The real reason Francesca Bridgerton was recast revealed in Netflix’s hit bonkbuster

By William On May 16, 2024

When the highly anticipated third series of Netflix period drama Bridgerton finally hit our Netflix screens on Thursday, fans who have already started bingeing will have noticed that one main character looks a little different.

Francesca Bridgerton, the sixth of eight Bridgerton children, takes center stage in the new batch of episodes – and it comes just as her character has been recast.

While the main storyline follows the blossoming romance of Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton (Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton), it also sees Francesca playing a larger role.

In the previous two seasons, the minor character was played by Ruby Stokes, 23, and only appeared in five episodes in total.

Now 28-year-old actress Hannah Dodd has taken over as Francesca’s storyline starts to take on more importance.

In the previous two seasons, Francesca Bridgerton was played by Ruby Stokes (left), 23, and only appeared in five episodes in total before the role was taken over by Hannah Dodd (right) for season three.

Hannah (left) has taken over, just as Francesca’s storyline is becoming more important

The critics’ thoughts on Bridgerton series three

The independent

Judgement:

Nick Hilton said the Netflix period drama is “losing its bite,” but Acclaimed lead actor Nicola: ‘Coughlan is a great screen presence and has long been one of Bridgerton’s strengths.’

The Telegraph

Judgement:

Anita Singh: ‘What was once fresh and fun now seems stuck in a rut as the hit period drama starts to show signs of wear and tear.’

Guardian

Judgement:

Rachel Aroesti: “As we dive into season three, the show’s joys are still obvious and its flaws can be overlooked. Like the loving couples it follows, Bridgerton’s honeymoon phase is far from over.”

Evening standard

Judgement:

Vicky Jessop: ‘Three seasons later, the Bridgerton formula is worn out: do you see that? The plot beats are predictable, the romance feels like copy and paste and they all live happily ever after.”

Variety

Aramide Tinubu: Coughlan and Newton have always had a good relationship, but watching Colin realize that he sexually desires Penelope creates a sparkling tension in Part 1 that threatens to explode off the screen.’

TIME

Judy Berman: ‘IIn Season 3, viewers will get to know Penelope better than we’ve ever known the show’s characters – and Bridgerton has never been better than it is now with its real-life heroine in the spotlight.”

The Hollywood Reporter

Angie Han: ‘Overall, this outing lacks the giddiness of previous ones. Technically, there’s still plenty of skin… bBut the delicious desire that Bridgeton has written all over her is significantly dulled by the fact that there isn’t actually much between the potential couple.’

In season three, the introverted younger Bridgerton sibling is officially presented to Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel) in hopes of becoming the second “diamond” in her family.

The sudden recast has left fans confused and taking to social media to wonder why Ruby stepped down from the Netflix role just when her character was about to become a central focus of the plot.

However, the answer to the question is simply that Ruby had to step down due to other overlapping film commitments.

The 23-year-old actress left Bridgerton to film new supernatural drama Lockwood & Co – another Netflix show, where she played the lead role of Lucy Carlyle in season one.

Her character in the young adult series was a teenage ghost hunter who creates a paranormal detection agency with two other young people (played by Cameron Chapman and Ali Hadji-Heshmati).

However, Variety reported in May 2023 that Lockwood & Co would not get a second season, because “although Netflix was very pleased with the show, and especially the work that had gone into it, the ratings did not meet the threshold to greenlight a second season to give’ .’

Ruby’s departure from Bridgerton meant Hannah could step into her place, after initially losing out in a battle for a key role in the drama when she auditioned a few years ago.

Hannah, who is best known for her roles in other Netflix shows such as Enola Holmes and Anatomy of a Scandal, makes an appearance just as Francesca takes center stage in the new episodes.

Ruby Stokes (centre) left Bridgerton to film new supernatural drama Lockwood & Co – another Netflix show, where she played the lead role of Lucy Carlyle in season one.

Ruby (center back) had to step down due to other overlapping film commitments

Ruby’s character in Lockwood & Co, for which she left for Bridgerton, was teenage ghost hunter Lucy Carlyle

Francesca Bridgerton (left: played by Ruby Stokes in season two) is the sixth Bridgerton sibling

Hannah’s feisty role is sure to make for water cooler moments as intimacy coordinators have been involved from the very beginning

Despite the series only being released today, fans of the period drama have already flocked to X (formerly Twitter) to praise the Colchester-based actress’ performance as Bridgerton’s quiet sibling.

Record-breaking Bridgerton has a reputation for turning unknowns into popular properties – think Rege-Jean Page and Phoebe Dynevor from series one.

And Hannah’s feisty role is sure to make for water-cooler moments, as intimacy coordinators are involved from the start.

In When He Was Wicked, the sixth Bridgerton novel, Francesca is the central character – and one fireside scene has been described as one of the most sensual romantic fiction of the period.

“Yes, I don’t care what y’all say, I love Hannah as Francesca #BRIDGERTON.”

“Forget diamond of the season, Hannah Dodd might just be my diamond of the entire #BRIDGERTON series… She is literally the perfect Francesca and I can’t wait for everyone to fall in love with her work in the first batch of episodes!!”

‘I know she’s a different actress, but Hannah plays Francesca in this scene with the same mannerism that Ruby did well! #BRIDGERTON.”

Bridgerton series three part one can be seen on Netflix from May 16, series three part two from June 13.