‘Bridgerton’: 6 Strict Rules the Cast Has to Follow for the Netflix Series
Bridgerton quickly made waves among Netflix subscribers when it dropped in December 2020. The period piece captivated audiences with classical takes on modern songs, steamy sex scenes, and a gorgeously diverse cast. Behind the scenes, a lot of work went into making Bridgerton the viral sensation it has become. Discover six strict rules the cast of Bridgerton have to follow while working on the Netflix series.
‘Bridgerton’ cast must attend etiquette training
Playing a part in a period drama is a lot of work for an actor. When Pheobe Dynevor was cast in Bridgerton, she didn’t know the first thing about being a “true lady.” That’s where etiquette classes came in.
She and Regé-Jean Page attended lessons where they learned how to talk, sit, eat, and walk for the drama, set in 1813. “Horse riding on Monday and piano lessons on Tuesday and etiquette training,” Dynevor told Harper’s Bazaar of her training. “I was like, ‘Oh, okay. This is kind of crazy.'”
Corsets aren’t mandatory, but the uncomfortable costumes and hours it takes to fit them are
Over 7,500 costumes are used in Bridgerton Season 1. It took five months of preparation and a team of 238 people to dress the cast.
“From hats to shawls, to overcoats — that made up the [estimated] 5,000 costumes that went before the camera,” costume designer Ellen Mirojnick tells Vogue. “For Phoebe alone, there were 104 costumes. That’s a big number, even for a principal player.”
The cast, who never wear the same thing twice, spent hours in fittings for costumes. Plus, they admitted in behind-the-scenes interviews their looks weren’t all that comfortable.
‘Bridgerton’ sex scenes require rehearsal
Lizzy Talbot is Bridgerton’s Intimacy Coordinator. In her opinion, the intimate scenes in the Netflix series were harder to plan for and film than the violent ones.
“We would never have an issue working through the violence because there are so many protocols and procedures and techniques that you have to create the violence safely; it’s almost methodical to a point,” Talbot tells The Times. “But then when we got to the intimacy part of it, that’s when everything started to…fracture.”
With no rules or protocols for sex scenes, it became Talbot’s job to oversee them and ensure they had as much rehearsal as a stunt would. “Normally, you have to rehearse the same day that we shoot, and that didn’t happen for Bridgerton. Because we had the time, we turned up prepared and all the choreography was laid out.”
Cast of ‘Bridgerton’ has to master dialect
While the cast of Bridgerton already has the British accent appropriate for the show, they have to master the dialect required for the story. Slipping in and out of their native accent is a no-no on set.
Julia Quinn’s books are a must-read for the ‘Bridgerton’ actors
The Netflix series is based on Julia Quinn’s books, of which there are nine. To play their parts, the main cast had to read at least one of the Bridgerton books before filming season 1.
“It was great to read them because I suddenly got a really good sense of why the books were so loved,” Dynevor explained to Harper’s Bazaar. Reading up on Bridgerton also helped her channel the romance required in the series.
‘Bridgerton’ spoilers have to be avoided at all costs
When it comes to interacting with fans on social media, the cast of Bridgerton has to be careful about revealing spoiler information. Fortunately, it’s not too difficult, thanks to Netflix’s binge-worthy release strategy.
As for future seasons of Bridgerton, the cast is under strict rules not to disclose that information. They’re not allowed to talk about anything that will or might come up in new seasons of the show.
