‘Bridgerton’: Julia Quinn Says It Would Be ‘Great’ to See an LGBTQ Protagonist
Netflix’s Bridgerton has been a tremendous hit and with season 3 around the corner, fans can hardly wait to watch their favorite characters fall in love and navigate the ton’s expectations of romance. Based on Julia Quinn’s novels of the same name, Bridgerton has stuck to the heterosexual relationships in the novels, but the author says it would be great to see an LGBTQ protagonist.
Julia Quinn talks of a possible LGBTQ protagonist
Quinn might have written the book series Netflix’s Bridgerton is based on, but she gave up creative control when her stories were being brought to the small-screen. Many of the plot twists have taken the author by surprise just as much as the audience, and even though she acts as a consultant, she isn’t involved in the day-to-day makings of the series.
In an interview with Cosmopolitan Spain, the author was asked about her opinion on introducing an LGBTQ character. She said, “It wouldn’t surprise me at all, but I don’t know anything about whether they’re going to do it. I’m not part of the writing process for the series. I’m just a consultant,” she said adding, “I see the scripts when they are finished. That kind of change is up to them.”
When asked if she liked the idea of a gay protagonist, Quinn was enthusiastic about it, pointing out the secondary gay character Henry Granville from the first season. Quinn said people enjoy reading romance novels like her Bridgerton series because “they show a world in which anyone has the right to be happy,” saying, “it would be great if there was a [LGBTQ] protagonist.”
Fans think Benedict’s season 1 storyline could be a setup for an LGBTQ plot
Benedict was friends with artist Henry Granville, who was a gay character, and in one scene, he walked in on Henry and another man in an intimate moment. Benedict closes the door and walks away, deciding not to out Henry or speak of the matter again. Some fans feel it was the perfect setup for an LGBTQ storyline.
Benedict’s story will likely follow Colin and Penelope’s in the fourth season of the Netflix show, and his will take on a Cinderella format.
While Benedict falls in love with a house servant called Sophie, some fans on Reddit feel Netflix could gender-bend his story to make things interesting. Benedict’s portrayer Luke Thompson told Entertainment Weekly that his character has “a lovely openness and fluidity about him generally, and that’s really, really fun to play because it could go anywhere.”
However, while the bohemian Bridgerton has proven he is open-minded about many things, he may still feel the pressure of finding a wife and marrying to further the Bridgerton name.
Two other Bridgerton siblings whose storylines fit an LGBTQ plot
Bridgerton has so far not offered any indication that any of the Bridgerton siblings are gay or bisexual. However, some fans believe Eloise might be the best character for a gender swap. Eloise constantly speaks of wanting more for herself than being a wife to a man.
Some other fans have said Francesca’s story is open for a gender swap. In the books, Francesca remarries after the death of her husband and miscarriage. While the Netflix series has stayed true to the Bridgerton novels, the showrunners have stayed committed to diversity and they may switch things up for the screen.
