Sorry,Bridgertonfans, it looks likeRegé-Jean Pagehas left the Duke of Hastings behind him for good. In speaking toVarietyat the premiere of his newest filmThe Gray Man, Page was asked how he would feel, were theShona Rhimes-produced Regency romance drama to recast the role of Simon. Page said that the team was “free to do as they like,” adding that he and Rhimes were both pleased with how Simon’s arc wrapped up at the end of the first season.
Page elaborated on that point, adding:
“We did so well on that redemptive arc that people forget that Simon was kind of horrific. He was the best example of a Regency fuckboy that any of us had come across. And so, because we came around full circle so well, because we stuck that landing, you’re left with this great feeling. You really do have to be brave about ending stories like that.”
Though it’s common for romance novel series to leave earlier couples mostly behind when moving on to a new story, theBridgertonseries has taken a different approach to the adaptation of theJulia Quinn-penned series, turning it more into an ensemble piece rather than focused largely on the main romance of the season. This is why more than a few eyebrows were raised when Daphne, Duchess of Hastings (Phoebe Dynevor) appeared throughout Season 2 with her husband Simon nowhere to be seen.
RELATED:‘Bridgerton’ Season 3 to Focus on Colin and Penelope’s Romance
His absence was especially jarring as Season 2 followed the romantic woes of Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey), who it was made clear throughout Season 1 is Simon’s best friend. Simon’s absence could be overlooked when it came time to prepare for a ball, or to escort Eloise (Claudia Jesse) to her presentation to the Queen. But it did feel odd to not have Anthony’s best friend there to point out the hypocrisy of kissing Kate (Simone Ashley) then refusing to marry her, when Anthony did the same to Simon in Season 1. Not to mention, there’s no one quite like a best friend to make sure you don’t make it all the way to the altar with the wrong person…
This also wouldn’t be the first timeBridgertonhas opted to recast one of the main characters. It was announced recently thatHannah Doddwill be replacingRuby Stokesas the sixth-youngest Bridgerton sibling Francesca in Season 3. Their interest in making sure Francesca appears more prominently seems to hint that her own love story might be beginning to unfold on the small screen, even as Season 3 finally wraps up the longing and tension between Colin (Luke Newton) and Penelope Fetherington (Nicola Coughlan).
In the meantime, for those of us missing seeing Page on our screens, theRusso BrothersfilmThe Gray Manwill arrive on Netflix next week. In the film, Page plays Denny Carmichael, a CIA operative tracking down superspy Court Gentry, played by Ryan Gosling. Page seems to have enjoyed playing the bad guy for a change, telling Variety “It’s a delight. Hopefully you plug into the relish that the audience will have going there with you.”
The first two seasons ofBridgertonare on Netflix now. For more of Page, you can catch him in Netflix’sThe Gray Man, which comes out July 22. Watch the trailer below:
