Following the success of its second season, which featured the electrifying “will they, won’t they” love story of Viscount Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) and Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley) – known as “Kanthony” by enthusiastic fans – the spotlight has shifted to two familiar characters ready for their turn: Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) and Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan).
These beloved characters finally take center stage in the latest installment of the Regency-era romantic drama. “Polin” shippers have eagerly awaited this moment, having watched Penelope secretly pine for Colin since the series began in 2020. With a deviation from the order of events in Julia Quinn’s “Bridgerton” novels, viewers will finally get the resolution they have been longing for.
When we last saw the duo in Season 2, Colin had unintentionally hurt Penelope by telling his gentry friends he would never court her, creating a rift and setting up the emotional tension for this season.
“When you meet them, they’re both putting on masks,” Coughlan explained in a recent interview. “They each feel like they need to be other people to survive, to be loved, and to find a match.”
### From Friends to Something More
The new season begins with Colin returning from a summer of traveling abroad, sporting a new look and attracting attention from society ladies. Meanwhile, Penelope is determined to find a husband to escape her family home, dominated by her scheming mother and newly-married sisters.
This season promises that “even a wallflower can blossom,” and Penelope undergoes a “glow up” that replaces her citrus-colored gowns and awkward hairstyles with a more mature, sophisticated look.
“For her, she’s thinking, ‘I don’t care about romance or love, that doesn’t interest me. I’m going to be practical and find a husband.’ But you realize that she’s done no work on herself. So, the transformation doesn’t fix anything,” Coughlan said.
In an unexpected twist, Colin becomes Penelope’s mentor, helping her navigate the world of courtship. This leads Penelope to attract the attention of Lord Debling (Sam Phillips), a character not present in the books.
Inevitably, this sparks jealousy in Colin. In a Season 3 preview, he asks his mother, “Is the best foundation for love friendship?” Fans will be screaming “YES” at their screens, but Coughlan emphasizes that the characters must embark on a crucial journey of self-love before coming together.
“There’s a real overarching theme throughout the story with both Colin and Pen, of them learning to love themselves, as cheesy as that sounds,” Coughlan said. “But it’s so important. Once they learn to live in who they are, that’s when they truly blossom.”
Newton added, “They’ve known each other for a really long time, they know each other’s insecurities, and it’s about accepting that person rather than idolizing a version of them that just isn’t real.”
### Unlocking Their Chemistry
As the season’s main love interests, both actors felt the pressure but embraced the legacy left by their predecessors (Bailey and Season 1’s Regé-Jean Page as Simon Basset) while bringing a fresh take on the archetype.
“Having sat in this role for the last four years, I felt in a really good place with Colin. He has a lot of traits that the previous male leads didn’t quite have. He’s got this sensitivity and empathy for other characters,” Newton said.
Coughlan and Newton found becoming series leads exciting and natural. Their strong bond and open communication allowed them to “unlock” their chemistry, which proved invaluable when filming “Bridgerton’s” famous love scenes.
“In the lead-up, I was very nervous,” Coughlan admitted. “But once we got into it, we had so much control over what we were doing. They ended up being really fun, and watching them back, I think they’re really beautiful.”
While they enjoyed their roles, they refrained from giving dating advice. Both insisted they aren’t qualified to offer modern-day advice but believe that Colin, Penelope, and the rest of us are “just human.”
“You can have a crush, but don’t think that they’re the be-all and end-all,” Coughlan advised. Noted.
“Bridgerton” Season 3, Part 1 is streaming now on Netflix. Part 2 will release on June 13.
