Nicola Coughlan, Luke Newton on Carriage Scene

[This story contains major spoilers from Bridgerton season three, Part 1.]

Dearest mild readers, Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) lastly get collectively on the finish of Bridgerton season three, Half 1.

The couple, usually considered one of many favorites in Julia Quinn’s novel collection that serves as the premise of the Netflix hit present, have spent their entire lives in love with one another — even when one in every of them didn’t notice it till now. And their relationship appears to be in one of the best place ever when the primary 4 episodes finish. However, for a way lengthy?

Within the last moments of Half 1 (the season has a two-part launch), Colin admits he has emotions for Penelope. And after the very steamy carriage scene (a favourite from the guide), they’re on monitor to be married, with the Bridgerton sibling asking his bride-to-be, “Penelope Featherington, are you going to marry me or not?”

Whereas there couldn’t have been a sweeter technique to start their love story, one large secret looms over the blissful couple: Penelope is Woman Whistledown. With Colin proclaiming early within the season that he’ll do no matter he can to destroy the Ton’s gossip columnist if he ever finds out who she is, likelihood is that their stunning bubble will quickly be popped.

“I believe it makes the story simply so juicy that we consistently have that noise behind the room,” Luke Newton tells The Hollywood Reporter of Pen’s secret. “Irrespective of how blissful issues are and the way good issues are, [it can’t last].”

Beneath, the celebrities of Bridgerton season three open up about what’s to return for the couple partly two as they shift from pals to lovers.

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Season one’s romance was quick. Season two’s was extra slow-burning. And your season is a bit little bit of each. How did you strategy Polin’s storyline in another way from Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor) and Simon’s (Regé-Jean Web page) and Kate (Simone Ashley) and Anthony’s (Jonathan Bailey)?

NICOLA COUGHLAN I suppose it was the way it was written. I believe you possibly can’t overthink an excessive amount of. And likewise, when [showrunner] Jess Brownell talked us by the run of the season, it was actually thrilling. The tempo was very clear. The story was very clear. And it felt like that work was achieved for us, so all we actually needed to do was simply very a lot decide to it.

LUKE NEWTON Even on the premiere the opposite evening, I spotted how a lot can occur in a single episode. And I believe, in earlier seasons, we would have liked to introduce everybody, notably in season one. It took some time to introduce all these completely different households and these lead characters, and for us, as a result of it focuses a lot on Colin and Pen’s love story, we get to hit the bottom working right away, which is so thrilling. After which welcome new characters as we go on.

The well-known carriage scene from the guide Romancing Mr. Bridgerton takes place on the finish of Half 1. Why do you suppose Penelope and Colin’s intimate scenes are so heightened?

COUGHLAN Followers have invested within the characters for 2 seasons. For anybody, it’s straightforward to say ladies who’ve felt like this — guys who’ve felt like this, anybody who’s felt like this — anybody who has had this crush and this love for somebody who doesn’t see them, and it was simply written so fantastically. It had every part. I at all times say that scene for me has every part that makes Bridgerton magic, as a result of it has the romance, suspense, drama, the miscommunication after which the sexiness, after which the gorgeous moments of humor. Nevertheless it was a scene that caught out to me, actually after I learn the guide all these years in the past, and it’s that familiarity. I really feel like that second the place they chuckle collectively is basically magic, as a result of that’s true intimacy — to me, anyway.

NEWTON I believe the followers being alongside for the trip the entire time actually makes it particular, like a shared expertise. The expertise that [Nicola and I] shared collectively, but additionally they’ve skilled it. They’ve seen us now onscreen for 5 years, though it’s solely three seasons. They’ve been alongside the entire time and watching us develop these characters collectively. So, yeah, it was a very particular second to be like, “Wow, it received to the tip.” It was loopy.

Additionally on the finish of Half 1, Penelope and Colin appear to be the definition of blissful. They’re on cloud 9. However Pen’s Whistledown secret looms over them. How do you suppose Colin goes to take the information in Half 2, assuming he finds out?

NEWTON It’s fascinating going into that, as a result of, how is he going to search out out? As a result of, realistically, he didn’t see Penelope who was basically in love with him for 3 earlier years. His entire life, she’s type of been infatuated by him, and he’s by no means seen that. So, how is he going to find this large secret she’s a professional at maintaining? However I believe it makes the story so juicy that we consistently have that noise behind the room that’s consistently going, and also you’re like, regardless of how blissful issues are and the way good issues are… I additionally love the bit that Colin is simply in his actual giddy temper.

COUGHLAN I really like episodes 5 and 6 once they’re in that giddy, giddy time, and so they’re so in love as a result of that’s the factor. A few of the finest issues on this present are once you see individuals really in love with each other, so blissfully blissful.

NEWTON That should have been a horrible bit for Pen, since you’re leaping from moments of pleasure to essentially the conclusion of like, “Yeah, effectively, I’m the ticking time clock.”

During the last two seasons, Pen and Colin have had an unstated intimacy from being pals, and Penelope’s longtime crush on him. You discover bodily intimacy in Half 1 a bit and extra in Half 2. How did you put together for the dynamic shift from pals to lovers?

NEWTON I believe it’s been a sluggish preparation since our very first scene. I wouldn’t say there’s a drastic distinction within the spark and connection between them. We see it within the first episode of season one. It’s not like there was nothing, and it was purely friendship. There’s at all times been an curiosity from each and whether or not Colin’s been clouded by different issues that get in the way in which in his pursuit for a goal or no matter, there’s at all times been a connection between them. It’s been the slowest burn out of all of the love tales throughout the present. So, it by no means actually felt like we needed to go, “Alright, let’s step it up.” We positively tried to tempo it all through these episodes.

COUGHLAN We have been very acutely aware of that, as a result of we wished every second to really feel actually earned. We have been reticent concerning the attractive dream scene. That juxtaposed with them having their first kiss and this imagined first assembly the place they’re generally far more calm and attractive, like, “I’ve been occupied with you,” and “Oh, I’ve been occupied with you.” Then their very first assembly underneath that tree is so awkward and horrible. I now love that that’s the truth.

NEWTON I believe additionally as a result of we have been residing it, and we have been experiencing it, it was like, “Oh, the viewers can’t see them have this like actually passionate kiss within the dream sequence.” However then it’s laborious for us to understand going, “It’s the dream,” and viewers are going to take that and go, “Oh, I want that was actual.” So I bear in mind us having these conversations, like that’s ruining the carriage.

COUGHLAN Nevertheless it doesn’t. It’s laborious to think about the entire run of the story once you’re within the midst of filming as a result of, clearly, you movie out of a sequence.

NEWTON That’s when it’s like, hat’s off to Jess [Brownell], she simply knew precisely what she was doing.

Bridgerton season three, Half 1, is streaming on Netflix now. Half 2 releases June 13. Learn Brownell’s tackle Half 1.