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Bridgerton showrunner clarifies Benedict’s sexual identity after season 3 arc

Theo

Summary

  • Benedict’s confrontation with his sexuality in
    Bridgerton
    Season 3 reflects his openness and resistance to societal expectations.
  • Brownell confirms Benedict’s pansexuality and suggests that his future character development will involve accepting his true self.
  • Benedict’s journey through love and self-discovery will see him revisit themes from his novel and build a personal connection with viewers.



Bridgerton Showrunner Jess Brownell looks at Benedict Bridgerton’s (Luke Thompson) coming to terms with his sexuality in season 3. The third installment is based on Julia Quinn’s Regency-era romance series and follows the budding romance between Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) as the former friends fall in love. In addition to the main romance, Benedict also had a tryst with the widow Lady Tilley Arnold (Hannah New), which gave him new perspectives on who he can love and what relationships can be.

Brownell opened for The Hollywood Reporter about Benedict’s exploration of his sexuality and how it affects his future story arc. While Benedict’s past romances and openness gave clues to his sexuality, the showrunner confirmed his pansexuality because his relationship with Tilley and Paul Suarez (Lucas Aurelio) enabled Benedict to go beyond the limits of social expectations that will inspire his future choices. Check out Brownell’s exploration below:


Benedict’s sexual identity is not something he’s firmly believed in. In modern terms, he could be described as pansexual, someone for whom gender doesn’t really matter. We’ve talked a lot about Benedict’s fluidity since season one, and I know people have noticed that, and we wanted to speak up about that and clarify the character. Because I think he’s inherently more about connection than gender. And in a larger context, I think the threesome or throuple story is about Benedict learning to embrace his true self, just like Pen and Colin embrace their true selves. Benedict has always been an unconventional character who lives a little bit outside of society in terms of his comfort zone. And this season, Tilley really helps him embrace who he really is and teaches him how to own that, and that’s something Benedict will continue to do in future seasons.



Bridgerton Season 3 has prepared Benedict’s romantic themes

Benedict’s sexuality is crucial to his ability to continue to defy societal expectations.

Paul (Lucas Aurelio) and Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) kiss while Lady Tilley Arnold (Hannah New) looks on in Bridgerton Season 3, Episode 7
Image via Netflix

This departure from the novel fits Benedict’s arc of openness, as his book also takes up these themes to defy societal norms.

At the moment, It’s difficult to say exactly who will take the lead in Season 4 as several characters are positioned in places that can serve their future storylines. In addition to Benedict, Tilley and Paul’s love triangle, Bridgerton At the end of the third season, Francesca (Hannah Dodd) also met Michaela Stirling (Masali Badouza), which laid the foundation for a queer romance adaptation of When he was evilIn addition, Eloise (Claudia) embarks on a journey of self-discovery in Scotland, which gives her the opportunity to advance her own romantic development.


Bridgerton – Francesca – Hannah – Dodd – Benedict – Luke – Thompson

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Nevertheless, Benedict’s journey and the broadening of his horizons through Tilley’s influence has not only given the character space to explore his own sexuality, but also set him on the path to addressing issues that have been in his Novel, An offer from a gentleman. With his own lover, Sophie Beckett, his story is about overcoming the boundaries of societyas the pair enter into a relationship that goes beyond the position one can hold in the societal hierarchy by birth or circumstance. After Tilley opens his eyes to see beyond the strictures of life, Benedict is ready to follow his heart’s desire.


Through Benedict’s exploration of his sexuality, some viewers will surely identify with his journey of self-discovery and see themselves in how he found himself. This departure from the novel fits with Benedict’s openness, as his book also deals with these issues to defy societal norms. And since Francesca’s own story has been adapted as a queer romance, perhaps the story of An offer from a gentleman could experience a similar reinterpretation if it hits the screen in the future Bridgerton seasons.

Source: THR

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