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https://nerdist.com/article/bridgerton-character-guide/
What is Bridgerton? That was likely the first question on your lips when you watched the gorgeous trailer for Shonda Rhimes‘ new Netflix regency romance series. But trust us, the streamer’s big holiday release will be the talk of the town so there’s no better time to get acquainted with the series and the delightfully hot inhabitants of the period romance.
Based on the series of books by Julia Quinn, beginning with the Duke and I, Bridgerton centers on an ensemble of characters in regency London. This community’s romantic entanglements are readily documented and reported on by a mysterious gossip columnist, causing chaos for all. There are a lot of folks embroiled in the higher echelons of London society, so here’s your guide to everyone who matters as well as a handy list of all your future Christmas Day crushes.
The voice of Lady Whistledown, played by Julie Andrews
She’s arguably the most important person in the ‘Ton and wields a scary amount of power over its inhabitants. Lady Whistledown’s gossip rag influences the queen, the Bridgertons, and everyone in between. Whistledown’s identity is a closely guarded secret and the series’ biggest mystery.
Simon Basset, played by Regé-Jean Page
Netflix
Simon doesn’t want to be a Duke and he certainly has no plans to get married. But making a deal with the Bridgerton girl seems like an easy solution to both of their problems. After all, he has no interest in making an honest woman out of his best friend’s little sister… does he?
Daphne Bridgerton, played by Phoebe Dynevor
Netflix
Daphne is at the center of Bridgerton’s core romantic entanglement, and it’s a doozy. A young debutante trying to find a husband during the social season, Daphne strikes a bargain with the handsome and sultry Duke of Hastings to fake-date their way through the season. What on Earth could go wrong?
Queen Charlotte, played by Golda Rosheuvel
Netflix
She’s the Queen of England and likes nothing more than to play matchmaker. She is the most important woman in the country, so shouldn’t everyone be listening to her rather than that dreadful gossip Lady Whistledown?
Anthony Bridgerton, played by Jonathan Bailey
Netflix
Daphne’s older brother, Anthony, has to take charge of the family now his father is gone. But as much as he might think he knows what’s best for Daphne and her siblings, he’s got entanglements of his own that could play havoc with the plans that he has for the Bridgertons.
Eloise Bridgerton, played by Claudia Jessie
Netflix
Daphne’s sister isn’t interested in the rules of society and would far rather be studying than dancing. But when Lady Whistledown appears on the scene, she realizes that women can write, wield power, and live their own lives. So she decides she must know who writes the column.
Penelope Featherington, played by Nicola Coughlan
Netflix
Eloise’s best friend and one of the Featheringtons’ three daughters, Penelope is smart, witty, and thoughtful but also wants to find love in a society that doesn’t always think she deserves it. Her life’s turned upside down by the arrival of her cousin, Marina.
Marina Thompson, played by Ruby Barker
Netflix
The Featheringtons’ chances of finding husbands seems low until their gorgeous cousin Marina arrives from the country. But why did she come to London? And can she trust the social-climbing Featheringtons with the fate of her future?
Lady Danbury, played by Adjoa Andoh
Netflix
Lady Danbury is acerbic, witty, and utterly unconcerned with what others think of her. She and Simon make quite the rakish pair. This dowager is a powerhouse in the ‘Ton and is equally feared and respected by those who know her.
Lady Violet Bridgerton, played by Ruth Gemmell
The matriarch of the Bridgerton family is the kind of mother any of us would be lucky to have. She’s loving, kind, and for the times pretty openminded. But she’s still constrained by the society the family lives in and has big dreams of true love for her daughters and their marriages.
Will Mondrich, played by Martins Imhangbe
The only person in the ‘Ton who is truly real with Simon, Will is a successful up and coming boxer making a name for himself in the ‘Ton with his fight franchise. He also trains the Duke in fisticuffs, life, and love… although whether Simon really listens is up for debate.
Siena Rosso, played by Sabrina Bartlett
Beautiful, enchanting, and talented, Siena is an opera singer with a taste for the good life. She’s a venerated member of society, but her affair with a prominent Lord means that position might be in question. After all, you can’t have the gentry mixing with the ruling class.
Lady Portia Featherington, played by Polly Walker
Netflix
The Featheringtons love bright clothes, shiny jewels, and opulence, which makes others in the ‘Ton feel a little uncomfortable. Portia is the matriarch of the family and will do anything to make sure that her daughters make a match… even if it means compromising her ethics.
Genevieve Delacroix, played by Kathryn Drysdale
Mayfair’s most in demand dressmaker, Genevieve has her ears to the ground and eyes open at all times. Making dresses for the most wealthy and prominent in the ‘Ton gives her an inside line to all of the powerful families making their way through the season.
