The long-awaited second series of Bridgerton is finally here, and with it comes a host of new additions to the cast.
Yes, there’s a whole new family arriving in the Ton in season two, who will have a big impact on Anthony Bridgerton, played by the show’s newly-promoted lead actor Jonathan Bailey.
As well as new characters, familiar faces from season one are also back – but that’s not the only reason viewers might have déjà vu.
If watching the new series of Bridgerton has left you wondering exactly where you’ve seen the cast before, then allow us to bring you up to speed…
Jonathan Bailey (Anthony Bridgerton)
Jonathan Bailey has been on the acting scene for some time now, with some of his most prolific roles being in the first two series of Broadchurch, the BBC comedy W1A, one memorable episode of the sitcom Chewing Gum and a 2014 stint in Doctor Who.
You may also have seen him on stage in Company – for which he earned an Olivier award – The York Realist or, more recently, Cock.
Of course, there’s every chance you just know him best from the first season of Bridgerton, with his character taking a huge step into the spotlight for the period drama’s second run.
Charithra Chandran (Edwina Sharma)
At the end of season one, you may recall that Anthony Bridgerton said he wanted to take romance out of the equation and marry out of duty with an eligible candidate. Enter Charithra Chandran, who plays Ton newcomer Edwina.
Charithra is still fairly new to our TV screens, but fans of Amazon’s Alex Rider adaptation will have seen her in action as Sabina Pleasance.
Simone Ashley (Kate Sharma)
Bridgerton being Bridgerton, the course of true love was never going to run smooth, was it?
Another new addition to the show is Simone Ashley, who plays Edwina’s protective half-sister Kate. Kate ends up taking the eye of Anthony Bridgerton during the course of his courtship with Edwina, with all kinds of drama ensuing as a result.
Like her co-star Jonathan Bailey, she also previously appeared in Broadchurch (though he had left the show by the time she joined the cast), but Simone is probably most popular for her role in another hit Netflix show, Sex Education. She has played Olivia – one of the so-called “Untouchables” – in all three series of the teen drama.
Shelley Conn (Lady Mary Sharma)
Rounding off the Sharma family is matriarch Lady Mary, played by Shelley Conn.
Fans of British dramas may remember Shelley from her performance as DI Harmon in both seasons of Liar, and she also recently had a small role in Four Lives, and was previously one of the leads in the Steven Spielberg drama Terra Nova back in 2011.
Rupert Young (Jack)
One of season two’s most mysterious new additions is Jack, played by Rupert Young, with producers taking measures to make sure specific details about the character were kept under wraps until the show arrived on Netflix.
Rupert is perhaps best known for playing Sir Leon in the TV drama Merlin, but he was also nominated for an Olivier for his role in the musical Dear Evan Hansen.
Calam Lynch (Theo Sharpe)
Theo Sharpe is another new character for Bridgerton’s second season, who’s described as a hardworking printer’s assistant – a stark contrast to some of the more aristocratic characters we’re used to seeing in the show.
He’s played by Calam Lynch, whose past credits include the 2017 war epic Dunkirk, Disney’s Black Beauty and the new drama Benediction.
Nicola Coughlan (Penelope Featherington)
Moving onto the returning characters from season one, Penelope Featherington was at the centre of one of the show’s biggest twists in the finale, and she’s back to her old tricks in the new series.
Prior to Bridgerton, Nicola Coughlan was most well-known for playing Clare in the hit comedy Derry Girls. You may have also seen her critiquing the queens on the most recent season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK in 2021.
Phoebe Dynevor (Daphne Bridgerton)
Phoebe Dynevor’s on-screen romance with Regé-Jean Page was the dominant storyline in the first series of Bridgerton, although her character is taking something of a back seat second time around (and he’s gone completely!).
Still, you’ll see Daphne around the Ton from time to time, and if that’s left you wondering where else you’ve seen Phoebe before, allow us to fill you in.
As a teenager, she was a regular in the school drama Waterloo Road, with appearances in Prisoners’ Wives, Dickensian and Snatch following.
Since her rise to fame in Bridgerton, you may have also seen her in the British drama The Colour Room. And in case you’ve been living under a rock, it might be of interest to hear that her mum is none other than Coronation Street legend Sally Dynevor.
Luke Thompson (Benedict Bridgerton)
Another of the Bridgerton brothers (who we can presumably expect to take centre stage in the third season, which has already been ordered by Netflix) is Benedict, portrayed by Luke Thompson.
Luke previously played Simon in In The Club and Connor in the Netflix series Kiss Me First. Like co-star Calam Lynch, he also had a small role in Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk.
Luke Newton (Colin Bridgerton)
Luke Newton plays the next in line of the Bridgerton brothers (notice they’re named alphabetically), Colin.
Before landing the role in Bridgerton, his most prolific role was in the Disney Channel musical mystery The Lodge, playing repairman Ben Evans.
Claudia Jessie (Eloise Brigderton)
Former Line Of Duty star Claudia Jessie made her Bridgerton debut in the first series, and reprises her role as Eloise in the follow-up.
Claudia previously played Detective Constable Jodie Taylor in the fourth season of Line Of Duty, in addition to more recent roles in Defending The Guilty, Vanity Fair and Doctor Who.
Adjoa Andoh (Lady Danbury)
Before landing the role of Lady Danbury, Adjoa Andoh had already racked up some seriously impressive roles on both the big and small screen.
Among her most notable parts are Francine Jones in Doctor Who, the Prosecutor in Line Of Duty and sharing the screen with Morgan Freeman in the Oscar-nominated film Invictus.
Golda Rosheuvel (Queen Charlotte)
Back to oversee things in season two is Golda Rosheuvel as Queen Charlotte.
She previously acted in Lady Macbeth and Silent Witness, as well as a role in the recent big-screen epic Dune.
Kathryn Drysdale (Genevieve)
Genevieve is returning to Bridgerton for its second season in all her fake accented glory.
The dress-maker (and love interest of Benedict Bridgerton) is played by Kathryn Drysale, whose past roles include Two Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps, Benidorm and Doctor Who.
Since 2017, she’s also played Meghan Markle in the sitcom The Windsors.
Martins Imhangbe (Will Mondrich)
Playing Will Mondrich is actor Martins Imhangbe’s biggest on-screen role to date, with his previous work mostly being in the theatre.
In recent history, he’s appeared in productions of An Adventure (as seen above), Richard II and Death Of A Salesman, as well as touring Shanghai as the lead in Othello in 2018.
Both seasons of Bridgerton are now available to watch on Netflix.
