With the long awaited Season 3 of the hit Netflix series Bridgerton FINALLY here — well Part 1 anyway… Nicola Coughlan, Claudia Jessie, Hannah Dodd, Jessica Madsen, Golda Rosheuvel, Adjoa Andoh, Ruth Gemmell, Martins Imhangbe, and Emma Naomi sat down with Audacy’s Annie Leamy to clue us in on what their characters are up to this season, spill some Lady Whistledown tea, and more.
WATCH NOW: Nicola Coughlan on 'Bridgerton' Season 3
Opening up about switching things up this season, and taking her character Penelope Featherington from wallflower to full bloom, Nicola Coughlan, said, “It was a definite massive transition. It’s scary cause the show is so huge, I mean it’s hard to forget about that,” she added about taking on the lead role alongside Luke Newton (Colin Bridgerton) to tell this season’s Polin love story.
Despite wanting to fall in love and find a husband, Penelope isn’t much for adhering to the social norms and constructs set for women of that time. Which is just one of the reasons Coughlan believes Penelope is so relatable. “She’s like the underdog and everybody wants to root for the underdog and has felt like the outsider… and not quite good enough. I think that’s so relatable, but also for a modern audience, for modern women, Penelope wants it all… and it’s tricky. But that’s what I really love about her, she may have insecurities in lots of parts in her life, but she’s never insecure in her abilities and her savviness as a business woman, and all of those things.”
Talking about the shift in dynamics this season between Colin and Penelope, Nicola confessed, “I absolutely loved it, cause I had two seasons of having to moon over him and having to stare at him from across the room. And then when the tables are turned I was like ‘it doesn’t feel good Luke, does it?,’ I was ready for the transition.”
Briefly discussing Penelope’s strained relationship with Eloise that began in the Season 2 finale, Coughlan, perhaps the biggest Peneloise stan, expressed how she really “didn’t enjoy” depicting the two of them on the outs this season.
WATCH NOW: Claudia Jessie, Jessica Madsen, and Hannah Dodd on 'Bridgerton' Season 3
Speaking of, getting right into the rift between Penelope and Eloise, Claudia Jessie, who portrays the latter in the Netflix hit series, noted that anyone who seems to be frustrated with her characters behavior in the four episodes of Part 1, is clearly showing their favoritism towards Pen.
“Because, (possible Spoiler Alert) Penelope is Lady Whistledown. She’s been writing about our family and stuff, so I’m sort of like, of course she’s upset.”
“She’s been very open with Penelope about like ‘I basically wanna be Lady Whistledown, I’m gonna try and unmask her.’ Her best friend has been witnessing her do this for two seasons, then ended and sabotaged the thing she had with Theo, and wrote about her family.”
So while she loves that people are getting so into it, she maintains her stance that Eloise isn’t overreacting. But does concede that there are hints of jealousy on Bridgerton’s part, who was hoping “to do all of these things with” Penelope. “Women together that are becoming independent, and sort of not subscribing to that sort of stuff.” But obviously Pen had plans of her own.
With Eloise and Penelope’s beloved friendship in shambles, it has left an opening for Cressida Cowper to step in. A character we’ve known since Season 1, who as it turns out, is more complex than her mean girl facade.
Excited to be able to delve into the backstory behind Cressida and be able to shed some light on the reasons for her less than likable qualities, Jessica Madsen, who plays Cowper expressed, “She does have a very cruel streak.. but we do see where that comes from. We see what has hardened her through the years.” That being said, Madsen doesn’t actually mind playing the mean girl. Noting, “it’s fun to play something that is different to yourself.”
Hannah Dodd, who is new to the series this season, replacing Ruby Stokes as Francesca Bridgerton also spoke about her character’s Season 3 arc, which despite being behind Benedict and Eloise in the Bridgerton line, did involve love and companionship.
WATCH NOW: Ruth Gemmell, Adjoa Andoh, and Golda Rosheuvel on 'Bridgerton' Season 3
After learning of Lady Violet Bridgerton’s blooming garden in Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, Ruth Gemmell, who plays the matriarch, assured us that that storyline continues in Season 3. “She’s enjoying flirting, I think she’s enjoying a spark. She’s certainly dipping her toe back into that water and wanting to embrace life again.” Obviously learning a thing or two from her close friend Lady Danbury, whom as Adjoa Andoh who plays the character noted, “has an appetite for life.”
Like Lady Danbury, also a usual spitfire, this season Queen Charlotte is giving bored. “She’s bored babe… and over it,” Golda Rosheuvel admitted. “She wants something different," she expressed, adding, “something needs to happen for the Queen… and then Francesca comes along, this amazing women who intrigues the Queen because she’s sitting alone playing piano… seems to be happy in herself,” and “doesn’t need the glitz and the glamour.”
Along with that, you’ll be happy to know the Queens investigation into Whistledown continues. “An imposter comes in," Golda revealed, “the Queen knows something fishy is going on… but enjoys dragging that on a little bit more… and then yes, we’ll see what happens, and what the outcome is.”
WATCH NOW: Martins Imhangbe and Emma Naomi on 'Bridgerton' Season 3
There since season one, Martins Imhangbe and Emma Naomi, who play Will and Alice Mondrich, opened up about the evolution of their characters since the start of the series. Arguably the two characters who have gone through the most change, excluding Penelope’s (and Colin’s) glow-up of course, Martins spoke to Will’s development from boxer to business man, while Emma discussed how her character’s unwavering frank nature, mixed with “social pressure” she never had to worry about before, begins to effect her this season.
For all the interviews in full, press play above. Season 3 Part 1 of Bridgerton is officially available to stream on Netflix, with Part 2 scheduled to premiere on June 13.