Heating up the set! Bridgerton star Phoebe Dynevor dished on what it was like to film her steamiest scenes on the new Netflix hit — and it wasn’t as awkward as fans might think.
The 25-year-old British actress stars as Daphne, the eldest Bridgerton daughter in the binge-worthy period drama, which hit the streaming mogul on Christmas Day. Based on the series of novels by Julia Quinn, Bridgerton is the first of producer Shonda Rhimes‘ projects to debut after she signed an impressive multiyear deal with Netflix.
Dynevor’s sexy scenes with costar Regé-Jean Page quickly caught viewers’ attention, but with the help of an on-set intimacy coordinator, the actors felt totally comfortable getting down and dirty.
“I love [Daphne’s] coming-of-age story and her sexual awakening. … My first-ever scene was in episode six, where Simon [Page] is going down on Daphne,” Dynevor revealed during a recent interview with Grazia UK. “And it was so great, because it felt safe and fun: you choreograph it like a stunt or a dance. It’s crazy to me that that hasn’t been there in the past.”
The hands-on coaching was a welcome change from other projects Dynevor had done in the past. “I’ve done sex scenes before that I can’t believe I did,” she added. “It was only five or six years ago, but it would not be allowed now.”
Bringing Regency London-era high society to life posed its challenges for the entire cast, especially when they were kept on late-night shoots and filming six days a week.
“There is a scene in one episode where Daphne walks down the stairs and everyone is staring at her,” Dynevor recalled. “That was one of the hardest scenes to shoot. Everyone has days where they wake up and feel like poo and don’t want to see people, let alone be on camera. It just so happened I was having one of those days then and felt so out of my comfort zone. Basically, I had a full-blown panic attack.”
Though the show takes place in the 19th century, Dynevor was still able to connect with her character in ways that took her by surprise. Daphne is described as “perfectly beautiful” and makes a strong impression on Queen Charlotte (played by Golda Rosheuvel), a pressure that Dynevor found relatable for modern women.
“Bridgerton might not have social media, but Daphne has to present a filtered version of herself, perfect and prim,” she told Grazia. “You can’t live like that forever.”
