“Season 2 will just be all forearms.”
Jonathan Bailey knows what romance lovers want from moreBridgerton.
“I’ll just draw a little smiley face there,” he adds, pointing to his arm.
Jonathan Bailey as Anthony Bridgerton in ‘Bridgerton’ season 1.LIAM DANIEL/NETFLIX
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: What was your and the cast’s reaction to being Netflix’s most-viewedoriginal debutever?
JONATHAN BAILEY:It’s been completely wild, to say the least.
To see that announcement was a delicious Regency cherry on a Regency cake.
Jonathan Baily in ‘Bridgerton’ season 1.NICK BRIGGS/NETFLIX
But we’re going to go straight into prepping season 2.
We’re all really excited for that momentum going in.
Are you all a bit astonished?
They were brilliant scripts.
That was my introduction to the Julia Quinn world.
Of course, I’ve grown up with the idea of romance as a genre.
My understanding of romance novels was that it was on the beach with a glass of rose.
But it makes sense.
Sexuality, intimacy, and identity is everything.
Especially in the last year.
So of course, we’re going to celebrate it.
It’s a family; it’s timeless; it just makes perfect sense.
We didn’t really know.
But when we saw it, it’s mad.
Seeing behind-the-scenes, it seems like that familial atmosphere came very naturally to all of you.
Was that the case?
Or was it something that grew over the process?
I think it came too naturally.
It was just brilliant.
That’s a testament to Shondaland who cast everyone off self-tapes.
That creative instinct that they work through and they encourage everyone to go on is really empowering.
It meant that we were all on the same level as soon as we met.
Luke Thompson [Benedict] and I have done theater together before.
There’s a real sense of tribe.
Yes, I saw the National Theater didan Instagram postof all you in their productions.
Your costar Rege-Jean Page broke the internetwith a spoon-licking scene.
Are you already plotting how best to one-up him?
I hope I get the fork and not the knife.
[Laughs] I feel sorry for whoever’s doing season 3 who gets the knife.
I mean, who knows?
This is what’s brilliant aboutBridgertonand what’s been such a surprise.
We start with a spoon, how are we going to up the ante?
What’s it going to be like when we get to poor Gregory?
Have you readThe Viscount Who Loved Meyet?
It was the first one I read.
I read it on the way back from having met Shondaland.
Kate Sheffield is a really brilliant character.
How do you feel knowing you’re about to come centerstage here nervous, excited, all of that?
Because the world is so detailed.
And there’s nothing more finished than a Netflix show.
It’s so elevated and heightened and escapist and extraordinary.
All the little storylines, all the little flavors are great.
The excitement genuinely is to see the character development and to be able to play around with that.
The fear was probably there at the beginning of season 1.
It’s a real ensemble piece.
Maybe I’ll lose my nerve, but we’ll see.
Colin got there first, didn’t he?
I feel like it’s probably very out of character for Anthony to break into song.
You never know withBridgerton.
Chris is really brilliant at taking what Julia Quinn has created.
So, maybe a backflip or something?
Are you already starting to think about that?
I’ve had really lovely conversations with Chris.
I just like to have an idea of what the emotional journey will be.
But it all really made sense to me, Anthony, from the get-go.
And it was a bit of a surprise.
I mean, of course, he is.
And the best way to play characters is to not comment on them or judge them.
That’s where you get the best performances.
But from my experience of playing him, I really understood where he was coming from.
So, the heartbreak is really important because love comes from a place of despair sometimes.
I’m not right.
I’m defunct; love isn’t right for me."
To get Anthony to a place that’s similar to that to think that he isn’t good enough.
He can’t look after himself, let alone a lady.
It’s a really good place to be able to mine that idea.
Anthony represents something very particular.
And despair and love and the line between the two.
Can you tell us anything about Kate Sheffield?
I can talk about her in the books.
She hopefully will be the voice of the audience and then they’ll work something out together.
I’ve brought my lucky mallet, so I’ve been working on that.
[Laughs] I’m looking forward to getting back on a horse.
The prep is started.
You grew your own Regency sideburns for season 1.
How long do you have start in advance for season 2?
I had a bit of a false start.
So I’ve gone back and I think what I’ll do is I’ll shave every week.
Then when we’ve got a definite filming start date, I’ll be able to commit.
But who knows where I’ll end up this year?
Every season may be different.
Maybe it’s a big mustache or goatee?
What else can you tease about what audiences can expect from season 2?
They can just expect a lot from everyone.
It was such an amazing introduction to the world via Daphne and Simon.
We’ll all be back for more romance, hopefully next Christmas, maybe further away.
