it’s a novel building. It’s not a illustration of any specific expertise. It looks like, for him, his sexuality isn’t essentially a giant determiner of his identification; it’s a symptom of him desirous to discover. He’s curious and he’s open. I assume what I’m attempting to say is, in the event you’re really open, which means you’ll be able to type a reference to anybody. You may argue that it’s a drive that has stored him, to this point, at the very least, in a relentless chase for freedom and dodging the falling in love half, and I feel I’m extra concerned with that.
About that — let’s get into his misguided declaration of affection on the finish of Half I. You learn the books, you knew it was coming. It was the second we‘ve come to expect from this show — until the last line where he asks her to be his mistress. How did you decide to play that moment?
Thompson: It is contextual, historically. There’s that scene within the Gentleman’s Membership the place, clearly, he can see that there are individuals who have that association and do love one another. However I additionally assume that’s a cop-out. That’s possibly attempting to melt what is basically Benedict’s important flaw. He’s been proven to be caring in some ways. However I additionally assume the issue with somebody like that’s, in the event you’re charming to everybody, how will you develop one thing particular with one particular person? All of his entrance makes it very troublesome for him to fall for somebody, and to essentially have interaction and actually decide to somebody. Him saying that factor could be seen as him attempting to have his cake and eat it — like, I’m going to splice the kind of fantasy I’ve bought and the true world, and simply mash it collectively and that can work.
He’s a bit blind. Season 4 is about his blindness, actually, when it comes to recognizing her, but additionally that he can’t see that that wouldn’t be an ideal resolution. He’s possibly a bit blind about it and doesn’t essentially take into account how that may really feel for Sophie. I’d additionally say that he doesn’t have the data he wants from Sophie at that stage about being the woman in silver, which is an attention-grabbing pressure. It’s fascinating as a result of it’s a extremely dumb transfer from a personality that you simply wouldn’t essentially assume would come from a personality like that, however really, to me, it makes full sense that it could come from him. Benedict’s dad died very early, so he has a picture of a loving relationship as one thing fairly terrifying, so you’ll be able to perceive why he’d need to keep away from that, or need to discover his method to escape the true dedication … but additionally have his cake.
Yerin, how did you’re feeling about it?
Ha: I used to be so dissatisfied. I bear in mind once we had been doing the scene, I did really really feel genuinely indignant. Benedict lives extra within the fantasy realm, and Sophie undoubtedly lives in additional of the truth realm, however in that second, it’s virtually like she’s getting drunk on his phrases. She’s virtually imagining as if there’s going to be a proposal, despite the fact that she is aware of that again in these days, that wouldn’t even actually work. However she’s hoping and dreaming. However the minute he says that, she wakes up and he or she realizes, “Actually, this can never be”; her partitions are again up. It virtually takes her again to a spot of her childhood and the way she feels as a child … It brings loads of trauma again for her. I simply bear in mind doing that scene and feeling like I needed to slap Benedict.
Thompson: We must always have tried it. One take. I feel folks would have liked that.
On the finish of Half 1, Thompson’s and Ha’s characters share a declaration of affection gone improper: “I remember when we were doing the scene, I did actually feel genuinely angry,” Ha says.
(Tyler Twins / For The Occasions)
Did you’re employed with an intimacy coordinator for that scene? How was it to movie that first second of intimacy between the characters?
Ha: It was actually scorching on the set — actually, metaphorically. It was scorching. It was the candles, and the air traveled up and it was a tiny, slim set. However Lizzie, our intimacy coordinator, she is the very best, she is unbelievable. There’s alternative ways that you could form of go about it, the place it’s paint by numbers or a blueprint, and simply discover your method to like A, B and C, which is extra the vibe that we went by means of. She’s so superb within the vitality and house that she creates. She guides us and listens to every of us and what we want and find out how to make it possibly look just a little bit nicer or rougher or no matter it’s. I actually lean on her as an intimacy coordinator, and felt very protected in these scenes as a result of it’s fairly susceptible and exposing.
Thompson: It was a safety blanket, isn’t it? It’s simply good having somebody to watch it, so that you’re not simply caught, simply you two, otherwise you and the director, who generally, in my earlier … expertise, administrators are sometimes fairly embarrassed about these scenes, which drives me mad as a result of I’m like, “You’re not the one that has to do this.” It’s all about belief. It’s essential to have that particular person there to facilitate and to have an outdoor eye on it as a result of what feels good doesn’t essentially look good. You should have them choreographed as a result of the actors can solely actually relate from the within out, so that they don’t know what tales being informed exterior.
This season’s story has hints of “Cinderella” in it. Did you channel any traditional romance heroes, heroines or tales as you prepped?
Thompson: The masquerade ball made me take into consideration Romeo and Juliet so much. It’s Romeo and Juliet-coded, the way in which they meet and simply going off someplace non-public. I don’t assume consciously, I considered that, however once we had been doing it, it actually introduced that into my head.
Ha: I assume as a result of it’s the fixed “Cinderella” nod, I actually relied closely on “Cinderella.” It does veer off from the “Cinderella” story. And I do need to acknowledge that it’s a place to begin, not the precise plot line. She was my favourite princess rising up. I had a full gown with a Cinderella icon on it. I’d put on that each second day.
Thompson: That’s so candy.
Ha: I simply needed to fulfill my prince.
The primary half ends with Benedict and Sophie at a crossroads, an deadlock.
Thompson: Benedict and Sophie meet in dream eventualities. They meet within the masquerade ball, which is Sophie’s dream. Then they meet in [Benedict’s] cottage, which is kind of Benedict’s dream place. Then in [Episode] 4, they’ve to return to the ton and the true world. It’s a wrestle that everybody is aware of very properly, once you fall for somebody, and there’s the honeymoon interval the place you’re spinning this story collectively. Then it’s like, how do you take care of the true world, and the way do you take care of becoming bored with one another or getting indignant with each other? It’ll be attention-grabbing to see how they discover one another once more.
Ha: Even studying the scripts, I used to be like, how are they going to make this work, particularly acknowledging the category distinction as properly, the Aristocracy and her being a servant. Followers will actually need to see the way it all performs out. When society tells you’ll be able to’t be with somebody, what are you going to do about it? Are you going to give up to that or are you going to combat for it? That’s going to be the journey for Half 2.
With any fandom, parasocial relationships type. There’s an attachment and delivery of fictional characters, however it might generally prolong to the actors exterior of the characters. How do you navigate that?
Ha: I feel we’re simply being us. What’s actually beautiful about Luke is that I’ve a lot love for him as a human being, however I can’t management what folks undertaking and I can’t management what folks will assume and create a story and story. However I do know my fact, and I do know that I respect Luke as a human, as an actor, as a colleague, as a buddy. We’re very skilled, however we’re additionally good associates.
Thompson: That’s proper. It’s good to have stuff projected on you — that’s the enjoyment of being an actor. You need folks to have a look at you, need them to get misplaced in some thought of you. My viewpoint is at all times to utterly welcome that and likewise say, however I don’t need to set the file straight for anybody. It’s their present. Even once I meet followers on the street, I don’t actually assume, “Oh, they’re coming for me.” They’re seeing the present. It’s a barely overused phrase, however it’s nearly getting these boundaries straight in your head. You’ll be able to’t actually benefit from the consideration that you simply get from followers since you assume it’s coming for you. However really, in the event you’ve bought that good boundary, you get to benefit from the consideration from the followers.
