Whatever it is you need to make a smash-hit Netflix series, Bridgerton has cracked it. Is it the show’s groundbreakingly diverse, modern spin on the Regency era romance genre? The gift of having TV empress Shonda Rhimes at the helm? Its USP of focusing on new lead characters each season?
It’s probably a confluence of all of these elements and more, really — its first season coming out in the midst of pandemic, when we were all stuck inside post-Christmas and needed content to binge, probably helped too. Still, there’s a strong argument to be made that it’s the talented and extremely easy on the eye cast that’s the biggest draw for viewers — just look at how season 1’s Regé-Jean Page and Phoebe Dynevor and season 2’s Jonathan Bailey are now everywhere since the show launched them into the stratosphere.
Next up, it’s the turn of long-term series regulars Luke Newton and Nicola Coughlan, as the fan-favorite slow-burn romance between Colin and Penelope finally takes center stage. Pay attention to the name Luke Newton as you’re probably about to hear it a lot after this season goes viral.
Who is Bridgerton season 3 lead Luke Newton?
Let’s drill it into our heads now: Luke Newton is Colin, Luke Thompson is Benedict. Luke Newton is Colin, Luke Thompson is Benedict. Yes, in addition to looking so alike you could believe they were actual brothers, second and third oldest Bridgerton siblings Benedict and Colin are also played by actors with the same name. Thompson’s time as the lead should’ve been in season 3, as per the Julia Quinn books, but the show decided to skip over him to get to Colin. Maybe next time, Thompson.
As for Luke Newton, it’s fair to say the 31-year-old actor had his life turned around when he landed the part of Bridgerton in season 1 as his career up until then had mostly comprised theater roles and guest spots in British TV series, like Mr. Selfridge and Doctors. That said, he can be called a former Disney kid as he had a regular role on British musical series The Lodge, which aired on Disney Channel from 2016-17.
These days, Newton is fresh off performing in a revival of The Shape of Things in London in 2023 and is due to lend his voice to animated film Viana and the Legend of the Golden Hearts. All in all, Newton has come impressively far in his career, especially given his childhood diagnosis of both ADHD and Dyslexia, something he’s described as “a worst nightmare,” which he has admitted impacts on his ability to remember his lines.
A glimpse at Newton’s Instagram (see above) will tell you that he’s incredibly close friends IRL with co-star Nicola Coughlan, so you can be sure their natural chemistry will spill over on screen to make Bridgerton season 3 another swoonworthy experience for streamers.
