The friends-to-lovers romance trope has gained a huge following of its own. Films such as When Harry Met Sally, 13 Going on 30, and even more fantastical ones like Spider-Man explore this interesting theme. Luke Newton from Bridgerton is also a self-proclaimed enthusiast of this trope, as he embraces it in his season.
The most recent season of Bridgerton on Netflix joins the ranks as it delves into the budding romance between Lady Whistledown a.k.a. Penelope Featherington, played by Nicola Coughlan, and Colin Bridgerton, portrayed by Luke Newton, as they navigate the transition from friends to something more.
Luke Newton shares his thoughts on the friends-to-lovers trope of romance
In light of how relatable this particular trope is, Newton shared his reflections to Variety saying, “I’m starting to realize how a lot of people have experienced it in one way or another, even my loved ones.” Despite not having ever been through it himself Newton said that he got a new sense of empathy on set about how complicated these romances are.
Newton credited the chemistry between him and Nicola Coughlan to their shared history both in front and behind the camera underlining their mutual love for storytelling. They never had a chemistry read during casting but quickly built up camaraderie. “We came into this show, not knowing what it was going to be, not knowing the scale of it and then we’ve lived that journey,” Newton noted.
Nicola Coughlan and Bridgerton showrunners shower praise on Luke Newton
Newton’s genuine enthusiasm for the character was praised by Coughlan who also mentioned his commitment towards playing it as real as possible. “He’s such a kind, genuine person,” gushed Nicola when asked about her co-star Newton. Chris Van Dusen, creator of the series who also happens to be one of its biggest fans eagerly anticipates Colin’s journey on Season 3 adapted from Julia Quinn’s novel Romancing Mr. Bridgerton.
Van Dusen applauded Coughlan and Newton’s portrayal of Penelope & Colin respectively in describing them as a riveting onscreen pair. He hinted at how people expect their development in relation while mentioning a possible climax for their storyline. Speaking to Variety he said, “The two of them together have this quiet strength about them that I think you really root for in a really relatable way.”
What else to expect from Netflix’s Bridgerton Season 3?
Apart from the classic friends-to-lovers trope in this season, the budding romance is set to face challenges when Lord Debling comes into play, embodied by Sam Phillips in an interfering role. Lord Debling is in love with Penelope and wants to “shake things up.”
He characterized his personality as one possessing an unflinching determination to get what he wants regardless of whether it endangers Penelope and Colin’s relationship or not.
The third season of Bridgerton will be released in two parts with the first debuting on May 16th and the second one following it on June 13th thus taking the ‘gentle readers’ and chronic bingers through a journey of love, drama, and intrigue.
ALSO READ: ‘It’s Really Sweet’: Nicola Coughlan Reacts To Rumors Of Dating Bridgerton Co-Star Luke Newton