Colin Bridgerton, played by Luke Newton
He’s young and wants nothing more than to travel the world, but Colin is also an eligible bachelor who could catch the eye of any of the ‘Ton’s debutantes. He’s the sweetest of the Bridgerton brothers and is close to his sisters and their tight-knit group of friends.
Francesca Bridgerton, played by Ruby Stokes
The most reserved and enigmatic of the Bridgerton sisters, Francesca only plays a small part in this series but has a love story all of her own in the books. Keep an eye on her and her exploits as you might just be watching the star of a future season of the show.
Benedict Bridgerton, played by Luke Thompson
Netflix
Like his sister Eloise, Benedict is less than happy with the restrictive rules of the world they live in. But even though he’s aware of the responsibilities of being a Bridgerto, he dreams of a different way of life.
Lord Featherington, played by Ben Miller
The shady father of the Featheringtons seems like a nice enough fellow, but his lustful nature and disrespect for his wife make him one of the ‘Ton’s least favored and least savory men.
Cressida Cowper, played by Jessica Madsen
One of Daphne’s competitors in the debutante season, Cressida might seem like a nice girl on the surface. But she’s eager to find a suitable match, which can make any good girl go bad.
Prudence Featherington, played by Bessie Carter
Netflix
Just like her mother, Prudence isn’t exactly bothered about being kind. It’s her third year trying to find a husband, which means she’s technically on the shelf. And her attitude doesn’t make it too hard to understand why she hasn’t found the man of her dreams… or any man.
Phillipa Featherington, played by Harriet Cains
She’s on the hunt for a man and that’s about it. Unbothered by making friends or enjoying the season, Phillipa is consumed solely by her search for a husband.
Hyacinth Bridgerton, played by Florence Hunt
Though she might just be a young sweet girl in this series, like all of the Bridgertons, Hyacinth has her own love story in the series. If the show is a success, we might see that explored in future shows (so don’t count out the sweet and young Bridgerton sibling).
Gregory Bridgerton, played by Will Tilston
He’s the Bridgertons’ annoying little brother and wants nothing more than to stress out his older sisters. But in the series, when he grows up, he’s a romantic who believes in true love and manages to find it… but we’ll likely be waiting a while to follow up on that thread.
The post A Guide to the Inhabitants of the World of BRIDGERTON appeared first on Nerdist.
What is Bridgerton? That was likely the first question on your lips when you watched the gorgeous trailer for Shonda Rhimes‘ new Netflix regency romance series. But trust us, the streamer’s big holiday release will be the talk of the town so there’s no better time to get acquainted with the series and the delightfully hot inhabitants of the period romance.
Based on the series of books by Julia Quinn, beginning with the Duke and I, Bridgerton centers on an ensemble of characters in regency London. This community’s romantic entanglements are readily documented and reported on by a mysterious gossip columnist, causing chaos for all. There are a lot of folks embroiled in the higher echelons of London society, so here’s your guide to everyone who matters as well as a handy list of all your future Christmas Day crushes.
The voice of Lady Whistledown, played by Julie Andrews
She’s arguably the most important person in the ‘Ton and wields a scary amount of power over its inhabitants. Lady Whistledown’s gossip rag influences the queen, the Bridgertons, and everyone in between. Whistledown’s identity is a closely guarded secret and the series’ biggest mystery.
Simon Basset, played by Regé-Jean Page
Netflix
Simon doesn’t want to be a Duke and he certainly has no plans to get married. But making a deal with the Bridgerton girl seems like an easy solution to both of their problems. After all, he has no interest in making an honest woman out of his best friend’s little sister… does he?
Daphne Bridgerton, played by Phoebe Dynevor
Netflix
Daphne is at the center of Bridgerton’s core romantic entanglement, and it’s a doozy. A young debutante trying to find a husband during the social season, Daphne strikes a bargain with the handsome and sultry Duke of Hastings to fake-date their way through the season. What on Earth could go wrong?
Queen Charlotte, played by Golda Rosheuvel
Netflix
She’s the Queen of England and likes nothing more than to play matchmaker. She is the most important woman in the country, so shouldn’t everyone be listening to her rather than that dreadful gossip Lady Whistledown?
Anthony Bridgerton, played by Jonathan Bailey
Netflix
Daphne’s older brother, Anthony, has to take charge of the family now his father is gone. But as much as he might think he knows what’s best for Daphne and her siblings, he’s got entanglements of his own that could play havoc with the plans that he has for the Bridgertons.
