‘Bridgerton’ Season 3 Introduces a Surprising New Friendship

Mild readers, season three of Bridgerton is upon us in the end—and introducing a friendship that’s certain to be the speak of the ton. Bosom buddies Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie) are nonetheless estranged. However out of the ashes of their relationship rises a brand new alliance between Eloise and none aside from Cressida Cowper (Jessica Madsen), who was as soon as a shared enemy of the previous associates.

New sequence showrunner Jess Brownell admits that Eloise and Cressida are unusual bedfellows—at first look anyway. “Final season, Eloise had a little bit of a bumpy ending,” she tells Vainness Truthful. “She obtained somewhat political with the printer, Theo (performed by Calam Lynch), and almost obtained herself and her household in huge hassle. Then, on prime of that, she realized that her finest good friend had been mendacity to her about Whistledown all alongside. So Eloise enters this season having misplaced somewhat little bit of her battle, not less than quickly. There’s somewhat feeling of, when you can’t beat them, be part of them. Once we had been speaking about who can be fascinating to pair Eloise with, by way of underlining how totally different she’s feeling this 12 months with out Penelope by her aspect, Cressida made quite a lot of sense.”

It’s a friendship that wasn’t within the Julia Quinn–written novels, that means that few may have seen it coming. However the union serves as a scrumptious “alternative to get to know Cressida somewhat bit extra,” says Brownell. “I like a mean-girl character, however much more, I like understanding why a imply lady is a imply lady. As a result of imply women should not born, they’re made. You’ve gotten Cressida, who has been this queen bee all alongside—however three years in with no husband, I feel there’s some room for reflection together with her. You’re going to see some new sides from her this 12 months, and perceive why she is the best way she is.”

The brand new season will function a glimpse into Cressida’s homelife, which largely revolves round her success on the wedding market, the place she’s competing in opposition to fellow singleton Penelope for the affections of a brand new character, Lord Debling (performed by Sam Phillips). “For the final two seasons, there’s been this rivalry between Penelope and Cressida. It felt like we wished that to come back to a head this season,” says Brownell. “So despite the fact that Cressida, this 12 months, is attempting her finest to be much less of a imply lady, she will be able to’t assist however subconsciously wish to go after the identical man Penelope goes after. It places the 2 of them on a collision course that was actually enjoyable to play out.”

The bond between Eloise and Penelope is collateral harm from the revelation that the latter is definitely tea-spilling Woman Whistledown. Their continued separation makes for among the season’s most heartbreaking moments.

“Bridgerton is about love in its many varieties, and so it felt proper to concentrate on friendship as nicely, which I feel is simply as vital as romantic relationships, particularly at that age,” Brownell explains. “So Penelope and Eloise’s breakup is absolutely, in some ways, the secondary love story of the season. They’re childhood associates who grew up subsequent door to one another, and quite a lot of instances, these associates, you outgrow them. So what we’re this season is, are they the type of associates who it was only a section and so they’re going to outgrow one another? Or are they individually going to have the ability to mature in the identical route and are available again collectively?”

Alas, the Woman Whistledown of all of it will proceed to burden a possible reconciliation between the 2—and any burgeoning romance with one Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton). “Eloise is aware of the key, and as quickly as one individual is aware of, I feel it will get more durable and more durable to maintain the key,” says Brownell. “In order that’s positively a strain that’s taking part in on Penelope this 12 months.”

Season three of Bridgerton will debut on Netflix in two halves—half one on Could 16 and half two on June 13.