Now that “Bridgerton” followers have come to phrases with the truth that Regé-Jean Page will not return to the sequence, let’s dive into the actual cause behind his departure. After Lady Whistledown herself introduced Page’s exit from the beloved Netflix sequence on Twitter on April 2, 2021, the 34-year-old actor instructed Variety later that month that it was at all times the plan for Simon Basset to have a “one-season arc.” In reality, that was one of many attracts of the function for him.
“There can also be worth in finishing these arcs and sticking the touchdown.”
“It’s going to have a starting, center, finish — give us a 12 months,” Page stated, recalling earlier conversations with Shondaland producers. “[I thought] ‘That’s fascinating,’ as a result of then it felt like a restricted sequence. I get to come back in, I get to contribute my bit, after which the ‘Bridgerton’ household rolls on.”
Page defined that one of many issues he loves in regards to the anthology is that every e-book is devoted to a distinct character’s love story. “One of the issues that’s completely different about this [romance] style is that the viewers is aware of the arc completes,” he defined. “They are available understanding that, so you’ll be able to tie folks in emotional knots as a result of they’ve that reassurance that we will come out and we will have the wedding and the newborn.” The actor made it clear that he has “nothing however pleasure for ‘Bridgerton’ persevering with to steam practice off and conquer the globe,” including, “But there’s additionally worth in finishing these arcs and sticking the touchdown.”
He reiterated that he was at all times going to do a one-season activate the sequence in a February 2023 interview for Vanity Fair‘s Hollywood difficulty. Calling the state of affairs easy, Page stated, “I signed as much as do a job and I did the job after which I did another jobs. That’s it. That’s the story. I want it was extra glamorous than that. [After] we completed the story, the temptation could be to roll with the distractions and go, ‘Oh, nicely, the story went very well so we will sort of change this up and make another stuff up, I assume.’ That was by no means what we might signed as much as do.”
According to a earlier report from The Hollywood Reporter, Page was supplied a chance to visitor star in three to 5 episodes of season two at a price of $50,000 per episode, however he declined.
But actually — was Page nervous about leaving the present that made so many individuals fall in love with him? “Not in any respect, as a result of that is what was meant,” he instructed Variety in May 2021. “Simon was this bomb of a one-season antagonist, to be reformed and to search out his true self by means of Daphne. I believe one of many bravest issues in regards to the romance style is permitting folks a contented ending.” The actor stated his “Bridgerton” exit was just like leaving highschool. “You’re afraid of the unknown, considering, ‘Oh, my God, I’m by no means going to make pals pretty much as good as those I’ve,’ and you then do.”
In a July 2022 interview with the outlet, Page even gave the sequence his blessing to proceed molding his character with out him, nonetheless they see match. “They’re free to do as they like,” he stated. “Shonda [Rhimes] and I had a beautiful dialog on the finish of season one. We have been fairly proud of how we caught the touchdown on that one.”
Rhimes instructed Vanity Fair in 2021 that she was “actually shocked” about followers’ response to Page’s departure. “Usually that occurs when I’ve killed off anyone that is been round for some time. Like, we did not kill him, he is nonetheless alive!” she stated. “[Regé-Jean] is a robust, wonderful actor and that meant we did our job — each season, our job is discovering the fitting folks and placing collectively this unimaginable, world-shifting romance. I do not know that I anticipated this a lot of an explosion, given that each e-book [in the Bridgerton series] is a distinct romance. What could be the ever-after of this combo? I imply, actually: What would Regé-Jean do, what I imply? We gave them their fortunately ever after! And now now we have this subsequent couple coming. And so yeah, I used to be like, whoa!”