Eloise Bridgerton, played by Claudia Jessie
Netflix
Daphne’s sister isn’t interested in the rules of society and would far rather be studying than dancing. But when Lady Whistledown appears on the scene, she realizes that women can write, wield power, and live their own lives. So she decides she must know who writes the column.
Penelope Featherington, played by Nicola Coughlan
Netflix
Eloise’s best friend and one of the Featheringtons’ three daughters, Penelope is smart, witty, and thoughtful but also wants to find love in a society that doesn’t always think she deserves it. Her life’s turned upside down by the arrival of her cousin, Marina.
Marina Thompson, played by Ruby Barker
Netflix
The Featheringtons’ chances of finding husbands seems low until their gorgeous cousin Marina arrives from the country. But why did she come to London? And can she trust the social-climbing Featheringtons with the fate of her future?
Lady Danbury, played by Adjoa Andoh
Netflix
Lady Danbury is acerbic, witty, and utterly unconcerned with what others think of her. She and Simon make quite the rakish pair. This dowager is a powerhouse in the ‘Ton and is equally feared and respected by those who know her.
Lady Violet Bridgerton, played by Ruth Gemmell
The matriarch of the Bridgerton family is the kind of mother any of us would be lucky to have. She’s loving, kind, and for the times pretty openminded. But she’s still constrained by the society the family lives in and has big dreams of true love for her daughters and their marriages.
Will Mondrich, played by Martins Imhangbe
The only person in the ‘Ton who is truly real with Simon, Will is a successful up and coming boxer making a name for himself in the ‘Ton with his fight franchise. He also trains the Duke in fisticuffs, life, and love… although whether Simon really listens is up for debate.
Siena Rosso, played by Sabrina Bartlett
Beautiful, enchanting, and talented, Siena is an opera singer with a taste for the good life. She’s a venerated member of society, but her affair with a prominent Lord means that position might be in question. After all, you can’t have the gentry mixing with the ruling class.
Lady Portia Featherington, played by Polly Walker
Netflix
The Featheringtons love bright clothes, shiny jewels, and opulence, which makes others in the ‘Ton feel a little uncomfortable. Portia is the matriarch of the family and will do anything to make sure that her daughters make a match… even if it means compromising her ethics.
Genevieve Delacroix, played by Kathryn Drysdale
Mayfair’s most in demand dressmaker, Genevieve has her ears to the ground and eyes open at all times. Making dresses for the most wealthy and prominent in the ‘Ton gives her an inside line to all of the powerful families making their way through the season.
Colin Bridgerton, played by Luke Newton
He’s young and wants nothing more than to travel the world, but Colin is also an eligible bachelor who could catch the eye of any of the ‘Ton’s debutantes. He’s the sweetest of the Bridgerton brothers and is close to his sisters and their tight-knit group of friends.
Francesca Bridgerton, played by Ruby Stokes
The most reserved and enigmatic of the Bridgerton sisters, Francesca only plays a small part in this series but has a love story all of her own in the books. Keep an eye on her and her exploits as you might just be watching the star of a future season of the show.
Benedict Bridgerton, played by Luke Thompson
Netflix
Like his sister Eloise, Benedict is less than happy with the restrictive rules of the world they live in. But even though he’s aware of the responsibilities of being a Bridgerto, he dreams of a different way of life.
Lord Featherington, played by Ben Miller
The shady father of the Featheringtons seems like a nice enough fellow, but his lustful nature and disrespect for his wife make him one of the ‘Ton’s least favored and least savory men.
Cressida Cowper, played by Jessica Madsen
One of Daphne’s competitors in the debutante season, Cressida might seem like a nice girl on the surface. But she’s eager to find a suitable match, which can make any good girl go bad.
Prudence Featherington, played by Bessie Carter
Netflix
Just like her mother, Prudence isn’t exactly bothered about being kind. It’s her third year trying to find a husband, which means she’s technically on the shelf. And her attitude doesn’t make it too hard to understand why she hasn’t found the man of her dreams… or any man.
Phillipa Featherington, played by Harriet Cains
She’s on the hunt for a man and that’s about it. Unbothered by making friends or enjoying the season, Phillipa is consumed solely by her search for a husband.
Hyacinth Bridgerton, played by Florence Hunt
Though she might just be a young sweet girl in this series, like all of the Bridgertons, Hyacinth has her own love story in the series. If the show is a success, we might see that explored in future shows (so don’t count out the sweet and young Bridgerton sibling).
Gregory Bridgerton, played by Will Tilston
He’s the Bridgertons’ annoying little brother and wants nothing more than to stress out his older sisters. But in the series, when he grows up, he’s a romantic who believes in true love and manages to find it… but we’ll likely be waiting a while to follow up on that thread.
The post A Guide to the Inhabitants of the World of BRIDGERTON appeared first on Nerdist.
So, Marvel is in the process of crafting the future of their cinematic universe. While there are rumors about the Fantastic Four and the new Spider-Man film, what’s being kept the quietest is how the X-Men will be introduced. Whether it’s an upcoming surprise or a long way off, it’s a near certainty that Marvel’s mutants will not go ignored. So, if they’re going to go forward with this, there’s a few things we really need to address.
1). First and foremost, they need to realize there are more characters beside Wolverine.
Now, I realize this is a tall order for Marvel considering how much they invest in him as a franchise. Also, I consider almost 20 years of X-Men movies centering Wolverine to be a “reap what you sow” situation with the fandom. After all, fans spent the near-entirety of the 90s making such a huge deal out of this character, it was inevitable that he would become a major focus when it was time for Marvel’s mutants to hit the screen. But how many movies of Hugh Jackman and his immaculate hip-hop abs stabbing bad guys to death do we really need? They explained how Logan got his adamantium skeleton as a major plot point in X-Men 2….just to give us a whole movie re-explaining the same thing with X-Men Origins: Wolverine. And I shouldn’t have to reiterate the implications of rebooting yet another handsome, white guy lead in a film franchise that already has a history of being whiter than it should be. Look, we get it…Wolverine’s a cool character, so it’s unrealistic that we’ll never see him again. But we’re talking about a franchise that has at least 60 years of characters and backstories to choose from. Certainly, we can get a fresher changing of the guard from movie to movie.
2). Cyclops deserves better.
The X-Men’s first field leader has been the source of decades worth of slander among the fandom. Granted, it’s worth mentioning that Scott Summers has had a much better reputation in the comics from the past 20 years. A murderer’s row of writers have had a hand in his rebranding over time, so it’s more than obvious he’s a worthwhile character. However, it’s the television and movie adaptations that really seal the defining ideas that make a good character into the collective consciousness. For example, it’s going to be a long time before anyone thinks of Iron Man without seeing Robert Downey Jr. in their head. That’s what a good performance in an awesome film can do for a character. Sadly, it’s had an adverse effect for Cyclops.
Decades later and the X-Men Animated Series that dominated the 90s is still the worst PR a Marvel character ever got. Between that and at least three films where his entire personality seems to revolve around Jean Grey and Wolverine, the character has become a bit of a joke outside of fanboys. And that’s a damn shame for a guy who has been training to fight giant killer robots since he was 16. For a publication whose bread and butter is representation for black characters, we’ve spent a considerable amount of time making the case for Cyclops, a white guy, being a worthwhile superhero. And the way the MCU masterfully rebranded Captain America proves that the “All American Quarterback, Born Leader” type has a willing audience.
3). Speaking of character overhauls, Jean Grey could use that MCU glow-up, too.
Aside from having Omega level powers she (sometimes) can’t control and being the object of affection for X-Men alpha males, can anyone name three defining characteristics or personality traits about her? This is certainly an issue the tv/film properties haven’t made any better, but they honestly only deserve some of the blame. With a small handful of exceptions peppered throughout the last twenty-five years or so, Jean Grey has consistently been one of the most underdeveloped characters the franchise has to offer. And considering that she’s a principal character every time she’s appeared on screen since the late 90s, that’s a pretty incredible feat. Again, this is yet another lily white character we’re talking about, but it’s a safe assumption that if/when Marvel introduces the mutant community to the MCU, Phoenix/Marvel Girl will be on the shortlist. And if we HAVE to sit through another rehashing of the Dark Phoenix story (unnecessary, yes, but also inevitable), then we should at least know more about her than we do about Pepper Potts.
4). The Black Mutant Delegation needs a stronger presence in the mutant community. Much stronger.
As far as the MCU is concerned, let’s take a quick head count of the black X-Men featured throughout the franchise. First and foremost, there’s the greatest sin of the X-movies: Halle Berry’s performance as Storm. The casting was lazy in its own way, aiming for the biggest star that would put asses in the seats as opposed to finding the best portrayal of the role. Then, there’s the dubious accent, the small handful of dialogue given to the character and, of course, the dreaded “Toad struck by lightning” line. The only other time we saw any signs of life in this character is in The Last Stand when she’s only given the responsibility of leading the team when Cyclops is rendered a weeping mess over Jean Grey because (see #2). When she is reintroduced in Apocalypse and Dark Phoenix, sure, she’s depicted as more powerful, but her presence is still not remotely as strong as her comic counterpart.
