Bridgerton, the new Netflix drama about “eight close-knit siblings of the Bridgerton family who look for love and happiness in London high society,” is set to premiere on Christmas day.
Jonathan Bailey (Broadchurch, Leonardo) plays one of those siblings, and as a gay man who plays a heterosexual character in the series, was asked his thoughts by Digital Spy about the debate over straight actors playing gay roles and vice versa.
Said Bailey: “I think it shouldn't matter at all what character people play, but of course there is a narrative that's very clear, that openly gay men aren't playing straight in leading roles.”
“And also, there's a reason why gay characters are so interesting,” Bailey added. “Because much like the women in Bridgerton, there are a lot of hurdles and there's a lot of self-growth, and there's a real strength to gay men. So the fact that a lot of straight men have gone on to play iconic gay roles and to be lauded for that is fantastic, that that story is being told. But wouldn't it be brilliant to see gay men play their own experience?”
Check out the trailer for Bridgerton:
