Changing up the narrative. After fans questioned why Anthony Bridgerton’s (Jonathan Bailey) wedding to Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley) didn’t make it into season 2 of Bridgerton, director Cheryl Dunye cleared up the creative choice.
According to Dunye, 55, the team behind the sophomore season of the Netflix series didn’t want Anthony’s nuptials with Edwina Sharma (Charithra Chandran) to overshadow his moments with Kate. When the eldest Bridgerton sibling decided to marry someone he didn’t love, he ended up in a courtship with Kate’s younger sister. However, Edwina realized his and Kate’s romantic feelings for one another and stopped the ceremony before exchanging vows.
“There was a big wedding before,” Dunye explained during an interview with Insider published on Monday, April 4. “Two weddings in a show that were that spectacular, one could not do after the other. I was just like, ‘Yeah, you’re going to make the other wedding look paltry if this wedding was bigger.'”
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Even though viewers only saw Kate and Anthony returning from their honeymoon in the finale, the cast recently confirmed that the couple’s onscreen story will continue.
“We’re going to be back! Kate and Anthony are just getting started,” Ashley, 27, told Deadline at a Netflix event in March. “We have the amazing Jess Brownell, who is taking the lead as showrunner in season 3. In season 2, there was a lot of push and pull between Kate and Anthony, there were complications with the family, and then they find each other toward the end.”
The Sex Education star noted that Kate and Anthony’s future would be explored even after their main season concluded. “I think everything is just starting. I’d like to see Kate just let go a bit more and play more in season 3 and kind of swim in that circle of love together,” she added at the time. “I think they both deserve it.”
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Ashley also teased how Kate would adjust to her new role as the Viscountess. “She’s in charge of the household now and she’s got big boots to put on. I think she can do it,” the U.K. native shared. “I want to keep that softness and vulnerability to Kate, for sure, and she can share that with Anthony. I’m just excited for her to have a home and to have a family. I’m excited to see her grow. I think I’d like to see Kate being much braver and less headstrong and more heart strong.”
The 33-year-old Crashing alum for his part, gushed about getting to see his character grow into a happier version of himself.
“I think he’s going to be devoted to Kate. He’s going to protect her at all costs. And I think he’s just going to cherish every single moment with her. And I think that might bring about some problems,” Bailey jokingly told The Wrap last month about potential plans for season 3. “If she needs to go, you know, be in another room and he won’t be able to handle it. So maybe there’s a bit of that, but also, he’s going to be an incredible father.”
The Jack Ryan alum continued: “He’s going to be able to, for the first time in his life, see qualities in himself that he so depended on and admired in his father. And I think that’s going to really help him grow even further because, I think, he’s never really felt that he’s been enough. And I think Kate is the person who’s showing him that he is. And I think he’s going to thrive.”
Seasons 1 and 2 of Bridgerton is streaming now on Netflix.