Sorry, 'Bridgerton' Fans: Shonda Rhimes Doesn't Think Regé-Jean Page Will Be Back

Senior Culture Reporter, HuffPost
Shonda Rhimes had sobering words for “Bridgerton” fans who are holding out hope that Regé-Jean Page will one day return to the Netflix series.
The Emmy-winning television mogul told Variety this week that she doesn’t expect Page to reprise his role as Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings, in future seasons of “Bridgerton.”
“Rightfully, he said, ‘I signed up to do this one lovely story, this closed-ended storyline. I’m good!’” said Rhimes, who is an executive producer on “Bridgerton” and “Grey’s Anatomy,” among other beloved shows. “And I don’t blame him for that. I think that he was really smart to leave the perfection as the perfection.”
Page nabbed an Emmy nomination for his portrayal of the duke on the first season of “Bridgerton,” which debuted in December 2020. In April, it was announced that the British and Zimbabwean heartthrob would depart the series as his character was only intended for a single-season arc.
Season 2, which is slated for release next year, will instead focus on Lord Anthony Bridgerton, played by Jonathan Bailey.
The exact circumstances surrounding Page’s exit from “Bridgerton” remain unclear. Later in April, The Hollywood Reporter cited “sources close to the show” who claimed the actor had, in fact, rejected an offer to appear in between three and five episodes of Season 2 for $50,000 per episode.
The actor never publicly commented on that report, but he’s parlayed his newfound fame into a host of projects. Next year, Page will appear in the Netflix thriller “The Gray Man,” which stars Chris Evans and Ryan Gosling. He is also frequently name-dropped in speculative reports over who might succeed Daniel Craig in the James Bond franchise.
That breakout success, Rhimes told Variety, is yet another reason she can’t envision a scenario in which Page would come back to “Bridgerton.”
“He’s an enormous star now,” she explained. “As I like to say, the idea that we would write Regé to stand around in the background doesn’t make any sense at all to me. ‘What would he do?’ is what I like to say.”
It seems Rhimes has decided to interpret fans’ despondency at the duke’s absence as a sign of the strength of both the show and Page’s dreamy performance. Still, she offered fans her condolences.
“People’s attachment to couples is real — I mean, I know that better than anybody,” she said. “And I think that means success. But I do understand their despair.”
Senior Culture Reporter, HuffPost

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