After Storm, the Black Mutant Delegation doesn’t get much more shine. Spyke made a brief appearance as Guy Who Gets Stabbed By Wolverine #2 in The Last Stand. Darwin talked a big game in First Class and caught a first round knock out from Sebastian Shaw. And Bishop got mauled by sentinels in Days of Future Past. Oh and there was Zoe Kravitz as Angel, a mutant Charles Xavier found in a strip club whose screen time ran at about the length of your average lap dance.
Theoretically, one of the great attractions of the rise of mutants all across the world is that they potentially come from all walks of life. However, when we look at the characters that receive the lion’s share of the spotlight, this doesn’t seem to be the case. And honestly, the MCU could make up for quantity with quality. If the mutants listed weren’t so non-existent in their overall gravitas, one could almost overlook how few ever seem to make it into the stories at all. Almost. After 20 years of movies focused almost entirely on white mutants that have been met with modest to milquetoast success….what does this B-/C+ film franchise have to lose? With projects like Black Panther 2 and Shang-Chi being fast tracked in response to the call for BIPOC representation, the best thing Marvel could do is use this as an opportunity to take the confidence they’ve earned from their audience and roll the dice on some fresh, darker-hued faces.
When it comes to the superhero genre, Marvel is the king of the mountain. If they want to stay king, I suspect they have to take this opportunity to lean into the increased calls for true diversity and X-Men would be a good place to plant those seeds.
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The post A Few Things We Need To Address If The X-Men Are Coming to the MCU appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
Sometimes wishes do come true. We heard Lucasfilm was developing a Willow sequel TV series at the end of 2019, and now we know it’s true. All of it. Disney and Lucasfilm confirmed on Tuesday that the Willow series is coming to Disney+. It will begin production in 2021. Then the show will film in Wales (the same locale as the movie). The series will serve as a sequel, taking place years after the events of the original 1988 film. And if you haven’t watched Willow before, do yourself a favor and watch it as soon as possible because it’s delightful.
Lucasfilm
The Willow sequel series marks Lucasfilm’s first venture into non-Star Wars storytelling since The Force Awakens. Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians, In the Heights) will direct the pilot. He’ll also serve as executive producer along with showrunners Jonathan Kasdan and Wendy Mericle. Kasdan penned the pilot. And don’t worry, Ron Howard, director of the Willow movie, has a stake in the new show too. He’ll be executive producing.
Chu is a big fan of the film. He named his daughter Willow. Chu enthused in the release, “Growing up in the ’80s, Willow has had a profound effect on me. The story of the bravest heroes in the least likely places allowed me, an Asian-American kid growing up in a Chinese restaurant looking to go to Hollywood, to believe in the power of our own will, determination and of course, inner magic. So the fact that I get to work with my heroes from Kathleen Kennedy to Ron Howard is bigger than a dream come-true. It’s a bucket-list moment for me. Jon Kasdan and Wendy Mericle have added such groundbreaking new characters and delightful surprises to this timeless story that I can’t wait for the world to come along on this epic journey with us.”
Lucasfilm
And we can’t have Willow without Warwick Davis in the titular role. He’s returning as Willow Ufgood. Davis said in a statement, “So many fans have asked me over the years if Willow will make a return, and now I’m thrilled to tell them that he will indeed. Many have told me they grew up with Willow and that the film has influenced how they view heroism in our own world. If Willow Ufgood can represent the heroic potential in all of us, then he is a character I am extremely honored to reprise.”
According to Deadline, Ellie Bamber (Nocturnal Animals), Cailee Spaeny (The Craft: Legacy), and Erin Kellyman (Solo: A Star Wars Story) are all reportedly in talks to join the series. Casting information for Willow indicates the story will center on a crew trying to rescue a kidnapped prince. It doesn’t look like Kellyman will be reprising her role as Enfys Nest in the series.
If you’re not familiar with the film, allow me to summarize. Willow, a hapless farmer who wants to be a sorcerer, finds an orphaned baby. That baby is a survivor. The evil sorceress Queen Bavmorda learned of a prophecy stating a female child with a special birthmark would mean her downfall. So as a totally practical measure, she imprisoned pregnant women in the realm and killed their babies. But this baby, Elora Danan, survived. She has a destiny to be an empress, and Willow has to keep her safe. Shenanigans and adventures with a bunch of wild characters ensue.
New characters will appear in the enchanted realm of fairy queens and two-headed Eborsisk monsters. No word on whether Val Kilmer could return as Madmartigan, but hey, he and Davis seem to be pals so maybe…
Featured Image: Lucasfilm
Originally published on October 20, 2020.
Amy Ratcliffe is the Managing Editor for Nerdist and the author of The Jedi Mind, available for pre-order now. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
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